Grégoire and Roy earn invites to Colorado Avalanche development camp
217 young hockey players earned their welcome to the National Hockey League this past weekend. Despite not hearing their names called in Chicago at the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, two members of the Sherbrooke Phoenix have earned a chance to impress amongst other NHL hopefuls at the Colorado Avalanche’s development camp this week.
Both Phoenix captain Hugo Roy and assistant captain Thomas Grégoire have been invited to the Avalanche’s camp along with the organization’s prospects, newly drafted players and camp invitees this week.
The sessions include off-ice physical training, learning sessions and on-ice elements. Medical and physical testing took place on Monday before the players take to the ice for three days at the Family Sports Center in Centennial, Colorado. The on-ice portion will feature "two-a-days" on Tuesday and Wednesday while Thursday will consist of just a morning session for the players.
Last season Grégoire finished fourth amongst all QMJHL defencemen in scoring with 64 points (10 G, 54 A) and Roy finished the year with 60 points (34 G, 26 A) playing in every single one of the team’s 68 games.
Its not unheard of that Grégoire may still have his name called at the draft by an NHL team next year. Former Phoenix defenceman Carl Neill was initially passed over in the NHL draft his first year of eligibility in 2014. However, the blueliner earned an invite to the Calgary Flames’ development camp and after a solid 40-point season with the Birds was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks the following year, 144th overall in 2015. Having exhausted his junior eligibility, Neill has since singed on to play with Concordia Stingers for 2017-2018 after completing his junior career with the Charlottetown Islanders this past year.