Sept. 1, 2015
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Tuesday marked day two of Notre Dame’s fourth annual Pro Camp, which is taking place at the Compton Family Ice Arena (Aug. 31 — Sept. 3).
The camp includes 16 former Irish hockey players beginning preparations for upcoming professional hockey training camps and tryouts, many of which will take place later in September.
In Their Words:
What are you looking to get out of pro camp?
“We come in and skate six or seven times this week so we are honing in on the final steps of our summers and making sure we are ready for our own training camps. It’s a really fun week but it’s also great that everyone is working so hard to finish up their summer preparations.”
– Anders Lee
“I think the biggest thing is all of us have training camps coming up so we need to get our legs back and get into game shape. Not feeling like we are a step behind or anything like that once training camp starts is important, so we’ve been getting ready here the last few years and it has definitely helped us all.”
– Riley Sheahan
What’s the best part about being back for camp?
“It’s so much fun to be around campus and to be back with the guys – guys that I played with and graduated with. At the same time it is nice to see what is up-and-coming with the team and help out in any way I can.”
– Anders Lee
“Being around some of these guys that I spent three years with is the best part. You have so many good memories here of playing hockey and putting us back together and reminiscing with these guys back in a place where you spent a good portion of your life is special. It brings back a lot of good memories.”
– Riley Sheahan
Additional Events
– On Tuesday night (Sept. 1), the Notre Dame Monogram Club hosted a dinner for the pros at O’Brien’s in the Compton Family Ice Arena.
– On Wednesday (Sept. 2), Erik Condra, Ian Cole, Anders Lee and Riley Sheahan will host a sold out Notre Dame NHL Alumni Clinic for 100 local youth players ages 6-13. The one-hour clinic will begin at 5:00 p.m. and it will be followed by an autograph session. Proceeds from the clinic will be used to fund an Irish Youth Hockey League scholarship, enabling a local youth player to participate in the travel hockey league.
– The pros will also play a round of golf at the Warren Golf Course on Thursday (Sept. 3.)
– Many of the former alums are expected to stay through Saturday, Sept. 5 to attend the Notre Dame football game versus Texas at Notre Dame Stadium.
On The Move
– Several of the camp attendees have switched NHL teams in the recent months and/or re-signed NHL contracts over the summer.
– Condra, who had played in the Ottawa Senators organization for the past six seasons signed a three-year deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning in June, 2015.
– Lee, who was an impending restricted free agent, re-signed with the New York islanders on a four-year deal, also in June of 2015.
– In March of 2015, Cole was traded from the St. Louis Blues to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Then as an impending restricted free agent, Cole re-signed for three years with the Penguins.
The Roster
Forwards (Last and/or Current Team)
Anders Lee ’14 (New York Islanders/NHL)
Riley Sheahan (Detroit Red Wings/NHL)
Erik Condra ’09 (Tampa Bay Lightning/NHL)
Patrick Gaul ’12 (South Carolina Stingrays/ECHL)
Evan Rankin ’08 (Rochester Americans/AHL)
Christian Hanson ’09 (Stavanger Oilers/Norway)
Christiaan Minella ’10 (Cincinnati Cyclones/ECHL)
Bryan Rust ’14 (Pittsburgh Penguins/NHL)
T.J. Tynan ’14 (Springfield Falcons/AHL)
Austin Wuthrich ’15 (Notre Dame)
Peter Schneider ’15 (Notre Dame)
Defensemen
Ian Cole ’13 (Pittsburgh Penguins/NHL)
Kevin Lind ’14 (Utah Grizzlies/ECHL & Norfolk Admirals AHL)
Robbie Russo ’15 (Notre Dame)
Dan VeNard ’08 (Notre Dame)
Goaltender
Steven Summerhays ’14 (Alaska Aces/ECHL)
Coaching Staff
Andy Slaggert ’89
Kevin Deeth ’10
Ben Simon ’00
Additional attendees include forward Mike Leone (Western Michigan), defensemen Jared Nightingale (Michigan State) and Barry Goers (UMass Lowell) as well as goaltender Joel Martin (WHL).
— by Dan Colleran, Athletics Communications Associate Director