Prospect Info: 2023 Development Camp

[My3Sons]

That first goal for team white on Poulter that made it 1-0 had a lot of odor on it.

There was one other goal on him that may or may not have been brutal. Might have deflected off of something, but I think it just deflected off of him.

Even with development camp you just can’t get away from it. It’s great to know nothing escapes your all seeing eye around the crease. Hopefully none of these kids give you Blackwooditis.

 

[Guttersniped]

I'll give my thoughts, mostly on who I think the standouts are:

Seamus Casey: Easily the best player here. It's not even close. Not much else really needs to be said.

Jakub Malek: The Devils just can't stop with goalies. Their goalie scouting is ridiculous. He is very, very impressive. Keep an eye out down the road for this kid. Really positionally sound, really athletic, and a fantastic puck handler.

Chase Cheslock: Super raw, but you can see him oozing with potential. Loves to play physical, great puck handler, solid skater. There's a lot to like.

Lenni Hameenaho: Wasn't his best showing by any means, and even though he's not the greatest skater, he plays with such an awesome pace. He is flying all over the ice, disrupting plays everywhere, making things happen, always in the right spot. He's a gamer.

Ondrej Psenicka: This kid stood out to me all over the ice. He has great vision for someone of his size. He has a scorer's mentality but the skill level of a 13th forward right now. I'd love to give this kid a contract and let him develop in the AHL. I honestly think he has a lot of potential as a good 4th liner who can play well in the cycle game and be the "driver" of a fourth line in the offensive zone.

Cole Brown: Energetic player, well built. More impressive puck skills than I had expected and a wicked shot. He played great today and I am excited to see this kid continue to develop.

Josh Filmon: Really good player, but he definitely still looks like a Juniors player to me in the way he approaches the game in the offensive zone. Still very raw, will definitely need a year or two in the AHL after next season.

Topias Vilen: Didn't notice him a whole lot, but when I did, it was for all of the right reasons. Definitely a trait to love in a defenseman.

Charlie Leddy: Really solid defensively, safe player, don't know if he has the upside to play in the NHL. Curious to see if his offense takes an uptick next season playing on that loaded BC squad.

Timur Ibragimov: Could use a couple more seasons of development. Don't think he will ever be in the NHL, but he has a lot of creativity that he doesn't have the skill to match yet.


Don't really think anyone else warrants a writeup, but I did think Fitz's kid looked good, Hatakka is not an NHL defender (but I think a good AHL one), and Recchi's kid had a nice goal and I didn't notice anything else. Game was definitely a bit hard to track with all of the weird numbers and not very focused commentary. Most surprising moment of the day goes to turning to the screen and seeing Salminen receive an outlet twenty feet behind the nearest defender for the slowest breakaway opportunity I've seen. Have literally 0 clue what he was doing still in the neutral zone given the play had already developed in his defensive zone, but I guess when you are constantly lagging behind the play, lucky shit like that will happen.

I couldn’t make it but it sounds like more of the same.

To put my viewing in context, the 3-on-3 teams are below.

My brother & I got seats this time, which is more relaxing but it means you can’t walk to the other game.

So (I’m almost positive lol) I saw:

1. Stevens vs Brodeur
2. Stevens vs Niedermayer
3. Stevens vs Daneyko
4. Championship game: Stevens vs Niedermayer

So that explains why I had a lot more to say about some players.

And someone film the championship game!



(It’s a tough angle but hey, it’s something.)

 

[My3Sons]

I couldn’t make it but it sounds like more of the same.

To put my viewing in context, the 3-on-3 teams are below.

My brother & I got seats this time, which is more relaxing but it means you can’t walk to the other game.

So (I’m almost positive lol) I saw:

1. Stevens vs Brodeur
2. Stevens vs Niedermayer
3. Stevens vs Daneyko
4. Championship game: Stevens vs Niedermayer

So that explains why I had a lot more to say about some players.

View attachment 728894

And someone film the championship game!



(It’s a tough angle but hey, it’s something.)

Are those post game autographs?

 

[Blackjack]

Are those post game autographs?

I prefer to think that she just scribbled their names in for fun.

 

[My3Sons]

I prefer to think that she just scribbled their names in for fun.

If they were autographs I was just going to ask how the players interacted with the fans. I think for a team like NJ that’s important. My youngest got a photo and handshake with Dano when we went to the game last season and he was overjoyed. The team has a future with kids like that who will buy tickets and jerseys and content because the team ambassadors make an effort. By and large thr Rangers don’t have to do that.

 

[Guttersniped]

Are those post game autographs?

Yeah, they have an autograph session every year after the 3-on-3.

It started late this year and not a ton of people stayed because there wasn’t a big draw, Hameenaho is the only higher pick who wasn’t there last year.

They cut it short this year, that’s why I have so few autos, saying “the players were running late” but maybe they pulled the plug because of the lighter crowd.

 

[My3Sons]

Yeah, they have an autograph session every year after the 3-on-3.

It started late this year and not a ton of people stayed because there wasn’t a big draw, Hameenaho is the only higher pick who wasn’t there last year.

They cut it short this year, that’s why I have so few autos, saying “the players were running late” but maybe they pulled the plug because of the lighter crowd.

I trust they were good with the fans? Every kid should get autographs and a few photos.

