By Hockey Saskatchewan

BALGONIE, Sask. – Hockey Saskatchewan, in partnership with the Western Hockey League (WHL), is set to host the Sask First Male Under-15 Top 80 Tournament from February 18 to 20 at the Balgonie Arena in Balgonie, Sask.

The 80 players selected will compete on four (4) teams in a round-robin competition. Teams will hit the ice first thing in the morning on Friday, February 18, for team practices. From there, the tournament begins in the afternoon featuring games throughout the weekend and culminating on Sunday morning. In December, the top 2007-born players were assembled in Regina for the Sask First Male Under-15 Top 160 Tournament. Following evaluations, the player pool was narrowed down from 160 to 80 for this upcoming tournament.

At the conclusion of the Top 80 Tournament, the top 25-32 players will be chosen to attend Summer and Fall camps before the final 20 players are selected. This tournament marks the third installment in the selection phase for next season’s Team Saskatchewan program that will compete in the 2023 Canada Winter Games in Prince Edward Island.

The program is also an opportunity for players to get seen by scouts from a variety of leagues, including the Western Hockey League (WHL) who will have representatives from all 22 teams in attendance and will be scouting players for their 2022 WHL Prospects Draft in May 2022.

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ABOUT SASK FIRST

The Sask First Program was introduced by Hockey Saskatchewan in 1988 and since that time the program has brought great pride and accomplishment within our province. The Sask First Program was designed to provide a better understanding of the game as well as to promote the development of quality players, coaches, trainers, and officials. The participants are enriched as individuals and can achieve self-satisfaction and enjoyment as part of the hockey community.

The Sask First Program is a gateway to Hockey Canada’s High-Performance Program which includes their National Teams such as the World Juniors. There is a long list of notable players who have gone through the Sask First Program which includes NHL players Ryan Getzlaf, Brayden Schenn, and Derrick Pouliot, just to name a few. Up and coming players such as Ethan Bear, Kole Lind, and Cale Fleury also went through the Sask First Program.

For more information on Hockey Saskatchewan and the Sask First program, please visit www.hockeysask.ca, or follow through social media on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.