NHL Training camps are now underway and 10 current and former Prince George Cougars’ players are on rosters across the league.
18-year-old Ethan Sampson is the only current Cougar at an NHL camp, as the defenceman was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the sixth round, 174th overall, in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Throughout his 2020-21 WHL BC Division Hub season, Sampson posted a total of 12 points (1 goal, 11 assists).
Meanwhile, Defencemen Max Martin and Cole Moberg were invited to the Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks camps after playing last season in the AHL.
Martin is signed with the Texas Stars, Dallas’ AHL affiliate, for the upcoming season while Moberg is on a Professional Tryout with the Sharks after playing last season with the Rockford IceHogs, the Chicago Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate.
Forward Reid Perepeluk signed a one-year AHL contract with the Stockton Heat, the Calgary Flames affiliate, and is attending Flames Training Camp.
Former Cougar, Zdeno Chara is returning to the New York Islanders after signing a one-year deal for his 25th NHL season.
His professional career started with the Islanders in 1996.
Dennis Cholowski is part of the newest NHL team, the Seattle Kraken, as the defenceman was picked by Seattle in the NHL Expansion Draft back in July.
Cholowski split last season between the NHL and AHL with the Detroit Red Wings organization.
Brett Connolly enters his first full season with the Chicago Blackhawks after a midseason trade from Florida a year ago.
The 82-game NHL regular season begins on October 12 with a pair of games, including the expansion Kraken taking on the Vegas Golden Knights.