ROOK TOURNEY GAMEDAY 1 - SENATORS
2:00 PM/ET
John Labatt Centre
Figured the first type of competitive hockey should be honored with a gameday. Plus I need to practice for Wilkes-Blog.
The first puck is about to drop. Sure, it's not even an NHL preseason game. It's the first game of the annual rookie tournament in London, Ontario.
Nothing else to do. Go to Boston Market if you don't care about it.
These exhibition-type games allow unsigned kids out of the Canadian leagues and college to learn more about the pro game.
For our rookies who have already played a season or two in Wilkes-Barre, they are looking to make an impression. Camp competitions start today.
Since most players are usually looking to impress the coaches or their new teammates, the hitting usually picks up pretty quickly and instead of a game of pick-up, it turns into a nice banger.
Expect nothing less than a few fights per game.
No word on the official line combos, but here is a look at the Pens roster.
Eric Tangradi - Keven Veilleux - Dustin Jeffrey
Casey Pierro-Zabotel - Nick Petersen - Tom Kuehnhackl
Joey Haddad - Alex Smigelski - Geoff Walker
Ryan Schnell - Zach Sill - Tyler Brown / Taylor Peters
Robert Bortuzzo - Simon Despres
Alex Grant - Brian Strait
Carl Sneep - Reid McNeill / Joe Rogalski
Brad Thiessen
Patrick Killeen
Mattias Modig
Jeffrey will lead the way. He's entering his third pro season. Probably looking at a make or break year with him.
Led WBS in scoring last season. He's no joke. But he got benched in his only NHL game last season.
Tangradi enters his second pro season and is out for blood as the Pens number one prospect.
His quest starts today which will decide whether he's playing top line minutes with Crosby or playing on the farm with Tim Wallace and co.
Big Dog needs a strong camp all the way through, and he's primed for it. He was the star in rookie camp two months ago.
2010 first round pick Beau Bennett will not be on hand. He's committed to U. of Denver so he's not allowed.
Same story with Philip Samuelsson. Can't wait 'til he knee-to-knee's Milan Lucic in 3 years.
On the other side of the puck, the top D-man prospect Despres will be there and he's as confident as ever.
Plays in the mold of Jack Johnson or Zach Bogosian. He's a beast.
Probably will go back to juniors for one final season before he can join WBS for a playoff run.
Two defensive defenseman are back for their second pro year, Bortuzzo and Strait.
Bort likes to drop the gloves and is seemingly always pissed off.
Strait is a shut-down type guy who reminds you of a Scuderi at times.
Thiessen will run the show in net, no doubt.
Schnell and Sill are already discussing who's going to fight who.
Ottawa is also bringing a roster mixed with prospects and joke fillers.
Kaspars Daugavins - Jim O'Brien - Bobby Butler
Mike Hoffman - Jakub Culek - Eric Condra
Corey Cowick - Colin Greening - Mark Stone
Tim Spencer - David Dziurzynski - Jason Bailey / Shawn Szydlowski
Jared Cowen - Craig Schira
Patrick Wiercioch - Eric Gryba
Matthew Hobbs - Adam Sedlak / Adam Wallace
Robin Lehner
Brandon Foote
Mike Hoffman - Jakub Culek - Eric Condra
Corey Cowick - Colin Greening - Mark Stone
Tim Spencer - David Dziurzynski - Jason Bailey / Shawn Szydlowski
Jared Cowen - Craig Schira
Patrick Wiercioch - Eric Gryba
Matthew Hobbs - Adam Sedlak / Adam Wallace
Robin Lehner
Brandon Foote
Ottawa fans are all buzzing about their top prospect Cowen. He'll get dangled.
Cowick played for the Pens in the rookie tourney two years ago. He's a scrappy scorer. He'll be in someone's face.
Gryba will try to Kronwall somebody. Spencer thinks he's in MMA.
Don't care about anyone else.
How can you watch?
It's a few bucks for a high quality stream via [ HockeyStreams.com ].
I'll post free stream links at the top, if any become available.
We have scouts at the game. Check back later for a post-game recap.
Had to do it.
Go Pens rooks.
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