Former Chilliwack Chief Dennis Cholowski is one of 32 players who’ve been invited to Hockey Canada’s selection camp for the World Junior team.
The defenceman, who currently plays for the Prince George Cougars in the Western Hockey League, will travel to St. Catharines, Ont. Dec. 12-15.
The Detroit Red Wings prospect and Langley native will be one of 10 blueliners at the camp.
Ex-Penticton Vees D-man and Nashville Predators draft pick Dante Fabbro has also been invited. So too has Cale Makar, a former member of the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Brooks Bandits whom the Chiefs encountered at last spring’s Western Canada Cup.
“Hockey at all levels across the country continues to produce talented and elite-level hockey players that makes our evaluation and selection process a difficult one,” said Shawn Bullock, Hockey Canada’s senior manager of hockey operations and men’s national teams. “With a talent pool as deep as we have in this country, we believe the 22 players eventually selected from camp will give us the best chance at bringing home a gold medal. We couldn’t be more excited for our staff and players to get together in St. Catharines and begin the journey.”
The selection camp will feature a trio of games, two against a U-Sports team on Dec. 13 and 14 and a game against Denmark on Dec. 15.
A final group of 22 players will be chosen to represent Canada at the World Junior Championships, taking place this year in Buffalo, New York from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5.
Cholowski spent parts of three junior A seasons in Chilliwack, from 2013-16, collecting 16 goals and 51 points in 106 regular season games.
He moved on to St. Cloud State, spending one season with the Huskies before signing a pro deal.
The Red Wings assigned him to the WHL after September’s training camp, and he has been a stud defender for the Cougars, collecting eight goals and 24 points in 27 games.
