Red Wings prospects, free-agent invites settle in for 2016 development camp

 

By @MichaelCaples –

TRAVERSE CITY – Givani Smith said the boys were joking about whether they were at a hockey camp or on vacation.

Hard to blame the Red Wings’ prospects for realizing that it may be a mix of both.

The Red Wings have brought their drafted players and a select group of free-agent invites to Traverse City this week for the team’s annual development camp.

While there’s on and off-ice training at Centre Ice Arena and other various activities to take part in, the players are staying in a resort that’s right on the beach – and what hockey player would complain about that?

“I love it,” said Smith, a second-round pick of the Wings in this summer’s NHL Draft. “As soon as I got here, came to the airport and looking around, and got to our resort, a nice beach – it’s a nice place to be.

…We were joking with the guys, are we on vacation or at the Detroit development camp? It’s nice being here.”

Grand Rapids Griffins head coach Todd Nelson, who leads the on-ice activities, said that the organization’s mission for the annual development camp is that it serves as an educational experience for the players.

“I think it’s a whole new experience for a lot of these kids, who come in here and they’re learning how to transition themselves from playing junior hockey or college hockey to pro,” Nelson said when asked about the first-timers at the camp. “That’s what this camp is about, to educate the players. It’s not about evaluation, it’s stretching their imagination, it’s a chance for them to get accustomed to the way the pros handle themselves…talking about nutrition and that they have to put the right foods in their bodies and also it’s strength training. It’s a good educational camp for these guys.”

The @DetroitRedWings' 2016 development camp is underway.

Our first batch of photos: https://t.co/0L1CwKd2Ka pic.twitter.com/VOJsBCrATT

— MiHockey (@MiHockeyNow) July 6, 2016

Nelson is counting on camp veterans to lead the way for the younger players, and he has the perfect example in Tyler Bertuzzi. The Red Wings’ second-round pick in 2013 is in the midst of his fourth development camp, and he said he is happy to assume a leadership role in Traverse City.

“It’s big for life, not just hockey,” the 21-year-old Bertuzzi said. ‘There’s the cooking, learning what to eat and what not to eat, off-ice, media – just little things that they go through slideshows, they go through everything. Especially for the younger guys coming in, it’s a big eye-opener. For me, it’s my fourth year, so I’ve had the experience, but I still soak it all in, because it’s very important. This is a great camp for the young guys and for me to learn as much as you can.”

Nelson said having Bertuzzi around is an added benefit, considering the Wings’ prospect played for him in Grand Rapids last season.

“It always helps having guys who have been here before take a leadership role,” Nelson said. “Tyler played for me last year, so a lot of the drills I’m running he did last year, it’s familiar to him. He’s a guy who can be the first guy in line, so the rest of the guys can see what he’s doing, and execute the drill properly.”

On the other end of the experience spectrum are the players who were just drafted by the Red Wings a week and a half ago. All of the Wings’ 2016 draftees were in attendance, including first-round pick Dennis Cholowski.

“So far, so good,” said Cholowski, an 18-year-old hailing from Langley, British Columbia. “There are a lot of great players here. I’m just very honored and happy to be here.”

While the Red Wings prospects are cherishing the experience, so too are the free-agent invites. Waterford native Alex Globke turned his previous development camp invitations into a contract with the Griffins in April, and now, Trenton native Griffen Molino has a chance to impress Red Wings management.

“It’s awesome,” the soon-to-be sophomore forward at Western Michigan said. “It’s the hometown team, so obviously there’s a little something extra in there. It’s really fun – take it seriously, but try to have a little fun and keep it all in perspective.”

As for the first day of on-ice training, Nelson said it went as expected.

“It was a typical first day,” the Griffins’ bench boss said. “Guys are trying to get their feet underneath themselves, and there’s a lot of excitement, and I’m sure some nerves. It was a good first day, I thought our guys executed pretty well, and it’s just going to get better throughout the week.”

 

Stay tuned for more coverage from the Red Wings’ 2016 development camp…