Two Kamloops Blazers are among 41 players invited to Canada’s National Junior team summer development camp which is set to take place virtually late next month because of COVID-19.

Connor Zary is one of 26 forwards, while Dylan Garand is one of five goaltenders named to the camp roster.

The 2021 World Junior Tournament is set to take kick off on Boxing Day this year, in Edmonton and Red Deer. Canada are defending champions after winning the 2020 edition held in the Czech Republic.

Connor Zary scored an invite to last year’s camp roster but was cut from the team ahead of that tournament.

The announcement comes days after Blazers forward, and Kamloops native, Logan Stankoven was one of 12 WHL players invited to attend Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 selection camp.

That decision was announced despite the 2020 Hlinka Gretzky Cup – set to take place in Edmonton and Red Deer as well – being cancelled because of the pandemic. The 2021 edition of that tournament is set to take place in the Czech Republic before returning to Alberta in August 2022.

Stankoven was part of Team Canada Red at the Under-17 World Hockey Challenge in November 2019.

All CANADIANS! 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
Congratulations to both @ConnorZary & @DylanGarand31 on being named to the @HC_Men @SportChek Summer Development Camp! 😎
Full roster here: https://t.co/b3wDmOvfgW pic.twitter.com/MajotHuPx4

— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) June 16, 2020