MVN - Most Valuable Network

Summer Camp means chances for to make big impressions Wild brass

Summer Camp, a tradition of sorts where parents send their kids to some isolated camp in a more rustic setting for a few weeks giving kids a chance to just be kids and for parents some much needed respite from their children. The National Hockey League has its own version of Summer Camp; as the team holds a conditioning camp for its younger players to give the team’s upper management and coaches a chance to see what their prospects can offer to the organization. The Wild are no different, as 27 players hope to make their impression on the State of Hockey from July 8th-14th with the hopes of garnering a contract or perhaps a verbal commitment for a future contract in the case of college players.

For the players it is perhaps their first exposure to what it is like to be in the NHL and train at that level. It is also an opportunity for these prospects to see how well they stack up against similarly-aged peers within the organization. These young prospects will be ran through a series of drills and scrimmages at the Parade Ice Garden in Minneapolis by coaches of the Wild which includes Assistant Coaches Mike Ramsey, Bob Mason and Mario Tremblay as well as the entire coaching staff of the Houston Aeros; Head Coach Kevin Constantine, and assistants Luke Strand, Troy Ward and Matt Shaw.

There are one group of players who this opportunity to sort of ‘audition’ for the Wild is critical for their chances at possibly landing a pro contract, for the invitees or tryouts this is their opportunity to show an NHL team what it missed by not drafting these players.  Players from this category are taking a chance on what is a very low probability path.  Yet there are still success stories.  Pascal Dupuis is good example of a tryout player who made his way to the NHL and came very close to winning a Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins.  Perhaps one of the most compelling long shot stories is that of Brampton, Ontario-native Justin Hodgman.  Undrafted, Hodgman had a strong season with the Erie Otters, where he had 37 goals and 80 points in 64 games.  Yet the story doesn’t end there; in an unusual step Hodgman took his game to the International Hockey League’s Fort Wayne Komets where he was the playoff MVP by putting up another 7 goals and 7 assists in just 13 games in the post-season.  Hodgman is making a strong case to be given a shot; even if it is with the Houston Aeros and Wild Assistant General Manager / Player Personnel Tommy Thompson has said Hodgman as well as tryout goaltenders Guelph Storm product Cody St. Jacques and Prince Albert Raider Steven Stanford.  The prospect pool is extremely thin between the pipes and could use an infusion of young quality talent there.

The camp is not just for tryouts / invitees but also players who have had a taste of the pro’s as well.  Players like Cal Clutterbuck, Matt Kassian, Anton Khudobin, Benoit Pouliot and Morten Madsen they have been through this experience before while for the incoming draft class like Tyler Cuma and Marco Scandella are new to the whole thing.  While the players are likely more worried about the on-ice drills; they will also be put through a rigorous conditioning program ran by the team’s Strength and Conditioning guru Kirk Olson.  Later in the summer many of these young prospects will get their chance to represent the State of Hockey at the annual Prospect Tournament in Traverse City, Michigan.

Apart of the challenge of being at the camp is meeting new players and dealing with what it is like being in a new city.  Only former Cretin-Durham Hall and future Wisconsin Badger Chris Hickey and Shoreview, Minnesota-native Brian Kaufman.  For some players like Colton Gillies that means staying with Brent Burns who is known for having quite a menagerie of animals in his home.  In an interview with the Minnesota Wild.com’s radio voice Kevin Falness, Gillies is feeling the rush of knowing he has to make the big club otherwise he’ll have to report back to his junior squad the Saskatoon Blades.  Eero Elo, the late-bloomer Finnish product said he was excited to have the opportunity to prove his mettle against a plethora of North American-based players.

The team needs to start building more from its prospects; most notably from players not selected in the 1st round.  Players like Cal Clutterbuck, Justin Falk and other picks need to develop into into NHL-level players; even if to be used as assets to be used in trades if not to fill roster spots on the team.  Here is the roster for the camp.

Goaltenders:

Anton Khudobin ~ (Texas, ECHL) - 5′11″  176lbs

Cody St. Jacques ~ (Guelph, OHL) - 5′11″  170lbs

Steven Stanford ~ (Prince Albert, WHL) - 6′0″  170lbs

Defenseman:

Paul Albers ~ (Houston, AHL) - 6′1″  189lbs

Tyler Cuma ~ (Ottawa, OHL) - 6′2″  193lbs

Justin Falk ~ (Spokane, WHL) - 6′5″  211lbs

Harri Ilvonen ~ (HPK, Fin. Sm Liiga) - 6′2″  187lbs

Sean Lorenz ~ (U.S. Nat. Dev. Team) - 6′1″  198lbs

Kyle Medvec ~ (Vermont, H-East) - 6′5″  202lbs

Maxim Noreau ~ (Houston, AHL) - 5′11″  192lbs

Marco Scandella ~ (Val ‘d Or, QMJHL) - 6′2″  205lbs

Michael Sdao ~ (Lincoln, USHL) - 6′4″  210lbs

Forwards:

Cody Almond - (Kelowna, WHL) - 6′2″ 194lbs

Cal Clutterbuck - (Houston, AHL) - 5′10″  203lbs

Eero Elo - (Lukko Rauma, Fin Jr.) - 6′3″  189lbs

Colton Gillies - (Saskatoon, WHL) - 6′4″ 182lbs

Ryan Hamilton - (Houston, AHL) - 6′2″  230lbs

Chris Hickey - (Tri-City, USHL) - 6′3″  185lbs

Justin Hodgman - (Erie, OHL) - 6′2″  183lbs

Petr Kalus - (Houston, AHL) - 6′1″  202lbs

Matt Kassian - (Texas, ECHL) - 6′4″  247lbs

Morten Madsen - (Houston, AHL) - 6′2″  191lbs

Carson McMillan - (Calgary, WHL) - 6′2″  200lbs

John Mitchell - (U. of Wisconsin, WCHA) - 6′5″  216lbs

Benoit Pouliot - (Houston, AHL) - 6′3″  183lbs

James Sheppard - (Minnesota, NHL) - 6′2″  210lbs

A quick glance of the roster shows that there is just 4 players under 6 feet tall, demonstrating the team’s commitment to being bigger and more resilient.  Another intriguing tryout is the University of Wisconsin’s John Mitchell.  If you have had the opportunity to watch any of the Badgers’ games this year you would know Mitchell is a big framed wrecking ball on the ice who loves to throw his body around to punish opponents.  The Wild could use some grit as well as an element of nastiness to its prospect pool.  He is another tryout who will garner some long looks by the team’s management.  Prospect camp is the start of a pro hockey career for a lot of these young men; and for those of us who were not talented enough to make it this far we can all share in knowing these are players living out their NHL dreams.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 9th, 2008 at 10:09 pm and is filed under Wild Editorials, Wild News & Notes, Wild Prospects. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.