Fin, the Vancouver Canucks' mascot, was in Penticton today to promote the return of the Young Stars Classic hockey tournament in Penticton.

(DAN WALTON / iNFOnews.ca)

Some former Kelowna Rockets, Kamloops Blazers and Penticton Vees are among the hockey players trying to make a name for themselves in the NHL at the 2022 Young Stars Classic, once again being held in Penticton.

There are no medals or points for winning the tournament, but games are competitive because each player knows that a weak performance can ruin their chances of going pro.

“Every time (a player) steps on the ice is opportunity to earn another practice,” Abbotsford Canucks’ general manager Ryan Johnson said in a call with the media. 

“Another chance to earn that opportunity to come to our main camp, exhibition games.”

The pre-season tournament pits the prospects for the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers together so coaches can see what they can do against similar experience and age levels.

With young rosters that match up so many unfamiliar linemates, fans may notice the games lacking some cohesion, Johnson said.

“Are we coming in to do anything and everything to win every game? No, but I want to see some core foundational things from these players.”

Former Vee Cole Shepard, who last played for Penticton in the 2018-2019 season, is not part of an NHL organization but has been invited to the tournament by the Canucks.

Johnson's heard good reports from WHL scouts, but an injury prevented the former Vee from achieving his potential as a junior hockey player. The Canucks want to give Shepard an opportunity, he says.

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Kamloops Blazer defenceman Quinn Schmiemann will be playing in the tournament wearing number 49 as a Canuck.

Defenseman Jackson van de Leest from Kelowna will also be playing for Vancouver. Last season he played in the WHL for Red Deer, and in the 2016-2017 season he played five games as a Penticton Vee.

Fans may want to keep an eye out for Arshdeep Baines who’ll be wearing number 80 in a Canucks jersey – he's not local to the B.C. Interior, but last season with the Red Deer Rebels he scored 112 points in 68 games.

“He’s an extremely smart player,” Johnston said of Baines. “He’s not the loudest person in the room but he’s confident and he’s got some swagger.”

Kelowna Rocket defenceman Noah Dorey has been invited by the Edmonton Oilers to play in the tournament.

The Young Stars Classic is back to having four NHL teams participate. The tournament was interrupted by COVID, cancelled in 2019, and had just two NHL teams in 2018. However 2018 was when Elias Pettersson – who is now one of Vancouver’s top scorers – played in Penticton for the tournament.

Connor McDavid, one of the best players of all time, was part of the tournament in 2015. And beloved Vancouver Canuck Bo Horvat was also Young Star in Penticton when he played in 2013.

If the tournament is to add more teams in the future, there's a good chance the Seattle Kraken will be next. That club just finished their first season as an NHL team, and since it’s relatively close to Penticton, so Johnson said they may get an invite down the road.

“Certainly things will be talked about down the road but nothing at this point,” he said.

The tournament runs from Sept. 16 to 19. All six games take place at the South Okanagan Events Centre. Single-game tickets are $26 for adults and $15 for kids. 

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