Development camps a learning experience for both player, team

Unlike training camp kicking off the new season, development camps have a very different feel for junior hockey franchises.

The Soo Greyhounds are in the midst of their 2024 development camp this weekend, which kicked off with practices and a scrimmage on Saturday locally.

The opening of the two-day camp brought with it a chance for prospective players to get an early look at the Greyhounds with the team getting an opportunity to see where their prospects are at in their development before the summer days hit full swing.

Following Saturday’s scrimmage, Greyhounds general manager Kyle Raftis said he liked what he saw after what he felt was a bit of a slow start to the game.

“It started a little slow,” Raftis said. “Then everyone kind of found their game. I was impressed by it. A lot of guys did a lot of good things. It was good to see a high compete, because sometimes in May, you’re never sure where guys are at or they’re just trying to blend in, but some guys really stood out. It was good to see.”

For the organization, Raftis spoke of the timing always being interesting for the camp as some players find themselves attending camp having been done their respective seasons for months while others are coming off weeks between the end of their season and the camp.

“It was a real good start because sometimes there can be a lot of nerves coming into it,” Raftis said. “For the most part, it was really competitive right out of the gate.”

Raftis added that the camp has its advantages over training camp in the fall, which can be a whirlwind.

“It’s a little bit more laid back than the traditional training camp,” Raftis said. “You get more time to talk with the staff, ask those questions.

“You come in for training camp and it’s pretty quick,” Raftis added. “Guys are thinking about where they’re going to be playing that year and trying to make plans. You’re releasing kids as the days go on. Those are a little bit quicker and not as easy to have downtime with different staff members, whether it’s a coach or athletic therapist. It’s cool that way. It’s putting a face to a name too.”

The 37-player group in camp this weekend saw 15 of the 16 players selected by the Greyhounds in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection make the trip north to participate.

The lone player not in camp is second round pick Callum Croskery.

Croskery signed a tender with the United States Hockey League’s Chicago Steel in February and said at the time that college hockey in the United States was “the right path” in an interview with Oakville News.

After selecting Croskery in the draft in April, Raftis said Croskery “was at the top of everybody’s board across the league as a top defenceman.”

“We had some good conversations with the family and Callum, and it was a situation where we felt we didn’t want to pass on him twice,” Raftis added.

Raftis said Saturday that Croskery’s absence was a logistical one as opposed to the young blueliner choosing not to report.

The two-day camp wraps up Sunday with fitness testing for players in the morning before the camp wraps up with a scrimmage at noon at the John Rhodes Community Centre.