Wild head coach pleased with ID camp

Over 40 players compete in two-day event

It may have only been two days, but Kyle Dunn liked what he saw.

A total of 43 players from Tignish to Souris participated in the Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild spring identification camp at the Pownal Sports Centre recently.

“That is a huge number,” said the Wild head coach, who added players were also juggling work commitments and the P.E.I. School Athletic Association track and field championships at UPEI. “To get guys travelling from all over Prince Edward Island, it is a big number.” The Wild plays in the New Brunswick/P.E.I. Major Midget Hockey League and has participated in four straight Atlantic championships, and Dunn noted it was also encouraging to see all eligible returnees attending the camp.

“You have guys out there who are going into their third year of midget, like an Evan Gallant or a Clark Webster for example, and it gives the first-year guys a measuring stick to see where they are at, and where they need to be by August (for the start of training camp),” explained Dunn. “What I tell them at the meetings is this is more for you guys. ‘Take mental notes of where you need to be in two or three months, and how you are going to get there.”

Drafts

With forward Bradley Campbell of Summerside and defenceman Zac Arsenault of Montague selected in last weekend’s Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Entry Draft, and the MHL (Maritime Junior Hockey League) holding its annual draft on Saturday, Dunn noted it’s an exciting time for the Wild organization. “Getting to the Atlantic championships, going deep in the Monctonian and Ice Jam (tournaments), scouts are seeing these kids more and longer,” said Dunn. “I don’t have the exact numbers, but I would bet we have some high numbers in the Maritime Junior (Hockey) League and major junior over the last few years.”