European players getting a taste of Canuck hockey

Over 70 emerging European hockey players from Overseas Stars are wrapping up their first week in Cochrane with a Hockey Expo this weekend at the SLS Centre.

Young players, mainly from Czechia, Slovakia, and Poland, arrived on June 17 and will be here getting a taste of Canadian hockey until July 17. Along the way, they'll be studying English, and taking in some of the sights.

Alec Miller, of P3 Sports, says the expo starts today and continues until Sunday. It's broken into U13, U15, and U17 divisions and each team will play four games. Players from the Cochrane, Airdrie, and Calgary areas will be forming teams with the visitors.

He says people are welcome to watch.

"I think there's some really good talent from overseas that we never really get to see, so definitely come check it out."

There's a chance some may even be returning to Canada to play in the WHL and beyond.

P3 Sports owner Ryan Hilderman, centre, with Filip, left, and Miroslav Barus, who brought the players to Cochrane for hockey training last sumer. (file photo)

It's the second year the players have come here and this time around there are about 20 more participating.

In April, 36 hockey players from P3 Sports travelled to Europe for 16 days to build new and, in many cases, lasting friendships. They played in Czechia, Austria, and Slovakia and got a taste of those countries.