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Canada calls for Vinny, Marty

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON

eerlendsson@tampatrib.com

Published: July 3, 2009

Lightning forwards Vinny Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis were among those invited to Team Canada's Olympic orientation camp, to be held in Calgary on Aug. 24-27.

Center Steven Stamkos was left off the list - for now.

Certainly, based on age, the 19-year-old Stamkos would have been considered a long shot to make the 2010 Olympic team. But after he enjoyed such a productive World Championships in April, there were some who thought he would find his way onto the invitation list.

Team Canada general manager Steve Yzerman suggested he will keep an eye on Stamkos, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 draft, in case anyone drops out.

"If he comes out of the gate strong, he'll be a player I'll watch," Yzerman said of Stamkos.

Lecavalier and St. Louis played for Team Canada at the 2006 Olympics in Turin, Italy.

Former Tampa Bay defenseman Dan Boyle, who saw no action as an alternate on the 2006 team, also was invited.

HEDMAN'S DEBUT: Defenseman Victor Hedman, the Lightning's No. 2 overall draft pick, headlines an updated list of players who will attend the team's prospect camp in Tampa next week. Hedman, 18, will take the ice for the first time in a Lightning jersey.

The camp, which is open to the public, will run Thursday through July 15 at the St. Pete Times Forum. A scrimmage/skills competition will be from 7 to 9 p.m. on July 11, with newly signed free agents Mattias Ohlund and Matt Walker expected to join the prospects to sign autographs before and after the scrimmage.

A special Hedman T-shirt will be given away free to the first 200 people who attend the scrimmage. Voting for one of three potential designs is being conducted on the team's Twitter page at www.twitter.com/TBLightning.

The team's other first-round selection, No. 29 pick left wing Carter Ashton, also is scheduled to participate, plus forward Alex Hutchings (fourth round) and goaltenders Michael Zador (fifth round) and Jaroslav Janus (sixth round).

Daily practices will begin at 9 a.m., except July 15 when it will begin at 8 a.m. Evening practices July 9, 10, 13 and 14 begin at 7.

Erik Erlendsson

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