10 Takeaways From Development Camp

Development Camp isn't about evaluation. It's about teaching young players the ins and outs of being a pro. Evaluate at your peril, says Golden Knights GM George McPhee.
"In my previous position, we've been really down on a player in July and then when he arrived at camp in September we saw a totally different player. You have to be careful."
Throw a bunch of hockey players out on the ice for a five-day period and some are going to stick out. Here's some things we noticed during the inaugural Golden Knights Dev Camp:

Reid Duke: The first player ever signed by the organization carries himself like a pro. He found space on the ice and pays attention to details all over the ice. Understanding where to be on the ice is just as important as being able to get there and Duke is a well-positioned player. Chicago Wolves head coach Rocky Thompson will be able to get the most out of Duke, if he's unable to crack the Vegas roster.
Alex Tuch - Big, fast and gaining experience. Tuch played six games in the NHL with the Minnesota Wild last season. Just 21 and coming off a successful first season of pro - 37 points in 57 AHL games - Tuch has lots of upside. Can he crack the Vegas roster out of camp?
Nic Hague - It's crucial for defencemen in this era to be able to play with the puck and Hague can do that. He likes to carry the puck and when it comes his way in the offensive zone - he can blast it. The next step for him is to learn how to play without the puck. The OHL scholastic player of the year last season shows a drive to learn and get better. He's impressive.

Nick Suzuki - Great with the puck. Did we say he's great with the puck? When it hits his stick he either puts it in the right place for a teammate or zips a laser on goal. Has a lot of components in his game which can't be taught.
Cody Glass - Speed and great offensive zone instincts. Patience is the key with this player. He needs to dominate at whatever level he's at and if that means finishing his junior eligibility and then going to the AHL - so be it. Confidence is key for a player like Glass. He's a player who needs skill around him so he needs live up to the level of his surroundings. Glass will announce himself when he's ready. The big question on him - is he No. 2 center he grow into a No. 1.
Erik Brannstrom - The puck loves him. It finds him and he's ready for it. He has the ability to go back and retrieve pucks with skill and then turn around and make a transition pass or skate with it himself. The neutral zone has once again become clogged in the NHL and Brannstrom is like a can of Draino, which is invaluable for a coach. He'll need to polish his game away from the puck but he's a point guard who can move the game into the offensive zone. And once he's on the offensive - watch out for his shot. He can wire it.
Dylan Ferguson - A young goalie who made a step in the WHL last season playing in 32 games and holding a .922 save percentage. Big frame and quiet in the net. Goalies are hard to project and having lots of them in an organization is a great idea. He performed well at Dev Camp.

Maksim Zhukov - Showed well for Russia at the U-18 IIHF championship last year and became acclimated to the North American game with Green Bay of the USHL. Gaining confidence but needs more experience as an amateur. Stopped a lot of pucks at Dev Camp.
Rocky Thompson - A young coach on the rise but one who can relate to players, identify their strengths and weaknesses and then work to make them the best player possible. Thompson will be key to the organization from his post with the Chicago Wolves. McPhee is a draft and develop GM and Thompson is going to touch a lot of Vegas players. Great hire.
Wil Nichol - Director of player development for the Golden Knights - one of the organization's most important roles now and going forward. Dev Camp was Nichol's first opportunity to show his effectiveness and he came through big time. The plan was innovative and the execution flawless. Nichol will be the connection between prospects and management. He needs to be able to evaluate players and provide clear and definitive information to McPHee and assistant GM Kelly McCrimmon. At the same time, he needs to teach and motivate prospects. It's a complex job and Nichol is uniquely talented to succeed.