A total of 80 players came out to the Junior Klippers camp last weekend, hoping to leave an impression on coaches and staff.

Kevin McBain
of The Clarion

Nearly 60 young hockey players took to the ice last weekend for the annual Klippers spring hockey camp.

The camp gives the players a taste of junior A hockey and introduces them to the Klipper program, while giving the coaches and scouts a better look at what the players can offer the team.

“We were pretty happy with what we saw,” said Klippers’ head coach Geoff Grimwood. “We had about 60 players that we split up into three teams. Our numbers overall were down a bit, but there is a lot going on.

“The camp is for kids that aren’t playing junior A hockey,” he added. “We are looking at kids that we may have play for us over the next three years.”

They ranged in age from 2003-born players to those born in 1999 and they were kept busy, with each team playing eight games, with a game lasting about 45 minutes

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There was also a goaltender session and a parent/players meeting Saturday afternoon to showcase the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and the Klippers’ program and answer any questions that anyone may have had.

The camp concluded with a Top Prospects game, featuring the top 35 players at camp. The game was low scoring, with Team White beating Team Green by a score of 3-2.

From a fan’s point of view, it gave them a glimpse of some of the players who will be in the Klippers uniform in the near future.

Grimwood said that there may be five or six players from the camp that a fan might see in a Klippers uniform next year.

“We are starting to make some decisions about next year already, but we can’t sign anybody until the draft in June,” he said. “The camp is good, allowing us to establish some relationships with the players and their families.”

Kindersley native Damon McKenzie said, in between periods of the Top Prospects game, that it was a good camp.

“It was good and fast,” he said. “I learned that you have to be fast and have a good attitude each time out.”

McKenzie is a 2000-born player who played with the West Central Wheat Kings and this past year played with the Battlefords AAA Stars. The forward had 19 goals and 12 assists in 44 games, third best on the team.

“It would be nice to play with the Klippers,” he said. “I guess you could say it would be a lifetime goal of mine.”

Nathan Engel is also a 2000-born player from Rosemary, Alta.

Engel said that he enjoyed the weekend.

“It’s been good,” he said. “The hospitality from the team and community has been great.

“It is a very high tempo game at this level. The guys are a lot bigger and stronger than the midget level,” he added.

Engel stands 6’2” tall and weighs in at about 174 pounds and played this past season with the International Hockey Academy Prep school in Calgary. In 32 games he had 13 goals and 11 assists for 24 points.

Next step for the Klippers is the SJHL’s annual general meeting during the first weekend in June. This is when the bantam draft will be held, scheduling meeting and where a decision will be made on how to move ahead with the rebuilding of the Humboldt Broncos.

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