Canada's Up and Coming Hockey Stars Set to Sharpen their Skills at the Third Annual Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Camp

42 of the Top Bantam-aged players to train with past and present NHL players

TORONTO, July 31, 2013 /CNW/ - The National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) and Allstate Insurance Company of Canada will welcome the 42 selected bantam-aged players who will participate in the third annual Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Camp from August 6 - 10, 2013 at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga, ON, with the Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Cup being held on Saturday, August 10 at 1:00 PM. The teams in the Mentorship Cup will be coached by NHL players Jason Spezza and Claude Giroux.

The intensive five-day camp, led by 21-year NHL veteran Gary Roberts, will give young athletes from across the country the exclusive opportunity to learn from NHL players - including Spezza, Giroux, Martin Biron, Logan Couture, Michael Del Zotto, Matt Read, Brayden Schenn and Jeff Skinner, as well as NHL coach Dave Lewis - about the importance of fitness, nutrition, mental conditioning and much more.

To view the list of the 42 players competing in the Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Camp and to purchase tickets, visit www.allcanadians.com.

"I'm really looking forward to sharing my personal experiences and knowledge of training and nutrition with these young players to help show how these things can help them achieve success and longevity in hockey" said Gary Roberts. "Our on and off-ice training programs have been developed with a philosophy combining proper training, nutrition and recovery strategies that will elevate these players' performance. I believe learning these important skills now will provide these young players with numerous benefits throughout their careers and lives after hockey."

The Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Program supports all levels of hockey players and athletes by providing tips and advice to players, coaches, parents and fans.  Since its launch in November 2010, the program has engaged NHL players and leading experts to successfully reach tens of thousands of Canadians through the web, grassroots initiatives and special events, for the purpose of mentoring and guiding the next generation of Canada's hockey youth.

"The NHLPA is committed to supporting the sport of hockey all across Canada, so that intelligent and healthy athletes can flourish both in the game and outside of it," said Mathieu Schneider, NHLPA Special Assistant to the Executive Director. "The Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Camp is designed to focus on more than just on-ice skills by educating both players and parents on a variety of subjects that will not only develop well-rounded athletes, but strong individuals as well."

"Allstate Canada is proud to support the talents of Canadian youth to help build stronger future leaders in sport and in our communities," said John O'Donnell, President and CEO of Allstate Insurance Company of Canada. "Over the last three years we have worked with the NHLPA to develop a camp that we believe provides an outstanding environment to nurture these remarkable athletes and educate them about the importance of forming good habits focusing on the amount of support and dedication it takes to be at your best."

The players attending the Mentorship Camp will have the opportunity to improve their skills both on and off the ice throughout the week. Several NHL players will work with the young athletes during their daily on-ice skates to help sharpen their skills, while the bantam-aged players will also learn from Dr. Paul Dennis, sport psychologist who formerly served as the Player Development Coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs, on the importance of achieving a strong mental state to excel in the game. Other off-ice sessions will be led by Roberts who will teach the athletes about proper nutrition to ensure stamina throughout a game. Parents will also be invited to selected sessions designed to equip families with the information they need to improve both on and off the ice.

The Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Camp will conclude with the Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Cup on Saturday, August 10, broadcast live on TSN at 1:00 PM.

For the latest news and updates from the Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Camp, visit www.allcanadians.com

Please see below for the media contact details to coordinate an interview throughout the duration of the camp.

About the NationAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYERS' ASSOCIATION

THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYERS' ASSOCIATION (NHLPA), ESTABLISHED IN 1967, IS A LABOUR ORGANIZATION WHOSE MEMBERS ARE THE PLAYERS IN THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAgue (NHL). The NHLPA works on behalf of the players in varied disciplines such as labour relations, product licensing, marketing, international hockey and community relations, all in furtherance of its efforts to promote its members and the game of hockey. In 1999, the NHLPA launched the Goals & Dreams fund as a way for the players to give something back to the game they love. Over the past 13 years, more than 60,000 deserving children in 30 countries have benefited from the players' donations of hockey equipment. NHLPA Goals & Dreams has donated more than $21-million to grassroots hockey programs, making it the largest program of its kind. For more information on the NHLPA, please visit www.nhlpa.com. 

About Allstate Insurance Company of Canada
Allstate Insurance Company of Canada is one of Canada's leading producers and distributors of home and auto insurance products, and also recently named to Aon Hewitt's Best Employers in Canada list. "The Good Hands Network®" enables consumers to contact Allstate Canada through one of 82 community-based Agencies, directly online at www.allstate.ca and through the Customer Contact Centre at 1-800-Allstate. Allstate Canada is committed to making a positive difference in the communities in which it operates and has partnered with organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD Canada), Crime Stoppers, United Way and Junior Achievement. In 2010, Allstate Canada, in partnership with the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA), created the Allstate All-Canadians program, a mentorship program designed to guide the next generation of Canada's hockey youth. To learn more about Allstate Canada, visit www.goodhandsadvice.ca or www.allstate.ca.

SOURCE: National Hockey League Players' Association

Media contact:
Denise Gagnon │Citizen Optimum│[email protected] │416. 220.6489