Point Learns From Pro Experience

Brayden Point arrived back in Moose Jaw on Wednesday afternoon and wasted no time getting back on the ice with his Warrior teammates.

The star centre was returned to the Warriors on Tuesday by the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning after spending the last two weeks at his first professional training camp.

Point went right from the plane to the Warriors’ locker room and onto the ice for the second half of Wednesday’s practice at Mosaic Place.

“It was good to be able to come out and get the second half of practice and right back into being a Warrior,” said Point.

His presence was no doubt a welcome one at Warriors’ practice after the team lost both their opening weekend games.  Point said while he was away, he was never too far from the team.

“I kept tabs with the guys and definitely watched games,” he said.  “I was never away from the Warriors, but it’s good to be back for sure.”

Point was taken in the third round, 79th overall, by the Lightning in this June’s NHL Entry Draft.  He went into rookie camp two weeks ago looking to impress the Lightning brass and did just that as he scored and picked up two assists in three games at rookie tournament in Nashville, Tennessee.

That performance earned him a trip to main camp with the NHL players and Point said that’s where he was really tested, but he felt he was able to handle that test.

“It was good to see how the pro guys act and what they do off the ice,” he said.  “That was the real big eye opener for me is what they do off the ice and I thought I played well there, so it was a good overall experience.”

Point got the chance to skate with the likes of Steven Stamkos, Ryan Callahan and Brenden Morrow, players that have put together lengthy NHL careers.  He said with a player like Stamkos, the work that he puts in each day off the ice was a real eye opener.

“You see their diet and it’s pretty amazing what they do to keep themselves in shape,” he said.  “It’s amazing how well they prepare before practices even and the stuff they do in the gym.  It’s something that I’m going to work on for sure.”

The size question will never escape Point, despite the fact that he now stands in a five-foot-ten and 163 pounds.  He said he didn’t feel like his size was a hinderance for him at the pro level.

“I’m pretty quick, so that helps me for sure,” said Point.  “Obviously it’s tougher because the guys are bigger and stronger, but my quickness definitely helped me and I felt fine out there.

“The coaches taught me a lot of little things that I can do, being a smaller guy, stuff I can do on the wall, so that’s what I’m going to try to take into my games in Moose Jaw.”

During the rookie tournament, Point centred a line with 2013 second overall pick Jonathan Drouin on his wing.  He said they were able to gel pretty quickly and he learnt a lot from the talented top prospect.

“He’s a guy that could stick there this year, so it was pretty cool,” Point said.  “He’s a smart player and he’s obviously unbelievable, so it was pretty easy to play with him.”

While trying to take in everything around him, Point was also able to show the Lightning that they got plenty of value with their third round selection in June.

“I left a pretty good impression on them and they were happy with me in my exit meetings, so it was good,” Point said.  “They didn’t tell me anything specific, just work hard, do the work in the gym and stuff like that.  It’s all about improvements in the development camp, so nothing too specific for in the season.”

However, Point is confident that the experience he gained at the camp will be able to help him going into his third full season in Moose Jaw.

“I feel in shape, playing there gets you in shape pretty quick, so I feel game ready and I don’t think I’ll have a slow start to the season,” he said.

Point will be thrown right into the fire with the Warriors hosting the rival Regina Pats on Friday night and then another East Division opponent in the Saskatoon Blades on Saturday.

Valentine Returning… Big defenceman Dallas Valentine is on his way back to Moose Jaw from New York Rangers training camp.  Valentine was released from his free agent tryout agreement on Wednesday and should be back on the ice with the team on Thursday.

That leaves 20-year-old forward Tanner Eberle as the lone Warrior still away at an NHL camp as he remains at Montreal Canadiens camp.

Warriors Acquire Penner… The Warriors swung a deal on Wednesday afternoon as they acquired 19-year-old forward Linden Penner from the Calgary Hitmen for a conditional sixth round pick in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft.  Click here for more on the trade.