Aug. 21, 2014
Notre Dame, Ind. – Twelve former Notre Dame hockey players are among a group of 14 professional players expected to take the ice on Monday, August 25 at the Compton Family Ice Arena for the third annual Notre Dame Pro Hockey Camp.
The camp runs from Monday, August 25 through Thursday, August 28 and is being held for former Notre Dame hockey players and invitees to help them begin preparations for their upcoming professional training camps that will begin in September.
“I thought that the first two camps that we held (2012 and 2013) were a great success,” says camp director and Notre Dame hockey equipment specialist Dave Gilbert.
“It helps our program stay in touch with our former players and gives them a chance to get back to campus. This year we are seeing a new group of guys participate for the first time as many of last year’s senior class are returning as they prepare for their first professional training camps. The veteran players will give them a good idea of what to expect come September.”
Gilbert believes that the players who have attended the first two camps enjoyed the opportunity to return to Notre Dame.
“I have gotten a lot of positive feedback after each camp. For some, this will be their third trip back, so they seem to enjoy doing it. This year, we have seen some turnover as guys have retired and we have more playing in Europe and those seasons are already starting,” said Gilbert.
“These guys spent so much time together during their four years here, so the camp gives them a chance to get together with old friends, doing what they enjoy doing. Once they get with their respective teams and the season starts, they don’t get much time to get together during the year.”
Three coaches with ties to the Notre Dame hockey program will oversee the camp – current Notre Dame coaches Paul Pooley and Andy Slaggert `89 and Compton staff member Kevin Deeth `10 – will put the players through their paces each day.
Expected to participate in next week’s camp are (last year’s team in parentheses) Ian Cole `13 (St. Louis – NHL), Kevin Lind `14 (Notre Dame/Norfolk – AHL), Patrick Gaul `12 (South Carolina – ECHL), Riley Sheahan (Grand Rapids – AHL/Detroit – NHL), Christian Hanson `09 (Chicago – AHL), Mark Van Guilder `09 (Milwaukee- AHL/Nashville – NHL), Christiaan Minella `10 (Wheeling – AHL), Anders Lee `14 (Bridgeport – AHL/New York Islanders – NHL), Jeff Costello `14 (Notre Dame), T.J. Tynan `14 (Notre Dame/Springfield – AHL), Bryan Rust `14 (Notre Dame/Wilkes Barre/Scranton – AHL) and Steven Summerhays `14 (Notre Dame/Ft. Wayne – ECHL). Also attending the camp are Jared Nightingale (Michigan State `06 (Rockford – AHL) and Brett Skinner (Rockford – AHL).
The pro players will have a practice each morning, Monday through Thursday from 9:00 to 10 a.m. that will be opened to the public. Tuesday afternoon, August 26, the players will have a four-on-four scrimmage from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. that also will be open to the public. The week will close out with a golf outing at the Warren Golf Course on Thursday. Many of the former alums are expected to stay through Saturday to attend the Notre Dame-Rice football game at Notre Dame Stadium.