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International NHL camps

International NHL camps

Ramoser, Terao, Hirano, Song, Korean trio invited

Published 02.11.2015 17:20 GMT+1 | Author Martin Merk
International NHL camps
Italian prospect Joachim Ramoser was invited by the New York Islanders. Photo: Richard Wolowicz / HHOF-IIHF Images
July is the time several NHL teams hold events commonly called developments camps, rookie camps, prospects’ camps or mini camps.

It’s also the time of the year young players from countries that due to lack of representation are seen as rather exotic hockey countries in the NHL get the chance to show what they can. That’s especially the case with the New York Islanders who have players from China, France, Italy and Japan on their rosters.

Beijing native Andong Song became the first player born and raised in China to be drafted by an NHL team on Saturday and will be on the White Team in the upcoming camp.

The Blue Team will include among others an Italian national team player. 20-year-old forward Joachim Ramoser, who grew up in South Tyrol, mostly played with junior teams in Germany and Austria in recent years including two seasons with Red Bull Salzburg in the Russian junior league MHL. He will transfer to Red Bull Munich of the top German senior league soon but first he wants to show his skills in the Islanders’ camp.

Until now there have been no players developed in Italy who made the NHL although Italian national team player Thomas Larkin spent the last two seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets’ AHL affiliate Springfield Falcons.

The Islanders also invited among others 20-year-old Japanese forward Yuri Terao, who was already at the camp last year and played his first professional season with the Nikko Ice Bucks, and French national team forward Charles Bertrand, who spent the last four years in the top Finnish senior league, most recently with Vaasan Sport.

Another Japanese player will be participating at the Chicago Blackhawks' camp with Yushiroh Hirano, who played in the top Swedish U20 league last season before having his debut with the senior national team.

Also three players from the next host nation of the Winter Olympics travelled to North America. Jin Hui Ahn and Wonjun Kim will practise with the Detroit Red Wings before joining the Dallas Stars’ camp while goaltender Kye Hoon Park will join the Dallas Stars’ camp after having practised with the Grand Rapids Griffins. The trio played in Korea and was on the Korean national team that earned promotion to the Division I Group A two-and-a-half months ago.

Korean national team coach Jim Paek, who was coaching at the Red Wings’ AHL affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins before leaving for Korea, helped connecting the players with NHL teams.

The Red Wings have another interesting name on the roster. Michael Babcock does not only share the name with the coach who was behind the bench the Red Wings until recently and led Canada to gold medals in the last two Olympics, the 20-year-old is his son.

 

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