Local junior and pro hockey players back on the ice as part of United Hockey camp in Lethbridge

Skills development camp is up and running at the ATB Centre in Lethbridge. Different sessions are available for bantam, midget and junior/pro aged players

Lethbridge, Alta. — After a few months off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some local hockey players as well as Hurricanes players are back on the ice in Lethbridge.

The United Hockey summer camp has been underway at the ATB Centre for almost two full weeks now. The skills development camp runs different sessions for bantam, midget, and junior/pro aged players.

Hurricanes forward Dylan Cozens and defenceman Alex Cotton, Brandon Wheat Kings forward Ridly Greig, as well as seasoned veterans Rob Klinkhammer and Brandon Davidson, are among the players participating in the junior/pro skates.

Lethbridge native and current Vancouver Giants head coach Michael Dyck has been leading the camps.

He says everyone is pretty optimistic about having a season, however different it may look, and excited to be back skating.

“Whether guys are going back to play in Europe this year or getting ready for pro camps, it’s an opportunity to get back on the ice. A lot of these guys haven’t been on the ice since March, so there was a lot of excitement to get back at it and a lot of rust to shake off as well,” Dyck said.

One of those shaking off the rust is Cozens, the seventh overall pick by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2019 NHL draft.

Cozens says it’s nice to be back in Lethbridge, even given how different just coming into the rink is now due to COVID.

“I spent all this offseason so far in the Yukon, and we don’t have ice up there. My buddies were starting to skate again, so I knew I needed to find ice. Lethbridge just seemed like the best place to be in knowing so many people, so it’s awesome to be here,” Cozens said.

However, Cozens doesn’t plan to be in Lethbridge for too long, as he’ll be heading to Buffalo soon to begin training to make the Sabres team this coming season.

“I spent the majority of my summer there last year too. So, it’ll be good to get back down there and my goal is to be a part of that team next year. I want to play in the NHL and I’m doing whatever I can to be there.”

For Lethbridge native Greig, it’s been a strange time preparing for both the upcoming season as well as the NHL draft. Greig is ranked 14th among North American skaters in the NHL Central Scouting draft rankings.

Heading towards the end of week two at the camp, Greig says he’s getting back up to speed despite the challenges of not being able to do certain drills due to physical distancing concerns.

“Obviously the first couple of sessions the rust was shaken out a little bit, but getting back at it in week two it’s starting to come along and it feels unreal to get the stick out,” Greig said.

The current United Hockey camp skates will wrap up July 31, with additional sessions set for August.

Both Cozens and Greig are also preparing for Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Summer Development Camp, which will be held virtually from July 27 to 31. Dyck will also be taking part as he will serve as an assistant coach for this year’s edition of Team Canada at the World Juniors.

“It’s going to be different and something we’re not really used to, but it’s a way for them to get the point across about how they want the team to play, the systems and all the structure,” Cozens said, adding it’s a time to teach everyone what Hockey Canada is all about.