Mallette, Cristall and Price named to Hockey Canada’s U-17 Capital City Challenge
Hockey Canada announced today that a pair of Rockets will wear the Maple Leaf at the Capital City Challenge, a four-team tournament featuring three men’s under-17 teams and Canada’s National Women’s Team, Nov. 26-Dec. 1 in Ottawa.
Rockets forward Andrew Cristall and defenceman Caden Price will be a part of the 66 players who will be divided into three teams – Team Canada Black, Team Canada Red and Team Canada White – and will compete against Canada’s National Women’s Team as part of its centralization schedule. The rosters for Team Canada Black, Team Canada Red and Team Canada White will be unveiled in the coming weeks.
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In addition to Cristall and Price, Kelowna head coach Kris Mallette will be behind the bench as the head coach of Team Canada Red.
Cristall, selected eighth overall by the Rockets in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft, has posted six points (2G, 4A) in six games this season for the Rockets.
Granted an exception as a first-round pick, Cristall joined the Rockets for the shortened 2021 hub campaign last season, where he posted five points (2G, 3A) through 14 games as a 15-year-old affiliate player.
A second-round selection of the Rockets in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft, Price has appeared in seven games with the Rockets this season, posting a goal and four assists.
Mallette has been tapped by Hockey Canada previously multiple times. He was named an assistant coach for Team Canada Red at the 2020 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, but the event was cancelled due to COVID-19. This past summer Mallette joined the coaching staff for Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team summer development camp.
The under-17 roster was selected by Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), senior vice-president of hockey operations, Alan Millar (Tottenham, Ont.), director of player personnel, and Byron Bonora (Brooks, Alta.), head scout for the U17 program. U17 Program of Excellence management group lead Philippe Boucher (Saint-Apollinaire, Que./Drummondville, QMJHL) and manager of hockey operations Benoit Roy (Sudbury, Ont.), as well as regional scouts Pierre Cholette (Quebec), Rob Simpson (Ontario), Darren Sutherland (Atlantic) and Darrell Woodley (Ontario), also provided input with support from Hockey Canada’s 13 Members.
“We are excited to unveil the 66 players that will suit up for our three men’s under-17 teams at the Capital City Challenge and have the unique opportunity to compete against Canada’s National Women’s Team in Ottawa,” said Salmond. “Although this has not been a traditional year for our Program of Excellence and the under-17 group, we are excited to introduce these athletes to an event that replicates short-term, international competition.”
The Capital City Challenge opens on Nov. 26 at TD Place Arena, home of the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League. Canada’s centralization roster will face Team Canada White in the tournament opener at 12 p.m. ET, followed by Team Canada Black taking on Team Canada Red at 7 p.m. ET.
You can watch Cristall and Price this weekend when the Rockets take on the Portland Winterhawks Friday, November 5 and the Prince George Cougars Saturday, November 6 at Prospera Place. Tickets are available at selectyourtickets.com, at the Prospera Place box office or by phone at 250-762-5050.
