Anaheim Ducks prospects relish opportunity to shine at development camp

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Shea Theodore just can't stop smiling.

Scores of Anaheim Ducks fans are leaning over the railing above the entrance to the player locker room at THE RINKS - Anaheim ICE, desperately trying to pass the Ducks' 2013 first-round draft pick pictures and jerseys to sign. He happily obliges, grabbing every item within reach and greeting youngsters who shyly sidle up to him hoping for autographs on their neon-hued Ducks T-shirts.

The calendar may have turned to July, but as Theodore could plainly see, hockey is still alive and well in Southern California.

"It feels great," Theodore said. "This is all kind of cool. It's a great atmosphere here."

"Here" is the Anaheim Ducks Prospect Development Camp, where the team hosts draft picks and invites for a week of practices and scrimmages. It's a chance to break up the usual summertime monotony and offers young players more focused coaching. Plus, it's an opportunity for the guys to get to know one another.

"It's been going good here, we've gotten to do some fun stuff after we worked out and skated," said forward Nick Ritchie. "We've gotten to see some (sights) around Anaheim and it's been a great week for us young guys just to learn from the coaches."

On Saturday they finally had a chance to take what they'd learned all week and put it to the test, when a packed house watched Team Black take down Team White 6-1 in a 50-minute scrimmage. Ritchie, selected 10^th overall by Anaheim in 2014, and Theodore were among the standouts for Team Black, with Ritchie being dubbed the group's "playmaker" by several fans in attendance.

"I played a pretty solid game," Ritchie said. "Our line was good. I guess I was a playmaker today, but I haven't always been called that. I can score, but I also made some pretty good plays today and my line mates put them (in net). We've been practicing for a few days and it felt good to get out here and play in a game. Everyone was a little rusty, as you are in July, but we'll be in training camp before you know it."

Usually at this time of year, players have been off the ice for several weeks, having wrapped up their seasons at school or in various minor leagues around the world. Coming together now sets the scene for the rigors training camp will bring in September. These players know they need all the pointers they can get before it's time to fight for roster spots.

"It's special to be around these coaches and these players," said Kevin Roy, a fourth-round pick by the Ducks in 2012. "They know a lot, so when they say something, you listen. They give out great pointers to try and make you better. Everyone really appreciates that."

"You've just got to try and jell as much as you can," said Theodore. "This is a great group. And, the hockey (itself) doesn't change. It's July, we have all these new coaches coming in, so meeting the new staff and getting to know some of the other prospects who have just been drafted, it's great to get a chance to do that. You get to know some more faces (before training camp)."

One new addition to the club was Jacob Larsson, the defenseman Anaheim selected in the first round of last month's draft who joined Theodore and the other blue liners for the first time.

"I got to talk to (Jacob) a little," Theodore said. "He's yet another Swedish defenseman that (the Ducks) like picking up. He really seems like a good guy and a good player out on the ice, too."

While Larsson is just getting started with the Ducks, others have been biding their time for years, waiting for a chance to suit up with the big club. Prospect camp is a reminder of all that it takes to reach that vaunted level. All the preparation, coaching, effort.

As much as they want to make the jump, these players are in the game for the long haul. They'll have another scrimmage on Monday and then head home until September, tasked with working on their game their own way. That's the part they can control. With everything else, they'll have to keep being patient.

The payoff, they know, will be worth it.

"You want to go (to the NHL) as soon as possible, but not every guy can do that," Ritchie said. "I've had a year where I went to camp and I'm coming in on my second year now. Hopefully I learned a lot in my first camp and I can bring it (to my game) in training camp in September."

"There's no rush on getting there," said Roy. "You get there when you're ready. I try to work step by step towards it. You've got to have patience because there's a lot of guys trying to do the same thing as you. You have to come in here every day, whether it's to a rink or a gym, and you need to give your all. Because you know the guy next to you is giving it his all too."