Yet another interesting day down at the Centennial Sportsplex. Today things didn't seem quite as intense, but that could be all the physical work over the last couple of days wearing on some of the prospects. The Development Camp was well attended again today, although not quite as many TV cameras as the previous day, but that was expected.
Just a few notes of observation before I deliver the main portion of the blog, the QUOTES section. Also, I want to note that I only get to see what happens at my end of the rink. So bear that in mind as you read the observations. For all I know, someone looked great at the other end or terrible. Also, don't forget these notes all come from drills, not an actual scrimmage. It's pretty difficult to tell much at this point but here is what I've gathered from the limited amount of drills time.
Colin WIlson's first day back on the ice was worth the wait. He was a BEAST out there today and showed only one rare rookie mistake from what I saw. That said, Colin looks ready. If his progression continues it will be hard to keep him down in Milwaukee for too long.
Some other players that caught my eye today whom I haven't commented on were Gabriel Bourque, Michael Latta, Nick Oliver, Cameron Reid, Mark Santorelli, Ryan Thang, Casey Wellman, Mattias Ekholm, and Atte Engren. All had some little moments that impressed and bear further watching.
Ok, on to the QUOTES where I talked to Latta, Nick Spaling, Wilson, Ryan Ellis, and Chet Pickard this morning.
Brandon Felder - "Obviously not your first go round at the Development Camp. What kind of things are you focusing on now that you've become more familiar with this?"
Nick Spaling - "I'm just trying to focus on being one of the better players out there. I'm trying to show the way a little bit and help the younger guys out."
Felder - "Where is your development right now? What are you trying to achieve because I know a lot of people have you pegged for Milwaukee but some are saying that you may have a chance at getting an NHL spot on the roster."
Spaling - "I'm not coming in with the mind set to go right to Milwaukee. I want to come in and give it my best shot and see where that takes me and that's all I can do. I'm going to work hard this summer to get there."
Felder - "If you had to describe your game to the casual fan what would you say?"
Spaling - "I think my game right now is a two way centermen. I'm trying to keep both ends of the ice clean there and play well at both ends."
***
Felder - "So now that you've had your 2nd day on the ice what have been some of your first impressions of Nashville?"
Ryan Ellis - "Well it's a very competitive camp and I think everyone is really pushing. It's nice to see that in a Development Camp cause' you don't see that a lot. I think all the guys are striving to make the team or at least to Milwaukee. Everyone's pushing and having fun out there."
Felder - "As far as your development where do you see yourself at this point?"
R. Ellis - "I think I'd like to try and be on the team but that's a long stretch for sure. I think it's back to Windsor next year which will be nice to have another shot at the Memorial Cup."
Felder - "The casual fan says your small, but do you have a motivation to lose that stigma?"
R. Ellis - "I don't think so. It's going to follow me wherever I go and I don't think I'm going to grow 4 or 5 inches anytime soon so, I think I'm always going to be known like that. Just my physical, offensive, and defensive play will speak for itself and I think they are going to tend to get away from that (being small) maybe and if they don't that's ok."
***
Felder - "Now that you've gotten familiar with the Development Camp, what kind of things are you personally trying to work on?"
Chet Pickard - "I think getting better. The main thing you do coming here is to try and show what you got. Mitch Korn is out on the ice with us all the time so you take a lot from him because he's very knowledgeable. You take a lot from that and you can take a lot from the stuff David Good (the Preds Strength and Conditioning Coach) is showing us in the meetings we have."
Felder - "You played with Ryan Ellis in the World Juniors. How would you describe him and are you kind of excited he got drafted here because now you have a couple of good buddies (like Colin Wilson) that are here."
Pickard - "Yeah it's always nice. It feels like we are building a pretty good family here. The guys I didn't know before I came here really took me in well and I think that's the big thing for us is establishing a friendship with everyone. Not just your best friends because you have to lean out to everybody else and become friends with everybody because that's what builds a good team. To see him drafted here I was obviously really excited for him. A couple days later we had a Hockey Canada thing in Montreal."
***
Felder - "This being your first Development Camp what are some of your first impressions?"
Michael Latta - "FIrst class. It's my first time to come from the OHL to the NHL and it's all good. Everything is a lot smoother and a lot nicer, you get treated a lot better. Not that the OHL is bad but it's nice and I like it, I can't complain at all."
Felder - "Is there anything you are personally trying to focus in on this week?"
Latta - "I've just come to work. They aren't really looking at us to jump in next year, so they know I'm going back to Guelph, but I'm just coming to work hard and make a good first impression and take off from there."
Felder - "For the casual fan, how would you describe your game to them?"
Latta - "I'm a gritty two way forward. I'll get in your face. I can get the puck and score too but I'm a hard working guy and try to get the team going."
***
Felder - "Well Colin this isn't your first go-round at Development Camp so what kind of things are you focusing on this time as opposed to last year when you where just trying to get acclimated to it?"
Colin Wilson - "I think this time I'm a little bit more adapted to the workouts and what's going to be happening on the ice. I'm just trying to focusing on technically where I was compared to last year. I feel a lot quicker on the ice than I did mid-summer last year and I feel a lot better. Right now I'm just kind of focusing on my development that I've been doing in the summer which is just getting bigger, faster, and stronger."
Felder - "Obviously you had a very successful season last year. Talk about some of the experiences you had that may help translate to the next level."
Wilson - "Well first of all just winning a National Championship, I think if you look at players who win that, I like to use Johnathan Toews as an example. I think the reason why that organization is doing so well is because he's a winner. I've known him since he was 8 years old and he's won every championship, every World Juniors, every gold medal, and I think to have some people who have won already is going to help create an organization that wins a little bit more."
Felder - "As far as your development, the natural assumption is that you are trying to make the club out of training camp, so for prospect camp, do you look at this as maybe an opportunity to get a head start on the other guys?"
Wilson - "Yeah. I think there are a lot of guys here who are in college and aren't going to be at training camp. I think there are certain players that are here, and you know I'm looking at them as players I'm going to be competing with and I'm looking at how they're doing. So I think it's definitely a time where I can read how other players are doing and see if I can get a head start on them."
Felder - "Is there anything in your off-season workout plan that you are really focusing on this upcoming season to deal with possibly the NHL level?"
Wilson - "Yeah, I think everything has to do with speed and quickness right now. I'm as strong as I want to be and need to be. I haven't gone up in weights in lifting since I was 16, I've been lifting the same weights. So I'm just trying to get a little bit quicker and a little more agile out there. You know, I'm really happy because this was the first real intense skate I've had and I felt really really good in terms of that."
That does it for this one. Tomorrow the guys get a break from the on ice action as they do some community efforts throughout Middle Tennessee. They will return to the ice Saturday morning at 9:45 am for their last session. Should be another well attended event for the last time of this years Development Camp.
Till Saturday, take care.
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