Team Kucherov closes Dev Camp with 3-on-3 title

The Tampa Bay Lightning's 2023 Development Camp concluded Wednesday afternoon with the annual 3-on-3 tournament ending in a shootout, as Team Kucherov took home the title in a 9-8 victory.

Team Kucherov got goals from Dillan Bentley, Declan Carlile, Tyler Duke, Lucas Edmonds, Cooper Flinton, Jack Thompson (x2) and Waltteri Merelä (x2).

Merelä, who signed a one-year, two-way contract with Tampa Bay in early June, was a standout throughout the camp and scored the game-winning goal in the shootout for Team Kucherov.

"It was a fun week," Merelä said. "A lot of new stuff and a lot of stuff that I've never really worked on, so I've got a lot of ideas for the summer, and it was fun for sure.

"A lot of individual skills. I played with the men's team in Finland, so we don't really do that much skill. It's more team stuff and you're pretty much on your own with the skill stuff.

"I've got a lot of new drills for skills and I'm going to be working on those."

Development Camp is a good time for new draft picks and younger prospects to get into an NHL facility, get a feel for what it's like to be a professional hockey player, and hopefully take some things home for the summer that they can work on to improve their game.

"It was a really good week," said Lightning director of player development JP Cote. "The players got to see what the Lightning is all about. We want to share that with them. We want to share the enthusiasm.

"It's a good group of hockey operations and people on the ice for development. I think it was a great week.

"We're laying the foundation of what being a Lightning is all about. It's all about development.

"There are advantages you can seek everywhere on the ice, and that's what we're trying to share with them as skill people. Obviously, Barb Underhill on the other side is doing a phenomenal job of making the guys better skaters."

All players at Development Camp had their exit interviews Wednesday and got feedback from coaches, including things they did well during the week and things they can work as summer rolls along. The next time these players will don Bolts Blue will be at the Prospect Showcase, that will take place later this summer.

"We see things in different players and it's up to me to really share what they need to do to advance in hockey and become part of the organization at some point," Cote said. "Myself, my job is to just bring these guys as far as I can and give them everything they need."