Development Camp offers teams the ability to contact their prospects, bring in undrafted talent they may have their eyes on for future contracts, and continue to develop their young talent towards their hopeful debuts in the NHL. Similarly, it offers players the chance to interact with top-level coaches, drill and train for a week with top-level competition, and measure themselves against the elite of NHL prospect pools.
For the last decade, Northeastern has always been well-represented at these camps. This year is no exception, particularly coming off a 2022 Draft that saw 7 current and future Huskies taken, a program record. In fact, 22 players (not counting multiple attendees who have transferred away from Northeastern) is the most I’ve ever seen represent the Huskies at development camps since I’ve been following closely for nearly ten years. As if we needed more evidence of the success, reputation, and direction of the program, now even the top minds in the NHL see the talent being assembled on Huntington Avenue.
Worth noting, official team accounts can only acknowledge or talk about current or former players, or incoming players who have signed a National Letter of Intent or already enrolled at the school. Below is a listing of all Northeastern players, including current players, alumni, and future players, attending NHL Development Camps in 2022. Their rounds and years selected are indicated, and undrafted invitees are marked as “UDFA.”
Anaheim Ducks: Sam Colangelo, foward (2020 2nd round)
Buffalo Sabres: Devon Levi, goaltender (2020 7th round)
Calgary Flames: Liam Walsh, forward (UDFA, 2022 transfer); Billy Norcross, forward (UDFA, 2023 recruit)
Colorado Avalanche: Vinny Borgesi, defenseman (UDFA, 2022 recruit)
Columbus Blue Jackets: James Fisher, forward (2022 7th round, 2023 recruit)– feature image of James Fisher taken by Adam Cairns of the Columbus Dispatch
Edmonton Oilers: Michael Kesselring, defenseman (2018 6th round, former Huskies player)
Los Angeles Kings: Jack Hughes, forward (2022 2nd round), Braden Doyle, defenseman (2019 6th round)
Montreal Canadiens: Jayden Struble, defenseman (2019 2nd round)
Nashville Predators: Gunnarwolfe Fontaine, forward (2020 7th round)
New York Rangers: Riley Hughes, forward (2018 7th round)
Ottawa Senators: Jakov Novak, forward (2018 7th round)
Philadelphia Flyers: Hunter McDonald, defenseman (2022 6th round, 2022 recruit)
San Jose Sharks: Cameron Lund, forward (2022 2nd round, 2022 recruit); Michael Fisher, defenseman (2022 3rd round, 2023 recruit)
Toronto Maple Leafs: Tommy Miller, defenseman (UDFA, former Huskies player). Also attending are former players Dylan Jackson, Ty Jackson, and TJ Semptimphelter, all of whom transferred to Arizona State this offseason.
Vancouver Canucks: Aidan McDonough, forward (2019 7th round); Jackson Dorrington, defenseman (2022 6th round, 2022 recruit)
Vegas Golden Knights Cameron Whitehead, goaltender (2022 4th round, 2023 recruit); Joe Fleming, defenseman (UDFA, 2023 recruit)
Washington Capitals: Justin Hryckowian, forward (UDFA)
We’ll continue to post highlights and news as we see it on our Twitter @NUHockeyBlog. Once the schedule drops in full, we’ll have a post about that here as well, and then it’s onto the recruiting cycle opening for rising juniors on August 1st, which will see some of the elite 2005 birth year talent choose their collegiate programs. Expect Northeastern to be in the thick of things when the time comes, and any commitments we’ll have them profiled as always.
Go Huskies!