Two Rookies Impressed Me On Day #1

• Let me just say it was great to be back at the rink after a long summer off. Maybe it's just me, but I thought the intensity was extremely high in the morning session of Rockets rookie camp. Those on the ice wanting to catch the eye of onlookers weren't afraid to throw the body,with several good hits during the 10 to 12 pm session.
• Two players impressed me in the morning session. Fifteen year-old Antoine Corbin from Caronport, Saskatchewan played pretty well on defense. Corbin was born in Montreal, Quebec and still has a thick french accent. You gotta love it! Rockets head scout Lorne Frey says Corbin is color blind, but he doesn't use that as an excuse if he gives the puck away to the opposition. One session won't make a career, but I thought 15 year-old goaltender Patrick Fairclough from Campbell River, BC looked strong between the pipes. Fairclough is a big goaltender, already standing 6'1. He frankly reminds me of former Kamloops Blazer netminder Devan Dubnyk. The Rockets can only wish he's half the goaltender Dubnyk was.
• I ran into three veterans at the morning session. Lucas Bloodoff and James McEwan were on the ice conducting one of the morning sessions, while I bumped into Kyle St. Denis, who is considered a rookie, but looked as relaxed as a veteran should.
• What are Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton's expectations from rookie camp? "What I really notice now is the kids that can skate.They stand way out compared to years gone by. You have kids that are rough skaters, who will really have a hard time because the game has changed so much," Hamilton told me. "If we come out of rookie camp with two or three surprises, we are really excited. If we were to list two or three guys out of this, we would be really excited, and if we can bring four of five of these players to main camp, then we'd have accomplished everything we set out to do."
• Hamilton was extremely pleased with the fitness testing results of veteran forward Justin Bernhardt. Hamilton says Bernhardt 's commitment to fitness this summer has been nothing short of outstanding, and that should benefit him in his 19 year-old season in the WHL.
• I chatted briefly with Curtis Hamilton, the son of Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton. Curtis heads off to the Saskatoon Blades training camp next week, and is excited about joining the team at the tender age of 16. "I think it's a lot easier this year going to camp because I know what's going on. Their will be some younger guys there, so it will be a little stressful for them, but guys like us are there to show them the ropes just like their were guys there for me last year when I was 15". How tough will it be for Curtis to leave home for the first time? "My Mom doesn't want me to go, she wants me to stay", Hamilton said with a chuckle.