Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 19/8/2015 (1860 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SOME of the province's top young hockey talent will hit the ice Thursday at the MTS Iceplex in a one-day camp aimed at educating both prospective players and their families about the benefits of playing college hockey south of the border.

An estimated 90 players, ranging from 13 to 15 years old, will take part in the camp that includes on-ice instruction in front of a number of coaches from nearby NCAA Division 1 colleges as well as off-ice information sessions. Guests speakers have also been invited and include Winnipeg Jets co-owner Mark Chipman.

LOUIS DELUCA / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES Winnipegger Ryan Garbutt (left) played NCAA hockey before reaching the NHL.

It's the third consecutive year the event will be held in Winnipeg and will once again be hosted by College Hockey Inc., an organization funded by USA Hockey through a grant from the NHL, aimed at promoting the Division 1 college game up north and around the world.

"It's a combination of on-ice opportunity to demonstrate your skills in front of some coaches," said Mike Snee, the executive director of College Hockey Inc., now in its fifth year, "but I think more importantly, it's an opportunity for some young hockey players and their families to learn all that there is to learn, all that there is know about NCAA hockey."

In attendance will be coaches from North Dakota, Bemidji State, Minnesota Duluth, and St. Cloud State, with scouts from other schools able to watch over a live stream (www.fasthockey.com). The on-ice instruction will be made up of mostly scrimmages while off-ice activities include a power point presentation followed by a question- and-answer session.

With many of the players invited to camp either drafted by the Western Hockey League or about to enter their draft year, it's become a vital mission for Snee and his group to make sure families are aware of all their options, especially as they enter a crucial time in their hockey development. And although he considers Canada to have among the most knowledgeable fan bases out there, Snee said families are often not fully aware, particularly in Manitoba, of their options south of the border, or are equipped with the wrong kind of information.

"It's a perception about NCAA hockey based on a reality that is 30 years old and is not the reality of 2015," said Snee. "So our goal is to intrigue them and make sure that they are fully aware and fully informed. That's probably the biggest piece of it, providing information about NCAA hockey and what makes it so exciting and so successful and something that works for so many players both on and off the ice."

Want more sports? Get news and notes from the local amateur sports scene in your inbox. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Homegrown players such as Chicago Blackhawks captain and three-time Stanley Cup champion Jonathan Toews (UND), New Jersey Devils centre Travis Zajac (UND) and Blackhawks forward Ryan Garbutt (Brown University) are just three examples of the kind of success a player can have both with academics and a career playing hockey and Snee credits each one with the growing the college game in Manitoba. But even though the number of Canadians playing NCAA hockey has grown over the past few years -- last season 30 per cent of all players in NCAA Division 1 college hockey were born in Canada -- he admits there's still a long way to go in Manitoba.

"We love it because we feel like there's nowhere, in that what we're providing, is it more sought after and more needed information in Canada than in Manitoba," said Snee.

That need is why the program has already seen it's fair share of change through its first three years. For the first time this year the camp will feature multiple age groups. Not only will it invite a new class of players but the families invited last year will have also been invited back.

Back as well will be guest speaker Mathew Bodie, a Winnipegger and member of the Union College hockey team that won the national title in 2014. Bodie, who was passed over in the NHL Draft, spent last season with the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack after signing a one-year contract with the New York Rangers. In 75 games with Hartford last season, he scored five goals and added 27 assists.

"He's a great example. I don't think anybody predicted a whole lot for his hockey career when he was 15 but now look at where he is," said Snee. "He was the captain of a national championship team and he had a great year in the AHL last year and he's going back this year and he's doing it all with a college degree in his pocket. He is pursuing his hockey dreams and he's got the degree done; it's not something that he's either got to fit in over summer or do whenever he's done playing hockey."

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @jeffkhamilton