Prospects, including Tippett, display skills
CORAL SPRINGS — In the first session of Florida Panthers’ development camp at the IceDen on Tuesday, first-round draft pick Owen Tippett showed off an NHL-ready shot that shattered windows in his Ontario home and had goaltenders on the red squad ducking.
Then the blue team took the ice and last year’s firstround pick Henrik Borgstrom displayed his trademark highlight-reel moves that helped the University of Denver win a national championship this past season as he deked goalies Evan Cawley and Samuel Montembeault into spinning tops before roofing a couple of goals.
The 33-player collection of juniors, minor leaguers, collegians and current Panthers center Denis Malgin had the brass behind the glass, general manager and president of hockey operations Dale Tallon and scout Peter Mahovlich, grinning from ear to ear.
“Peter and I were talking about the years we’ve been doing this and to see where we started and to where we are now, we got a lot of kids out there with a lot of skill and different abilities, difference sizes, and the depth chart is starting to get really solid and balanced, and that’s the key,” Tallon said.
No one stood out more than the red-headed Tippett, the 10th-overall pick in last weekend’s draft who scored 44 goals for the Mississauga Steelheads of the OHLlast season.
“He can score goalsandis willing to go to the [hard] areas to score,” Tallon said. “He’s got good hands, a good shot, good eyes and red hair.”
Tallon and coach Bob Boughner, who watched from the stands, told him there are spots ready to be had on the Panthers’ roster this season, andMalgin, the only player withNHLexperience on the ice, was proof of that.
“The best players will play on our team, regardless if they’re a rookie or not,” Tallon said.
The 5-foot-9 Malgin was 19 and had come out of a low-level Swiss league. He was expected to begin his pro career in Springfield with the Panthers’ AHL affiliate. Then he dominated the rookie tournament and then played well in preseason, but it took a couple of injuries toforwardsJonathan Huberdeau and Nick Bjugstad to open the door for him to play 47 games with Florida (6 goals and 10 points).
“It was great to skate with someone who played for Florida last year,” said Tippett, 18, a sturdy 6-foot-2, 203 pounds. “That should be everyone’s mindset. If you work hard enough the odds could be on your side. If that’s the end result, then I’ll be real happy.”
Borgstrom, the 23rd pick last season, had 22 goals and 43 points in 33 games. He said there are so many fellow Finns in the locker roomthat he’s forgetting his English.
“I’m talking too much Finnish,” joked Borgstrom, 19. “Of course I love scoring those [pretty] goals. It’s fun. Whodoesn’t love scoring?” see where we’re going and what mightwe add on July1 (the first day of free agency) and who in this camp might play on our team or not,” Tallon said.“We’re still talking, still negotiating.”