 

[Guttersniped]

If they were autographs I was just going to ask how the players interacted with the fans. I think for a team like NJ that’s important. My youngest got a photo and handshake with Dano when we went to the game last season and he was overjoyed. The team has a future with kids like that who will buy tickets and jerseys and content because the team ambassadors make an effort. By and large thr Rangers don’t have to do that.

The prospects are pretty much always super friendly and sweet. They’re very happy to be there and signing autos, it’s all flattering and new to them, this whole camp is a little taste of their dream.

People tell them they hope they make the team, get signed, have a big year, etc. It’s all good vibes.

The biggest problems are an occasional foreign player who doesn’t speak much English at all and some players are shy and/or nervous. When it’s the latter you just have to keep it simple.

I brought a retro Utica jersey and had the guys who played on the team last season sign that too.

The most memorable moment from this year for me was Cheslock. I complimented him on his play and his baby cherubic face just beamed. He looks so hilariously young. (He’s not even young for this draft, he has a face that will get him carded forever.)

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

I stayed after today to get autographs. I only had 3 leftover new pucks to get signed. 1 of them I had Tom Fitzgerald sign. The other 2 I wanted to get Seamus Casey and either one of Filmon or Hameenaho. Didn't see Filmon or Hammenaho after the game out back but I managed to get Casey's autograph. He got the most attention so the fanbase knows how good he will potentially be. He was also very nice. The kid handles himself well infront of media and fans. Also Salminen was pretty cool too. Hoping our prospects have a big year this upcoming season.

 

[My3Sons]

The prospects are pretty much always super friendly and sweet. They’re very happy to be there and signing autos, it’s all flattering and new to them, this whole camp is a little taste of their dream.

People tell them they hope they make the team, get signed, have a big year, etc. It’s all good vibes.

The biggest problems are an occasional foreign player who doesn’t speak much English at all and some players are shy and/or nervous. When it’s the latter you just have to keep it simple.

I brought a retro Utica jersey and had the guys who played on the team last season sign that too.

The most memorable moment from this year for me was Cheslock. I complimented him on his play and his baby cherubic face just beamed. He looks so hilariously young. (He’s not even young for this draft, he has a face that will get him carded forever.)

That’s great to hear. Thanks for sharing that. I’ve had about 17 years of having to interact with various celebrities when my kids have gotten an autograph or photo and it really changes how you view sports and whatever artist you might be dealing with.

I stayed after today to get autographs. I only had 3 leftover new pucks to get signed. 1 of them I had Tom Fitzgerald sign. The other 2 I wanted to get Seamus Casey and either one of Filmon or Hameenaho. Didn't see Filmon or Hammenaho after the game out back but I managed to get Casey's autograph. He got the most attention so the fanbase knows how good he will potentially be. He was also very nice. The kid handles himself well infront of media and fans. Also Salminen was pretty cool too. Hoping our prospects have a big year this upcoming season.

Excellent report and much appreciated!

 

[Lou is God]

Charlie Leddy talking about Chase Stillman with great affection:



Good stuff

 

[ninetyeight]

Yeah Hämeenaho is so slow, even in this slower paced prospect camp where not many are very good skaters, he looks like a slow floater. He makes Parent look like a Hughes brother out there. Lenni's skating speed style and posture reminds me of another finn Marko Anttila who is 6'8" . But man does he do all the right things, I couldn't find a single bad play by him. Always in the right spot, somehow gets past by defending players since he knows where the puck is gonna end up before anyone else, great passing skills, accurate long passes, nifty saucers in close space. If this guy had above average skating skills I believe he would have been a top10 draft talent. Whether he can improve his skating or make it work at NHL level remains the be seen.

Salminen quietly had his best game in a Devils jersey. Had a goal, breakway and a real nice toedrag deke to get through a defender and shot the puck into the crossbar. He definitely seems disinterested and invisible at times and only seems to wake up when he gets the puck. I think he has the skills, but I don't know if he has the motivation, motor and iq to be an NHLer.

I was also very impressed with Cole Brown, what a steal this would be if he could become an NHLer.

Was expecting more from Vilen and Filmon. Vilen made no mistakes, but I was expecting him to standout more, he looked better last camp. Filmon I was expecting to be the standout guy this camp, but he showed nothing really.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Yeah Hämeenaho is so slow, even in this slower paced prospect camp where not many are very good skaters, he looks like a slow floater. He makes Parent look like a Hughes brother out there. Lenni's skating speed style and posture reminds me of another finn Marko Anttila who is 6'8" . But man does he do all the right things, I couldn't find a single bad play by him. Always in the right spot, somehow gets past by defending players since he knows where the puck is gonna end up before anyone else, great passing skills, accurate long passes, nifty saucers in close space. If this guy had above average skating skills I believe he would have been a top10 draft talent. Whether he can improve his skating or make it work at NHL level remains the be seen.

Salminen quietly had his best game in a Devils jersey. Had a goal, breakway and a real nice toedrag deke to get through a defender and shot the puck into the crossbar. He definitely seems disinterested and invisible at times and only seems to wake up when he gets the puck. I think he has the skills, but I don't know if he has the motivation, motor and iq to be an NHLer.

I was also very impressed with Cole Brown, what a steal this would be if he could become an NHLer.

Was expecting more from Vilen and Filmon. Vilen made no mistakes, but I was expecting him to standout more, he looked better last camp. Filmon I was expecting to be the standout guy this camp, but he showed nothing really.

He (Filmon) had a nice assist on Salminen's goal.