Junior Try-Outs
The Maple Leafs invited a few undrafted junior prospects to the camp to see what they may be able to offer the team down the road. Ben Ondrus, a forward from Swift Current (and teammate of Jeremy Williams and Ian White), made his second trip to a Leafs camp, and impressed everyone with his effort. The 20-year-old clicked well on a line with Williams and Sagat, crashing the net with meaning, and consistently getting open for his more talented linemates. Ondrus’ efforts earned him a longer look with the Leafs in Toronto. He could earn a spot in St. John’s, effectively replacing Riley Cote in the organization, who left the team to join the Syracuse Crunch during the off-season.
Andre Benoit of the Kitchener Rangers and Chris Campoli of the Erie Otters impressed with their play along the blue line. They were both reliable defensively, and each showed confidence when they jumped into the rush offensively. Benoit was returned to the Rangers a day before camp ended to participate in his team’s home opener, and responded with an eight point effort. Both players will be worth following this year in the OHL.
Other players who participated in the camp included Belleville forward Rane Carnegie, St. Mike’s forward Craig Foster, Brampton forward Tyler Harrison, and Kitchener forward Nathan O’Nabigon. Carnegie was nursing a sore ankle throughout, and did not get to participate in all of the scrimmages. Tyler, a huge 6'6" center, is the younger brother of Jay Harrison. All of the invited players put in good efforts, and the experience should help them in their upcoming junior seasons.