Two Vancouver Giants head to Hockey Canada U17 camp

Louis-Oscar Holowaychuk and Crosby Mateychuk have both been invited

Two Vancouver Giants head to Hockey Canada U17 camp Published 5:45 pm Thursday, July 16, 2026 Before they report to the Vancouver Giants in Langley, incoming rookies Louis-Oscar Holowaychuk and Crosby Mateychuk will make a trip to Hockey Canada’s national under-17 development camp, running July 17-21 at the Sixteen Mile Sports Complex in Oakville, Ontario. Holowaychuk and Mateychuk are two of 80 players invited to the summer camp. Participants will be split into four teams for the five-day camp, which includes two days of practice and six games from July 19-21.

Following camp, players will continue to be evaluated through the beginning of the 2026-27 season before the Canada Red and Canada White rosters are named for the 2026 U17 World Challenge, scheduled for Nov. 1-7 in Oakville. Program of Excellence (POE) general manager Alan Millar called them “a very talented and exciting group that will be surrounded by world-class coaching and support staffs.” Holowaychuk, a right-shot forward, dressed in seven games with the Giants as a call-up last season – making his WHL debut on December 6 – during which he tallied a pair of assists.

He was the Giants’ first pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft, 6th overall. He made the move from U15 prep to U18 prep in the CSSHL this past season with St. George’s School. He was named the top freshman and a first-team U18 Prep all-star after posting 23 goals and 44 points in 28 games.

The Vancouver native finished fifth in goals and eighth in points-per-game among all U18 skaters, leading his team in both categories. He also added five goals and a pair of assists in five playoff games. Mateychuk dressed in seven games with the Giants as a call-up, making his WHL debut on December 28.

The Dominion City, Man. product was the Giants’ second selection in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft, 13th overall. The left-shot blueliner was named a second-team all-star in his first U18 AAA season with the Eastman Selects in his home province of Manitoba, after producing 59 points in 37 games (24G-35A).

While his 59 points were the third-most in the league by a defenceman, his 1.59 points-per-game ranked first. Giants have had one player win Gold at the U17 World Challenge in three straight years: Blake Chorney in 2025, Ryan Lin in 2024 and Cameron Schmidt in 2023. Brett Olson won Silver in 2024.