Development Camp Digest: Cameron Schmidt, Aram Minnetian, and Rachel Flanagan
With additional appearances from Aram Minnetian and Ryan Brown
One of the most fascinating things about development camps is how many different paths players have taken to get there.
You have players from the most recent draft class, 18- or 19-year-olds like Ryan Brown or Jasper Kuhta who didn’t know where they were going to be drafted until 24 hours before they flew into Dallas. You also have returning players like Emil Hemming, Aram Minnetian, and Niilopekka Muhonen, who have been through this process a couple of times before.
You also have players like Dylan Hryckowian and Christian Fitzgerald, neither of whom were drafted, but both of whom were at development camp last year. Dallas signed both players after they finished their college season, and they both got some time in Texas in the spring on amateur tryouts ahead of what will be their official first pro year.
And then you have the players who received an invite to development camp with a chance to earn a longer look, the way Jaxon Fuder did last year before Dallas signed him two months later to an entry-level contract. In the Stars’ case, that usually means a couple of goalies and a couple of right-shot defensemen, among others.
But even with players ranging from ages 18 to 24, the week has a little bit of a freshman orientation feel to it. Sure, most of the talks and tests are taking place behind the scenes, but there’s an energy and variety to each day that makes the week pass quickly, at least from an outsider’s perspective.
Like last year, the Stars once again brought Medicine Hat’s Joe Frazer in as another voice during the camp. He’s joined this week by Rachel Flanagan, the longtime head coach at the University of Guelph who spent the last couple of years as an assistant coach in the PWHL.
As with other NHL teams’ development camps, the NHL Coaches Association works with clubs to provide opportunities to coaches outside the NHL during times like these. Flanagan also mentioned today that she has a connection with Stars’ AGM (and fellow Ontario native) Rich Peverley, which surely doesn’t hurt the acclimation process at all.
“We’ve known each other for quite some time,” Flanagan said today. “It’s funny, yesterday I did a presentation about grit and what it means to be a human that perseveres. And I think that’s one of the really special things about him [Peverley]. He’s up there. He’s talking to everybody. He’s so personable. He knows the game so well, but he’s also had some difficult times, and he’s been able to overcome those. It’s made him probably a better leader, but also somebody that people can look up to.”
Flanagan said that the level of engagement from the players at development camp was noticeable from the start. You could see it while watching the drills, too.
“The young guys have been great. They’re asking questions. They’re very quick to make sure they come and say ‘thank you’ after,” Flanagan said. “You’re always learning. I’m learning from the coaches here, but I hope that there’s some things that I can bring that some of these young guys especially haven’t heard and just can add to their game. To feel like I’ve been a small part of that is pretty special.”
As for some of those aforementioned players, defenseman Aram Minnetian spoke with the media after today’s on-ice work, talking about everything from the decision to turn pro after his junior year at Boston College to the different cadence of training and practicing on a pro team vs. a college program. Minnetian also hasn’t lost sight of just how unique it is for him to be getting paid to play hockey.
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