The future core of the Saskatoon Blades is either in Calgary now or has been in the Alberta city taking part in Hockey Canada national team camps.

The Under-18 selection camp continues Monday ahead of next week’s Hlinka-Gretzky Cup in Edmonton and Red Deer. Goaltender Nolan Maier and centre Kirby Dach are among 44 players vying for a spot on the 22-man Canadian roster for the tourney. New Blades’ head coach Mitch Love is an assistant coach with Team Canada.

Meanwhile, back on Friday, the Under-17 Development Camp came to a close. Bridge City Bunch prospects Kyle Crnkovic and Aiden de la Gourgendiere took part…along with Equipment Manager Chad Scharff and Athletic Therapist Brendan Hope. Left winger Crnkovic scored a game-winning goal in a Friday scrimmage while defenceman de la Gourgendiere added an assist in three scrimmage games. The camp will help determine which players suit up for the three Canadian teams at the World Under-17 Challenge later this year.