PART 1 - PLAYERS TO WATCH FROM DEVELOPMENT CAMP 2016

Jul 19, 2016

PART 1 - DEVELOPMENT CAMP BLOG – 2016

SEE PART 2

With the 2016 Minnesota Wild Development Camp in the books, your fearless content providers here at iowawild.com thought it would be appropriate to delve into some of the prospects that attended this year’s camp, a few of whom may don an Iowa Wild sweater this season or potentially in the near future.

First, a disclaimer: Beginning in late September, each and every player that attends Minnesota’s training camp will have an opportunity to make an impression.  Depending on their performance (plus a slew of other factors - injuries / depth at a certain position, contract status / eligibility), any of the players in camp below could make the team.  Sometimes though, an NHL club decides another season of amateur hockey or a stint in the European ranks is the best fit for a certain player.  Thus, there’s certainly a lot that goes into rounding out the roster each fall.  In addition, Minnesota has almost an entirely new coaching staff heading into the 2016-2017 season, which means a “clean slate” for a lot of the players as the new bench bosses get familiar with their skill set and role within the organization.

With all that said, here’s a brief profile on some of the organization’s future stars.  The following is Part 1 (of 2), with each segment taking a look at five prospects. 

(Stick taps to Brad Bombardir, Minnesota’s Director of Player Development, for the insight and organizational perspective on each of these guys)

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Pavel Jenys – Left Wing (6’3”, 203 lbs. / Brno, Czech Republic, age: 20)

Jenys spent the 2015-2016 season in the OHL, starting the campaign in Sudbury before a trade in November shipped him to Niagara.  Jenys finished with 37 points in 66 games between the two clubs, and according to Bombardir, Jenys gained confidence during Niagara’s lengthy playoff run (the Ice Dogs were swept in the OHL Finals by the London Knights).  Bombardir lauded the 2014 7^th round selection for his “excellent” straight ahead speed, but added he often defers too much to his line mates, and would like to see him dictate the play more.  Bombardir expects Jenys to take the next step in his career this season, and would like to see him in an Iowa Wild sweater.  “He’s a guy that I’d want to see play as many games as he possibly can down in the AHL, and we can make a read for him after that,” Bombardir commented.  “But he’s a guy that I’d really want to target as a pro player this year.”

Jenys played eight games with Iowa at the tail end of the 2014-2015 season, so he got a taste of pro hockey prior to returning to the junior ranks this past season.  He still has one season left of major junior eligibility, should Minnesota decide that’s the best course of action.

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Colton Beck – Left Wing (5’11”, 190 lbs. / Langley, British Columbia, age: 26)

Beck proved he belonged in the AHL last season, as he registered 21 points in 52 games with Iowa (this after signing a tryout contract early in the season).  His rookie season was spent entirely in the ECHL with the Idaho Steelheads, and that’s where he began last year until he got the call from the Wild.  Beck is 26-years old, making him almost two years older than every other player who participated in development camp, and with several prospects born in 1997 and 1998, Beck was clearly the elder statesman from an age standpoint.  Bombardir praised Beck’s willingness to attend the camp, saying he was the one who helped facilitate his presence at the July sessions.  It’s the second-ever development camp for Beck, having previously attended a New York Islanders camp a couple of years back.

It’ll be interesting to see how Beck fits into the Iowa lineup next season, and if he can impress enough in training camp to get on Bruce Boudreau’s radar as a potential NHL call-up (that’s every player’s dream, after all).  In my opinion, Beck’s crafty with the puck, can get up-and-down the wing, and seems to be well-liked by his teammates.

“He’s just a good hockey player”, Bombardir said.  “He really is.  He’s a smart player, an intelligent player, and he has the ability to make some plays offensively.”

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Alex Tuch – Right Wing (6’4”, 225 lbs. / Syracuse, New York, age: 20)

Selected in the 1^st round back in 2014, Tuch will turn pro this season after two years at Boston College.  When I asked Bombardir about the mindset Tuch needs when NHL training camp rolls around, Bombardir stressed that he tells all of the players to show up with a “focus on making the team”.  He also stressed that if a young player gets cut from Minnesota’s camp and sent to Iowa, then the approach needs to shift towards “what am I going to do to get back up [to the NHL]?”

Tuch, quite frankly, is one of those players.  Coming off an 18-goal, 34-point season with the Eagles, he could make the big club out of camp.  Or, he could find himself as a top line player in Iowa, where he’d log a ton of minutes and hopefully add some firepower to a club that finished with an AHL-low 169 goals in 2015-2016.

Like all young players, an adjustment period is to be expected as Tuch gets used to the pro game.  But, Bombardir said he believes Tuch to be a “coachable” player, which should allow his development to flourish.

“The kid’s worked his butt off this offseason,” Bombardir said.  “He’s in tremendous shape.  If he can get some of the bad things out of his game then he can be a really effective NHL player.”

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Jordan Greenway – Left Wing (6’6”, 218 lbs. / Canton, New York, age: 19)

I was commenting to our equipment staff during some development camp drills that I can’t wait to see Jordan Greenway play pro hockey.  At 6’6” and just 19 years of age, you just know that he’s gonna continue to add bulk to his frame, as well as more speed and power to his skating.  And for opposing defenses, that’s a scary thought. 

“His size, right away, jumps out at you,” Bombardir noted.  “And then, to me, he’s a player that you can tell right away - this is how he plays, and this is exactly how he’s going to be as a pro player.” 

As a freshman at Boston University, Greenway scored five goals and recorded 21 assists, while playing for David Quinn, a former AHL head coach and NHL assistant.  Bombardir said they play a pro style game at BU, and that the Wild organization and Quinn have the same vision for how Greenway’s game should look moving forward.

According to Bombardir, Greenway is already one of the strongest players on the Terriers squad and he’s almost impossible to knock off the puck at the collegiate level.  However, he still needs to round out his offensive game – owning the puck in the corners is one thing - dangling past defensemen and getting to the net, is another.  That skill and creativity should come with another season of top-level college hockey.

“He’s worked hard,” Bombardir added.  “I think people will be really impressed with him when he turns pro.”

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Sam Anas – Winger (5’8”, 160 lbs. / Potomac, Maryland, age: 23)

From one end of the “size spectrum” to the other…

At just 5’8”, Sam Anas was a coveted free agent for a slew of NHL teams as his junior season concluded at Quinnipiac University.  Minnesota won the sweepstakes, inking him to a two-year deal in April.

“When the puck drops, he’s a nice hockey player”, Bombardir said.  “He thinks the game so well.  He always has the puck on his stick and the puck is always getting to the net with him.  He’s going to be an exciting player.”

Anas racked up 50 points in 2015-2016, good enough for 10^th in the nation.  Bombardir lauded his vision, saying he’d be a good fit to play alongside a guy like Zack Mitchell, since Mitchell has a good shot (22 goals in Iowa last season).  Anas told me he played exclusively as a winger in college and, honestly, he might be a bit undersized to endure the rigors of the pro game from the center ice position.  Bombardir also suggested that putting Anas on a line with a sizeable winger (Tuch or Mario Lucia are possibilities) would also complement his skill set.  Anas is a right-handed shot, for the record. 

Regardless of who he’s on a line with, Anas is another prospect that figures to help bolster the organization’s offensive depth.

That does it for “Part 1”.  Be on the lookout for another prospect feature in the coming days….