Avalanche development camp winners
Mikko Rantanen (2015 1st round pick)
Before anyone starts running around yelling “what do you mean our oh-so-great No. 1 European skater isn’t on this list,” here he is. Mikko Rantanen made it on the list of winners and there is no real surprise in that. Imagine a kid that’s actually born on a frozen lake and — very much like Bambi — has to learn how to skate, before it learns to walk. Well that’s what Rantanen looks like when you watch him.
Not like Bambi struggling to move, but like someone who learned skating before anything else. His every move just looks natural and he has no issues whatsoever moving around on the ice. Learning a thing first doesn’t make you perfect, it just makes it look natural. So what I’m saying is that he can still improve his skating, but he is already far ahead of many others.
All that said, Rantanen also has great skill and a very precise shot. Especially after this, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the lineup on opening night. However, if he wants to make it that far, he will have to add ten pounds or so and get stronger before training camp. But like he said in an interview with Eurolanche, his plan is exactly that — go back home to Finland and work out until main camp.
A.J. Greer (2015 2nd round pick)
Is this one a surprise? Perhaps a little one. Many people — including myself — questioned this pick a little bit, mainly because Greer hasn’t played a big role on his team in his draft year, due to him being the youngest player in the entire NCAA last season. While we still have to see how he does once he gets to fill out a bigger role on the BU Terriers, he had a first great showing at Avalanche development camp.
So, Greer isn’t actually one of the best skaters in that group and probably not even that close. A lot of his skating is rough and choppy. But what stands out about him is how incredibly hard he works. Greer was probably the only player who really pushed himself again and again throughout the drills.
He never stood still and always wanted to go harder and harder. Sometimes it is better to go about things slowly and focus on technique, rather than pushing yourself to the limit and it is also a good idea to stand still when the coaches are instructing. I wanted to include Greer on this list nonetheless, because work-ethic is a really important part of turning pro.
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