Weekend Update: The Nation Comes to Edmonton

The Team Canada U20 training camp is taking place in Edmonton this week. There were various practices and scrimmages that were open to the public at Rexall place. Saturday August 6th is the Red and White game at Rexall Place. It is general admission and tickets are $14.40 through ticketmaster. This will be an excellent opportunity to take the whole family out to see some up and coming stars of the game including Oilers' prospects Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Dillon Simpson and Tyler Bunz. If you can't make it to Edmonton for the Saturday night game, or Fort McMurray for the Sunday night game, the games will be available online through Team Canada and Fast Hockey for the price of $7 each.

Ex-Oilers head coach Craig MacTavish has been hired by the Vancouver Canucks to coach their AHL affiliate team the Chicago Wolves. The Oklahoma City Barons' schedule has not yet been released, so I can't tell you just yet when the Barons will faceoff against MacT's players. 

Edmonton Oil Kings' captain, and Buffalo Sabres prospect Mark Pysyk is eager to make the Canadian U20 squad this year after missing out last year. Pysyk has been keeping a blog of his experiences at the camp. Pysyk has felt quite comfortable so far with the camp, especially since they have done some filming in the Oil Kings dressing room, somewhere he is quite familiar with. 

The Edmonton Oilers' hockey school, presented by Cenovus appears to have been a huge hit with the children involved. A very pleasant surprise for the participants was a visit by right winger Ales Hemsky. Hemsky's visit put a smile on the faces of the youth and is another indication that Hemsky is in town, training and serious about the coming season with the Oilers. We have been told that Hemsky is as healthy as he's ever been going into camp and that he is extremely excited to be playing with the new youth surge. I don't think that the kids at hockey camp are as young as Hemsky had in mind, so perhaps Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is more like it.

Ex-Oiler and current/future Los Angeles Kings' centreman Colin Fraser spoke with Calgary's Fan 960 Friday morning with "Boomer." The two discussed Fraser's injury, healing and everything else Fraser felt comfortable discussing. 

Oilers' prospect Oscar Klefbom is missing the U20 Team Sweden Camp next week in Lake Placid New York. Klefbom should be a lock to make the team, but it likely missing camp due to obligations with his Swedish Elite Team Farjestad. 

As most news will be ex-Oilers related, it should be of no surprise that ex-Oiler Patrick O`Sullivan has signed another contract, this one with the Phoenix Coyotes. This deal is a two-way, so he may still spend the majority of his time in the AHL. 

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Barons Season Recap: Milan Kytnar - Copper & Blue Rodgers

Magnus Pääjärvi - #5 in the Oilers Top 25 Under 25  - Copper & Blue McCurdy

Sam Gagner - #4 In the Oilers Top 25 Under 25 - Copper & Blue Reynolds

Jordan Eberle - #3 In the Oilers Top 25 Under 25 - Copper & Blue Reynolds

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - #2 in the Oilers Top 25 Under 25 - Copper & Blue Knight

Taylor Hall - #1 In the Oilers Top 25 Under 25 - Copper & Blue Zona

RE 11-12: Ryan Smyth - Lowetide

RE 11-12: Magnus Paajarvi - Lowetide

RE 11-12: Linus Omark - Lowetide

RE 11-12: Shawn Horcoff - Lowetide

RE 11-12: Ryan Jones - Lowetide

RE 11-12: Ben Eager - Lowetide

The Kingdom of Sweden - Lowetide

The Odd Couple - Oilers Nation Lowetide