Fowler leaves strong first impression on Greyhounds

Things are just getting started for young centre Hayden Fowler and the Soo Greyhounds.

The Greyhounds first round pick in the 2017 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection in May was in Sault Ste. Marie over the weekend for the Greyhounds annual development camp.

A high-end centre, Fowler was pleased with his first look at the OHL level during the Greyhounds’ recently completed development camp.

“It’s a good experience for the players,” Fowler said of the camp.

With his first OHL camp in the books, the 15-year-old centre learned plenty from it.

“It’s going to be a battle to get to where I want to go with my hockey career,” Fowler said. “I have to work hard in the off-season to get ready for next season.”

The Kingston, Ont. product said his speed and shot are two things he’s looking to improve in the summer ahead of the Greyhounds main training camp, set to begin in late-August.

Selected 19th overall by the Greyhounds in the April draft, Fowler called it a “starting point” moving forward in his hockey career.

“It was definitely an exciting day,” Fowler said. “It was a big day for my family and me but it’s really just a starting point for my career from now on.”

Greyhounds General Manager Kyle Raftis spoke highly of Fowler following the camp, specifically of his effort on the second day after settling in.

“You saw by the goals he was scoring and the speed that he played with, that was a lot more like the player we expect,” Raftis said of the Greyhounds first rounder.

“He had a good weekend,” Raftis added. “It’s always tough because guys who are first round picks sometimes put even more expectations on themselves and have a little bit tougher time getting started but I was really happy with how he finished the camp and how he carried himself.”

The Greyhounds are now hoping a strong first impression will lead to bigger and better things for a young player who has high hopes for himself.