Two Edmonton Oilers draft picks, goaltender Olivier Roy and forward Curtis Hamilton, were among 39 players invited to Team Canada's selection camp, to be held in Toronto December 12-15.
The glass is half full, as Oiler hopeful Ryan Martindale was not included.
Also of potential interest to local sports fans are Edmonton Oil Kings defenceman Mark Pysyk (a Buffalo Sabres prospect), as well as 2011 draft-eligibles Sean Couturier (C), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (C), and Ryan Murphy (D).
Here is a full list of invitees.
Edmonton Oilers goalie prospect Olivier Roy is a hot commodity in the QMJHL. Yesterday he was traded from the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles - where he holds the franchise record for wins - to the Lewiston Maineiacs for two second-round picks and an exchange of thirds. This transaction was evidently the future considerations in the midseason deal that sent Jacob Legace to the Cape, a trade that turned out very badly for the Screaming Eagles.
Today Lewiston flipped Roy to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan for a substantially better package of picks, including two first-rounders (today's #5 overall, and 2012's), a 2nd, 3rd, and 5th rounder. Lewiston then traded many of these assets to acquire the first overall pick in today's draft (Dillon Fournier)
Of course Roy remains an Oiler property throughout this flurry of activity, but it's nothing but good news to Oiler fans that our 19-year-old goalie could command such a high return for a single year of service. I also found the mournful reaction of Cape Breton fans enlightening.
The amount of trade activty around QMJHL draft day is nothing short of staggering.
A compilation of scouting reports on Olivier Roy, the goaltender the Oilers took 133rd overall in this weekend's draft. Find out why he slipped and why he may be a steal.