September 25, 2024
9-Year-Old Clermont Student Christian Boutros Earns Spot on Elite Montreal Canadiens Brick Team
By Kyle Coppola
9-Year-Old Clermont Student Christian Boutros Earns Spot on Elite Montreal Canadiens Brick Team
CLERMONT, Fla. (AP) — Christian Boutros, a 9-year-old hockey standout from Clermont, Florida, has achieved a remarkable feat, earning a coveted spot on the Montreal Canadiens Brick Team as the only U.S.-born player on the roster. Christian, who attends South Lake Imagine Charter in Clermont and trains at Orlando Ice Den in Maitland, will travel to Edmonton, Alberta, in July, 2025 to compete in the prestigious Brick Invitational Hockey Tournament, regarded as the premier hockey event for players aged 9 and 10.
The Brick Tournament, held annually at the West Edmonton Mall, showcases the elite of youth hockey from around the world. Christian’s selection as an import player for the Canadiens marks a significant milestone, as he joins an exclusive group of athletes expected to be among the sport’s future stars. The tournament has long been a proving ground for players aspiring to reach professional levels, and it is a dream come true for Christian, who has spent countless hours training and competing across North America.
Born in Clermont and now residing in Montverde, Christian is no stranger to hard work and dedication. His days often begin with early morning wake-up calls for practices, and he travels extensively for competitive games in both the U.S. and Canada. His Instagram account, @christianboutros88, highlights his journey and training regimen as he prepares to represent Lake County on one of the world’s biggest youth hockey stages.
“Christian works his butt off. The kid is so dedicated to the sport of Hockey. He actually played for the Jr. Boston Bruins National Elite Team last year in Boston, Massachusetts,” says his father Michael Boutros.
(Christian stands on the ice with his mom Nena Boutros after a championship win.)
The Brick Invitational, founded in 1990 by Bill Comrie, is an international event that draws the most talented young players from around the globe. With only 10 chartered teams, the tournament is a hallmark of excellence, often setting the stage for future NHL careers. Christian’s inclusion in this elite group speaks to his skill, determination, and potential for success in the sport.
As Christian looks ahead to the 2025 tournament, his family, friends, and community are rallying behind him. It’s so cool to have a Lake County athlete represent at this event. Not one high school in Lake or Sumter county offers ice hockey as a sport. Christian has had to travel to Orlando to take part in much of the training, games and facilities that bigger cities offer. I do hope that one day Lake & Sumter County will at some point have an ice hockey team. But it just goes to show you the hard work and commitment that this young man is putting in.
(Christian will get the chance to play with some of the best young hockey players on the planet in July of 2025.)
We want to wish Christian the best of luck as he begins to prepare for the Brick Invitational in the summer of 2025!
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
