Mark McNeill is just going a few hours down the highway to Calgary from his Edmonton home, but he's already packed for the long haul.
The 17-year-old forward from the Prince Albert Raiders leaves Friday for the Canadian under-18 hockey team's tryout camp, which runs through Tuesday at Fr. David Bauer Olympic Arena.
Immediately after the camp, Hockey Canada will name the 24-man national team that will head to Slovakia and the Czech Republic for the Ivan Hlinka Memorial world under-18 tournament, set for Aug. 10-14.
"They tell everyone to prepare as though you're flying to Europe, so bring a big suitcase and pack up," McNeill said of the instructions given to Team Canada's 42 prospects.
"You don't want to be worrying about your clothes or anything like that. It's all ready to go. You've just got to go out there and play hockey."
The only clothing that matters this long weekend is the coveted Canadian jersey.
"I'm really excited to get down there and just show the coaching staff what I can do and what I can bring to the team, if I'm selected," McNeill said Wednesday night from Edmonton.
"It's basically determined from how you play at camp and how you show yourself."
It's already been a productive summer for McNeill, who checks into camp at six-foot-two and 215 pounds.
"I feel like I'm in the best shape I've ever been in," he said.
"Things have been going really great. I'm so thankful to have this summer to work and train, compared to how last summer was with my foot (injury). I've had great strides so far."
Last summer, McNeill was a spectator at the Alberta under-17 camp, which was also held at Fr. Bauer Arena in Calgary. He was sidelined after severing an Achilles tendon at the May 2009 regional tryouts in Edmonton. But he recovered in time for a full WHL rookie season with the Raiders, and played with Team Pacific in the world under-17 championship last Christmas at Timmins, Ont.
McNeill has been part of Hockey Canada's pipeline for long enough to know what's likely in store for this weekend's camp.
"I didn't have a chance to participate on the ice (last summer), but just watching those (under-17) guys skate twice a day and go through training, I imagine it's going to be something like that," he said.
"You want to be in the best shape possible, going there, because you've definitely got to be ready for the two-a-day skates and stuff like that."
After a gym workout Wednesday afternoon and a skate Wednesday night, McNeill planned to soak up a massage this morning.
"I'm a pretty stiff guy, so it'll boost me up a bit," he said. "It helps a lot."
His relatively short summer vacation included a family trip to Hawaii for one week in early July.
George Burnett, a longtime Ontario Hockey League coach who briefly coached the Edmonton Oilers in the 1990s, is the head coach of the Canadian under-18 team. McNeill is among five Edmonton-area players invited to the tryout camp, along with Brandon Wheat Kings goaltending prospect Liam Liston, defencemen Duncan Siemens of the Saskatoon Blades and Reece Scarlett of the Swift Current Broncos, and forward Colin Smith of the Kamloops Blazers.
"I'll see guys from across the Western league that I've had a chance to play with on Team Pacific or play against throughout the year," McNeill said. "It'll be good to see them, but also to get to meet some new guys from down east and get to know them."
But the pleasantries will end there as the young guns from the Western, Ontario and Quebec leagues compete for jobs.
"No friends on the ice," McNeill said with a chuckle.
"Hopefully, I can crack the (national) squad and I'll be up at (the Raiders') camp a little late, but that's the best-case scenario for me."
Prince Albert's training camp begins Aug. 26.
