Greyhounds open rookie camp

The 2015-16 Ontario Hockey League season is underway for the Soo Greyhounds.

The team opened training camp on Monday as rookies took to the ice for a pair of practices and a scrimmage ahead of main camp, which kicks off with registration on Wednesday morning.

Greyhounds General Manager Kyle Raftis said following Monday’s scrimmage it was a “typical” first day of training camp.

“I think it was very typical of this time of year,” Raftis said of the opening day. “There’s some nerves and guys looking around and trying to get a feel for today. The guys worked really hard, the practice was really crisp this morning which is not always the case. I was happy with the first day.”

It was the first chance for players drafted by the team in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection to skate as members of the organization as the team didn’t hold a traditional summer development camp over the summer.

“When you have it in April, everyone knows, there are no real decisions,” said Raftis. “Everyone knows they’re going home at the end of it. With this one, we have to have a team picked by the end of the weekend and there are a lot quicker decisions and I think the kids are feeling that pressure because they obviously all want to be here. It works out with the way we’re set up this year with the coaching change and getting the feel for everybody.”

Veterans Joseph Raaymakers and Tim Gettinger also skated during day one of camp. The pair are coming off their rookie seasons with the Greyhounds.

Gettinger had 10 goals and 25 points in 54 games in his first season and added a goal and two points in six playoff games.

Raaymakers posted a 14-7-0 record with a 3.05 goals against average and 0.898 save percentage in 25 games in 2014-15.

In Monday’s scrimmage Team White skated to a 3-2 win over Team Red. Jack Kopacka (eighth round, 2014) had a goal and an assist for Team White while Conor Timmins (fourth round, 2014) and Kyle Diamond (free agent invite) also scored in the win. Liam Hawel (first round, 2015) and Anthony DeMeo (third round, 2015) scored for Team Red.

Team Red goaltender Tyler Wall (seventh round, 2014) stopped 38 of 41 shots while Team White goaltender Dougie Newhouse (12 round, 2015) stopped 18 of 20 shots.

Rookie camp wraps up with a pair of scrimmages on Tuesday (10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.).

On-ice action for main camp begins Wednesday afternoon with practices beginning at 2 p.m. The first scrimmage of main camp is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday evening.

(Photo: Players gather for instructions from Coach Drew Bannister during one of Monday's two practices at the Soo Greyhounds 2015 rookie camp. Brad Coccimiglio)​