2008 Niagara IceDogs Rookie Camp

 Over the weekend the Niagara IceDogs held their 2008 rookie camp. There was a good mix of draft picks and free agents on the ice looking to make a good impression on the coaching staff and earn a shot at making the club in August. Twenty five drafted players in all attended the two day event including this years top three picks, Freddie Hamilton, Shayne Rover and Mark Visentin as well as 2007 draftees Johnson Andrews, Jay Gilbert and David McMullen.  

 The IceDogs will have some holes to fill the the departure of players like Michael Swift, Luca Caputi, Jordan Foreman, Stefan Legein and Sebastian Dahm. However, overall management should be happy with the prospects the have in the organization. Players like Andrews, Hamilton, McMullen, Gilbert and Mike Schwindt really separated themselves from the group and showed they may be able to contribute this season. Cameron Stewart, Nik Knezic and Shayne Rover played well but may have to wait for next season to be a regular in the IceDogs line-up. 

 There were also some pleasant surprises on the weekend. David Pacan a 14th round pick in 2007 was one of the top three players on the ice and is certainly someone IceDog fans will get to know this season. He has good speed, great hands and likes to be physical. He may be the type of forward GM Dave Brown is looking for this off-season.  By first indications Chris Ardell and Cohen Adair will push some of the veteran players in training camp but unfortunately they may fall victim to the numbers game. 

 Brown had indicted that the team would be looking for a goalie during the summer and it doesn't look like he found him this weekend. None of the goalies played particularly poor but at the same time none of them stood out either. 

 There will be a number of players at this weekends camp that will get a second chance to impress the IceDogs in August when training camp begins.