Brett Connolly did it six years ago, before he went on to the NHL.
He was selected along with his under-16 hockey peers from around the province to play in the B.C. Cup tournament , and look where that got him. Three years later, the Prince George minor hockey product was playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
This weekend in Salmon Arm, the next crop of province's top under-16 players - and likely some future pros - will gather for an eight-team jamboree-style tournament.
From that group of 16 goaltenders, 48 defencemen and 96 forwards, two 20-player teams will be picked to attend the provincial camp in Nanaimo, July 9-13. Their performances at the camp will determine the provincial U-16 team to compete in the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George during the second week of the Games, Feb. 22-March 1.
To qualify for the Games, male players must be younger than 16, as of Dec. 31, 2014.
Goalie Jake Sweet and forward Devin Sutton, who both played this past season for the Farr Fabricating bantam Tier 1 Cougars, will skate for the Flyers, along with Cariboo Cougars major midget forward prospect Justin Almeida of Kitimat.
The other six Prince George players with their jamboree team affiliations are: G Jakubowski (Avalanche), D Jesse Pomeroy (Stars), D Jeremy Gervais (Wild), F Myles Mattila (Kings), F Tyson Marsh (Sabres). F Kolby Page of Vanderhoof (Bruins) was also selected.
The jamboree starts Friday and ends Sunday.
