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Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Carolina Hurricanes 2025 Development Camp Gets Underway
The Carolina Hurricanes held the first official day of the 2025 prospect development camp on Monday. I may hear you ask, what is the goal of development camp? Well Carolina AGM Darren Yorke put it best. Advertisement "The biggest thing is just introducing them to the organization and getting a sense of where they are today," Yorke said. "So our development coaches will meet with them and have already sort of been in communication with our scouts here to get a sense of what the player's strengths and weaknesses are. It's really to establish 1) a relationship and then 2) start to develop a development for them whether it's for off-ice fitness or whether it's specific areas of their game that we want the players to work on." The first day of camp usually isn't too interesting and this year was no different than those in the past, as the focus was pretty much on off-ice fitness testing as well as some skating benchmark testing. "The first drill is the 1080 Sprint," said Director of Player Development Peter Harrold. "It measures a lot of different variables and it helps our strength staff come up with more customized programs for them in the weight room. Force production and things like that. From a technical standpoint, we also videotape their skating to look at what their stride looks like and what their mechanics look like and so then we can have discussions with them and give them things to work on in order to come back and maybe just be that little bit faster." "They're watching how good we are at top speed," said 2024 draftee Noel Fransen. "They will know how good we are at skating and where we're at. You want to be better every time. So you just go as hard as you can every time." Advertisement Nearly every player participated in the testing minus 2025 second-round picks Charlie Cerrato and Kurban Limatov. Limatov took a spin on the ice before the testing began, but didn't take part in the actual drills while it seems like Cerrato will be a late arriver. It is impressive that six of the seven players the Hurricanes drafted on Saturday were able to make it to Raleigh for camp though as there wasn't a ton of turnaround time between the events. Luckily all of the Russian players that the Canes drafted already had their visas and were in the US, but for the two Swedish players (Viggo Nordlund and Filip Ekberg) there was a bit more of a chaotic turnaround. Advertisement "[Getting drafted] was an amazing feeling," Nordlund said. "I was home with my parents watching on TV and seeing my name pop up there was a real nice feeling. Then I got a call like five minutes after telling me that I was flying out the next day. Just started packing and got ready." "I was at home with my family in my hometown, so it was just a quick step to the airport in Sweden," Ekberg said. "I flew to Toronto and then to here." No worries about potential jetlag affecting your performances? "I don't feel like I have it but maybe there is," Ekberg said. "But I don't feel it [now]. It's a little bit nice though. Because you're tired at 9 o'clock and you wake up at 6 o'clock by yourself. So that's kind of nice actually." Advertisement Nothing like the first step toward your dream to keep you energized. Viggo Nordlund Filip Ekberg Development camp isn't just for the new faces in the organization either. You'll always have a handful of prospects who took part in one or two prior camps and this gives the staff a great opportunity to reassess how their development has been progressing. "A lot of these guys come in at 18 years old and they're kids still," Harrold said. "A year of working out, a year of playing professional games and then they come back and are more mature in every sense of the word. It's fun for me because you get to see the growth in those guys and that's the part I love, but for them, I think they become more confident, more comfortable in their game and themselves. That's big for them. Confidence is huge." Advertisement "I think I made progress on everything basically," said 2024 draftee Dominik Badinka who took part in camp last season. "It's still hockey. You've played the game and sometimes the things on and off ice aren't there, but I think I've made progress on everything. ... I hear from [the organization] all the time throughout the year too. Talking about my games and stuff on a weekly basis." The camp also helps teach the players life lessons about nutrition and sleep habits and gives them a chance to get to know each other as well as the organization too. "So far it's been quiet, but it's a great group," Badinka said. "We didn't get a chance to talk that much, but I know some guys from last year. But I feel so far that it's a good group of guys. It's been going well. Nobody is doing stupid things. Everybody is polite." Day 2 of development camp, which falls on the same day as the opening of NHL Free Agency, will more than likely focus a bit more on puck and stick skills. Dominik Badinka Additional Notes Nearly all of the Russian prospects (eight in total) were practicing as a group. Canes amateur scout Oleg Smirnov is here at camp to act as a translator and to help them get around and understand all that is being asked of and communicated to them. Harrold said that Smirnov has been "invaluable" to have at camp. The Hurricanes' Russian prospects listen in to instructions for testing. A few fans collected some autographs from the Canes prospects at the conclusion of their off-ice testing. These kids are already getting some spotlight treatment down in Raleigh. "It's fun that they're here," Fransen said. "Really good fans." A few Carolina prospects sign some autographs for fans. Recent Stories • Carlina Hurricanes Acquire Goaltender Cayden Primeau From Montreal Canadiens • Should The Carolina Hurricanes Re-Sign Brent Burns? • Rod Brind'Amour Once Again Snubbed By Hockey Hall of Fame Selection Committee • What Might A Jason Robertson Trade Package Look Like? • The Carolina Hurricanes' 2025 UFAs • Carolina Hurricanes Extend Qualifying Offers To RFAs; Three To Become UFAs Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Carolina Hurricanes Announce New In-State Affiliation
The Carolina Hurricanes and Greensboro Gargoyles announced a new partnership on May 6, 2025. The Carolina Hurricanes finally have their own ECHL affiliate again. The team announced on Tuesday that they will have a partnership with the Greensboro Gargoyles, the ECHL's newest franchise and one conveniently just down the road from them. 'We're thrilled to affiliate with the Gargoyles and reconnect with our franchise's history in Greensboro,' said Carolina Associate General Manager Darren Yorke. 'We look forward to working closely with the Gargoyles staff to develop players who could someday make an impact here in Raleigh.' The Gargoyles inaugural season will begin this upcoming year and the Canes will more than likely have a few players there given their deep prospect pipeline. The ECHL is a level below the AHL, where the Canes are affiliated with the Chicago Wolves, and is essentially another developmental hockey league. 'We couldn't think of two better teams to help us usher in this inaugural season of Gargoyles Hockey to the City of Greensboro,' said Zawyer Sports & Entertainment (the team's ownership group) CEO Andy Kaufmann in a press release. 'With the proximity and an abundance of local support for the Hurricanes, along with a successful AHL club in the Chicago Wolves, this partnership makes perfect sense. We look forward to working with both teams to develop players and bring a winning culture here to Greensboro.' Spittin' Chiclets Purchases Stake In North Carolina Hockey Team Spittin' Chiclets Purchases Stake In North Carolina Hockey Team The newest ECHL expansion franchise in Greensboro just got some new owners. The Gargoyles will play their home games at the First Horizon Coliseum (formerly known as the Greensboro Coliseum), which was the original home of the Hurricanes for two seasons after they relocated to North Carolina. "As the former home of the Carolina Hurricanes, tonight's announcement further adds to the growing excitement and anticipation surrounding the Gargoyles and the return of hockey to First Horizon Coliseum," said First Horizon Coliseum General Manager Scott Johnson in a press release. "We can't wait for the puck to drop this fall and begin a new era of Gargoyles hockey in Greensboro." Those interested in full or partial season ticket plans in Greensboro can find more information here. Be sure to check out the Carolina Hurricanes 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Hub for all postseason stories! Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
