It was 110 degrees outside, but it was perfect hockey weather inside City National Arena for Day 1 of Vegas Golden Knights Development Camp.
I caught up with Hobey Baker finalist Jimmy Schuldt about why he chose Vegas for development camp -- according to Michael Russo, as many as 22 teams pursued the still-available college UFA last year.
Ex-college UFA Zach Whitecloud lets us know if he really gained 17 pounds after joining the Golden Knights, which is what George McPhee said at the Draft.
2017 second-round pick Jake Leschyshyn tells us if he's fully recovered from his torn ACL, which is part of the reason why he fell in the Draft.
Justin Froese of Future Considerations also adds his two cents about Leschyshyn's season.
2017 seventh-round pick Ben Jones reveals how last year's development camp helped him have a season which would earn him top-three Eastern Conference Defensive Forward and Penalty Killer nods in the 2018 OHL Coaches Poll.
Brock Otten of OHL Prospects talks about Jones's sneaky-good year.
Finally, assistant coach Ryan Craig talks about some of the stress of Development Camp from a player's perspective.
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Jimmy Schuldt
Schuldt, on why he chose Vegas development camp over others:
I've talked to a lot of guys here. Mostly Mike Levine. One of the player development guys. He spoke really highly of the team, the facilities, everything. How exciting the year was for the team. I tried to keep up with it as much as I could.
How everything has been handled this whole year -- how the team has the resiliency and the character that they do -- I just wanted to come check it out. It's been really cool so far.
Schuldt, on when he will decide where he's going to sign:
That's something that I'm saving for the end of the year. Hopefully, the year goes well. Hopefully, I can have a good season like I did last year. More than that, I hope my team has a good season. Kind of makes that next step, to the Frozen Four.
Schuldt, on the best parts of his game:
I try to play a two-way, complete game. That's what I pride myself most on. I try to contribute mostly on the defensive side, but also on the offensive side as well. Just try to be well-rounded.
Off the ice, I try to be a leader as much as I can. I'm one of the older guys here, just try to carry myself in a good way. Hopefully, the younger guys can see that and follow.
Schuldt, on why he decided to return to St. Cloud State for the 2018-19 season:
The opportunity that St. Cloud State gave me to develop my hockey game, to get the degree that I'm on track to get next spring. That's something that I'll always be thankful for. Just giving me the opportunity to be where I am today. (HockeyBuzz Note: Schuldt is majoring in Finance)
I didn't necessarily feel like I owed them anything, but the experience I've had there has been unbelievable the last three years.
The relationships that I've made, not just through my teammates, but the people in St. Cloud, have been so great. That was one thing.
Another thing is, we kind of came up short the past couple years. The last three years. The main reason is I want to go back and try to win the national championship. It's been my dream ever since I've been a little kid watching college hockey.
The teammates there, the people in St. Cloud, I'm so close with. If I had the chance to go back for another year, I was definitely going to take it.
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Zach Whitecloud
Whitecloud, on George McPhee's assertion that he gained 17 pounds from the time he joined the Vegas organization:
Yeah, I came from college right into here after I signed. I came in at about a buck eighty-nine. I worked with Doug Davidson. Having that nutritional program really helps mature my body along.
I came in as a kid, right? And now, it's not exactly a man yet, but I'm working toward getting my body in that state.
They've helped me put on the right weight.
Whitecloud, on if he's seen the extra strength impact his play:
It gives me a little extra confidence, being able to move bigger guys in the corner. But still having that speed factor at 206 -- or 203, or whatever I weighed in at today. It's about being able to handle people in the corners and still having that straightaway speed so you can jump up in the rush and make plays. It's about being a versatile player, so your coaches can put you in any situation, trust you with anything.
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Jake Leschyshyn
Leschyshyn, on his Stanley Cup champion Dad's desire to own a "World Champion Bucking Bull" and if owning rodeo bulls is a family business:
I wouldn't say my family. My Dad, definitely. That's something after he was done playing hockey, he found interest in. He's been owning bulls for quite a few years now. It's a business, I guess. He's enjoying it.
His uncles and aunts were farmers, so he's always been around livestock growing up.
I've been to events and whatnot. But I don't own any bulls personally.
Leschyshyn, on if he's ever ridden a bucking bull:
Omigosh. Not a chance. Not a chance.
Leschyshyn, on if Curtis has ever ridden a bucking bull:
No. He gets that question asked a lot, not going to change his answer.
