FRONTS ROSTER TAKING SHAPE
The Kingston Frontenacs trimmed their training camp numbers but there were no real surprises.
Frontenacs management did not use the option of signing a fourth underage draft selection. Defenceman Matt Thom, the team’s third-round pick, was deemed to be year away from making the jump into the Ontario Hockey League.
The three underage players who did stick were top pick Reagan O’Grady, second-rounder Zack Dorval and New Jersey’s Sam Field.
New head coach Paul McFarland framed his first training camp as “going really well.”
“Overall the competitiveness, the work ethic was good. We had some players that played physical and got better with each game, which is important,” McFarland said.
Lucas Peressini and Jeremy Helvig, not surprisingly, emerged as the team’s goaltenders.
The 19-year-old Peressini has filled out. He is listed at six-foot-two and 185 pounds. Peressini, from Nobleton, will be reporting to Detroit Red Wings rookie camp next week as a free-agent invite.
“I am really happy for Lucas to have a chance to go to Detroit’s camp. It is a great opportunity for him,” McFarland said.
“I thought Helvig came in and really showed why he is going to be here for the year. He worked hard, made saves. He’s a big goalie (who) covers a lot of the net. Both guys impressed me.”
Another player headed to a National Hockey League rookie camp off an invite is Conor McGlynn. He will join Roland McKeown and Spencer Watson at the Los Angeles Kings rookie camp.
McGlynn, a second-year centre, was impressive at camp scrimmages.
“He is a guy who can play physical that plays off the cycle, which should be exactly the way the Kingston Frontenacs need to play this year,” McFarland said. “I expect him to be a lead for us in all aspects of the game as well as off the ice. He’s a great kid.”
McFarland is looking forward to Friday night when the Frontenacs play their only exhibition game on home ice. The Oshawa Generals, the club McFarland was an assistant coach on last year, are the visitors.
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