Training camp begins in two weeks for the Brandon Wheat Kings, and both of their import players will miss the start of camp. The Wheat Kings are far from upset about this, however.
Returning forward Dominik Petr and first-year defenseman Adam Belusko will represent their countries at the Five Nations Tournament from August 27 to 31. Petr will suit up for Czechia, while Belusko will represent Slovakia.
“We are thrilled for Dominik and Adam to be named to their respective 5 Nations teams,” said Wheat Kings head coach and GM Marty Murray. “Any time a hockey player can wear their nation’s jersey, it’s a huge honor.”
Canada and the United States do not take part in the tournament, but for the countries that do their rosters are often good indicators of who they might take to the World Junior Championships in December. As such, the Wheat Kings don’t mind Petr and Belusko showing up a little late for training camp.
“Both players will miss the beginning of training camp, but there’s no doubt they will gain valuable experience at the Five Nations Tournament and be ready to go when they arrive in Brandon,” Murray said.
Petr, a 2005-born forward, played his first season in Brandon in 2023-24 and finished with 17 goals and 45 points. He finished with more points in a single season than any Wheat Kings import since Ivan Provorov in 2016.
Belusko was the team’s lone selection in the 2024 import draft after spending the 2023-24 season in Slovakia. The 2006-born defenseman has officially signed his WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement, and will join the team for 2024-25.
Both players already have extensive international resumes. Petr has represented Czechia at both the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the World Under-18 Championships, while Belusko has also played at both tournaments and the World Junior A Challenge.
Training camp for the Wheat Kings begins the final week of August.