Leschyshyn, on when he felt fully recovered from a torn ACL suffered in February 2017:
It took me a while. It took a couple months [after I returned] to really find my pace with everything. Figure out timing. It was difficult getting back.
Leschyshyn, on his best hockey this year:
I think in the playoffs, I was playing some of my best hockey even before the injury. It's been lot of hard work since then. Still a lot of work ahead.
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Ben Jones
Jones, on finishing in the top-three of the 2018 OHL Coaches Poll for Best Defensive Forward and Best Penalty Killer and who he models his game after:
I pride myself on those two things, especially.
I want to be a defensive centerman down the road. Guy who does that is Jonathan Toews. Watch his game a lot, study his game a lot. Defensive zone first, leads to the offensive zone.
Jones, on how last year's development camp helped him during the season:
Coming into this camp last year, I thought I was a pretty good defensive center. They gave me a lot of pointers. Tips and tricks to push me over the edge.
They talked a lot about being low and slow -- the centermen being a lot lower than the wingers. The positioning.
Jones, on who caught his eye on Vegas during the playoffs:
David Perron. Along the wall, he did very well. He was very hard to knock off the puck. I'm trying to take that, be relentless and unstoppable along the wall.
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Ryan Craig
Craig, on a player's perspective of Development Camp:
It can be a stressful week. It's not supposed to be. But I think, as a player, you're thinking every rep means something.
So you're seeing guys, when you're doing skills stuff, they fan on a shot. It can be stressful. All eyes are on you.
That's something, when you come back a second year, you see these guys are a little more relaxed. They're comfortable around the coaches, the trainers, the management staff, scouts, and things like that.
That group of second-year guys did a great job of bringing along the first-year guys.
It's not supposed to be a stressful week. It's supposed to be a week where you're trying to get better. Trying to get as much information as you can. And yet, you're under a microscope, more or less.
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Justin Froese of Future Considerations shared these thoughts about Leschyshyn's season:
Post-draft life has been tough for Jake Leschyshyn since he became a second-rounder in 2017, as he has battled offensive inconsistency...he put up his second consecutive 40-point season this year, but in 17 more games. Regina’s struggles through the year after graduating core players from the 2017 run to the WHL final was rectified with a strong last couple weeks of the season and run to the Memorial Cup final as tournament hosts, and the silver lining is that Leschyshyn was a key spoke in the wheel in a depth two-way role.In order to reach the NHL, Leschyshyn is likely to go in the direction of a defensive-minded forward, a theme that caters to his strengths. As a longer-term project, I believe the best thing for him is to be leaned on heavily in key roles in his last junior year and continue to improve his footwork, physicality, and his play with the puck. He’s not a shoo-in for an NHL spot anytime soon, but with some seasoning, he could have the look of a Cody Eakin/Matt Calvert player, although he hasn’t had similar success offensively at the WHL level yet.
Obviously, when a player has a down year, a lot can be made out of the factors that could’ve caused it. Leschyshyn missed a significant chunk of time with injury last season, halting a solid draft campaign. Although the injury was long-term, I don’t think that he would’ve played a significant chunk of the season had he not been ready. I can assure you that most young men in the situation he is in are not about to use a quick excuse to brush off questions about his production either.
While his numbers failed to grow this season, I think that a lot of it maybe had to do with the overall disarray and lack of cohesive elements within the team for most of the year. Leschyshyn, while a second-round pick, was still seeing usage as a depth player and tailored his game as such. That being said, he didn’t improve in a lot of areas...despite already signing an entry-level deal, has a lot to prove in his 19-year-old season, whether he is back with the Pats or traded to a contender as a rental.
Brock Otten of OHL Prospects shared these thoughts about Jones's season. Otten had Jones tabbed as the most underrated player in the OHL's Eastern Conference:
Ben Jones is definitely an underrated prospect. He saw massive growth in his game.Skating has improved and he's the type of kid who can impact the game in all three zones. Very smart player away from the puck. Has great vision with the puck too and is one of the better pure playmakers in the OHL IMO.
Moving forward, this season, want to see him be more aggressive with the puck in trying to take over games. Drive the net. Look for opportunities to shoot the puck. Dominate the possession game. Maybe add more physicality to his game overall, too.
Comparison wise, you're probably looking at a solid third-liner if all ends well, someone like a Chris Tierney.
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