Troy Bourke better have his passport ready.
The 17-year-old Prince George Cougars forward might need it for a trip to Europe this summer.
Bourke, one of the top rookies in the WHL last season, has been picked for Hockey Canada's under-18 development camp in Calgary, July 29-Aug. 2.
From that camp, 22 players will be selected to form Canada's under-18 national team at the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament in Piestany, Slovakia and Breclav, Czech Republic, Aug. 3-14. The selection process will involve three practices and three games.
"The Cougars are very pleased for Troy to get this invite," said Cougars general manager Dallas Thompson. "He has worked very hard for this type of recognition. We wish Troy all the best at the camp and we feel he'll be great competitor for Canada if he's selected for the under -18 team."
In 68 games last season, a five-foot-10, 170-pound native of Onoway, Alta., collected 19 goals and 23 assists for 42 points, ninth among WHL rookies and the second-highest point total of any 16 year old in the WHL.
Bourke played in the 2011 World Under-17 Challenge and helped Team Pacific win the bronze medal, picking up three goals and five assists for eight points in six games.
A second-round pick of the Cougars in the 2009 bantam draft, Bourke led the team with a plus/minus rating of +15. He won the Cats' scholastic player award in 2010-11.
In other Cougar news, the team has signed defenceman Jordan Harris to a standard WHL contract. Harris was the Cougars' first-round choice (11th overall) in the 2011 bantam draft. The native of Prince Albert, Sask., helped the Prince Albert Pirates capture the bantam double-A provincial championship in 2011. In 23 regular season games with the Pirates, Harris totaled 10 goals and 24 assists for 34 points and 28 penalty minutes.
Harris is one of 42 players in Canada selected for the inaugural Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Camp in Mississauga, Ont., Aug 2-6. The camp will be hosted by a group NHL players, headed by 21-year NHL veteran forward Gary Roberts.
