Saturday, August 1, 2009

Badger HS development camp, and other items

  • DPlaya has a nice update from the Badger HS development camp. (Thanks, DP!) Scanning his post, it looks like future Badgers in attendance include Matt Paape and Corbin McGuire. Plus a bunch of other top Wisconsin players. DPlaya did point out that Eau Claire's Jake McCabe was not there (as had been previously reported by Baggot) since he doesn't have much time before leaving for Germany for the U17 Five Nations Tourney and then moving to Ann Arbor after that.
  • Not Badger related at all, but I thought this was a nice article about Northern alum Dallas Drake and his partial ownership of the NAHL's Traverse City North Stars. (Thanks to TWOJH for the heads-up.)
  • THN has a video in which they discuss the players at the US and Canadian Olympic orientation camps. I haven't watched it yet, so I don't know how interesting it may or may not be.
  • Joe Finley is the Caps #19 prospect per HF. Looking at the write-up, not exactly a ringing endorsement for a 1st-round draft pick.
    19. Joe Finley, D - 6.0 D
    6'7 240 lbs
    Born 6-29-87
    Acquired: 1st Round, 2005

    While he has the size and hitting ability to possibly turn into a shut-down defenseman, Finley's foot speed and passing leaves much to be desired. After four seasons at the University of North Dakota, Finley will be making his full-time pro debut next season.

    Switched to forward for the last day of the 2009 development camp, Finley could turn out to be an NHL enforcer. He doesn't seem to have the stick skills or quickness to clear pucks out of the zone effectively as a defenseman at the NHL level. It will be interesting to see whether he starts on defense for Hershey this season despite their depth at the position, or if he will be converted to a full-time forward.
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