ROOKIE CAMP: Woodcroft sets precedent for the week

EDMONTON, AB - The 2021 edition of Edmonton Oilers Rookie Camp has begun as Bakersfield Condors Head Coach Jay Woodcroft and his staff are in Edmonton to help guide the prospects throughout the week.
Woodcroft spoke with the media before the skaters hit the ice on Thursday, discussing his expectations for the next seven days and more.
Read or watch Woodcroft's interviews below and stay tuned throughout the week for additional coverage with the Condors bench boss.

Woodcroft on the objective at Oilers Rookie Camp:

"The first part of the hockey season is rookie camps that are happening at 31 other cities across the League as well. So, it is an evaluation camp. It's an opportunity for the youngest players in our organization to make an impact, grow their game each day, and hopefully earn a spot in main training camp. It's an important time and an important step for these younger players to set the table for their month of September, sure, but also to set the table for their year as a whole."

On not having the opportunity to see some of the prospects for over a year:

"Just given the nature of where the world was at and how some of our assets played in different leagues all over the world. Some in Europe, some in the American Hockey League and obviously the big team here in Edmonton. It's nice to have everybody together and it's nice to be able to get a first-hand look rather than watching something on video. We've spent a lot of time over the last few months preparing for this camp and getting a handle on the players that were coming in and what their strengths were. It's going to be nice to see the whites of their eyes and really roll our sleeves up and get to work on some of these young players."

On expectations for Dmitri Samorukov this season:

"First, I want to see him. I haven't seen him or bumped into him yet. I'm looking forward to seeing Dmitri and catching up on a personal level first. We've been in touch over the phone and we've talked. He's had a really good relationship with our defensive coach in Bakersfield in Dave Manson. They've talked a lot during the pandemic just checking in and making sure that he was feeling good. He was returning from injury. The most important thing is he's feeling 100 percent and able to be a full participant. I'm just looking forward to see where he's at and I think this Rookie Camp offers him a good opportunity to get up and running so he's feeling confident heading into Main Camp next week."

On the balancing between watching new Oilers prospects and ones who have been with the organization for a few seasons:

"You want to get to know some of these players on a personal level off the ice. That's what the first day is about. Bumping into guys, learning their first name and what their history is. Allowing them to be comfortable in the presence of the coaching staff. I think that's important. On the ice, you're evaluating everybody but you're also evaluating how the practice is going. There's a lot of stuff happening during practices. A lot of times, we'll go back and re-watch the practices to discuss individual players. Everybody that's in camp has an opportunity to make an impression whether they're a high draft pick, free agent invite or played in Bakersfield last year. What a great opportunity for these young men to come in and really leave an impression not only on our coaching staff but on the big club's coaching staff and management as well."

On Dylan Holloway's injury and what the message is to a player battling through an injury:

"I was very impressed during my time in Bakersfield when Dylan came down. He didn't play in any games but he was part of our team. He got to get his feet wet at the professional level, learned how we prepared, how we practiced. He was a valued member of the team that went on to win our division in the playoffs, even though he didn't play in the games. So, it was a great experience for him. The main goal for him is to get healthy. He had surgery yesterday, so he's in the very early stages of his convalescence. The message I would send to him is to continue to make sure that he's doing what the doctors say and following the treatment protocols that our staff here lays out for him. He's an exciting prospect for the future of this organization."

On expectations for Philip Broberg:

"Well, I think it's a great opportunity for Philip to come in and be with his peer group again. His age group. Some of the players that have been drafted alongside him. Obviously, he had the experience of coming into the camp during the bubble last summer. That was a fantastic experience but that was with a lot of the players on the big club. There were a few young prospects mixed in there but now he has a good opportunity to lay a foundation for his season. He has an opportunity to build confidence each and every day so he's ready when main camp starts next week."

On Tyler Benson's progression in Bakersfield during the 2020-21 season:

"First thing about Tyler is when he was reassigned to Bakersfield last year, he came down with an unbelievable attitude. He recognized the opportunity that was before him, which was that he could grow his game and play a ton of minutes. I sat down with him and we had a meeting as soon as he came down from Edmonton. We came up with a plan to develop different areas of his game. For example, his board work. For example, introducing him to the penalty kill, which is something he had minimal experience on but we felt it was providing Tyler with a line of sight or pathway to achieve his dream, which is to make the Edmonton Oilers.
"Tyler put in a heck of a year. He was a point a game player. Played on what I felt was the most dominant line in the Pacific Division of the American Hockey League last year. He made plays. When we lost (Ryan) McLeod to the recall with about 10 games left, he took on even more responsibility. The team didn't miss a beat and went on to have a very successful playoff run within our division. Tyler scored the winning goal that was the difference. Extremely proud of how far he's come. The opportunity before him is obvious. Speaking to him over the summertime, he feels he's in top shape and he's excited for that opportunity."

On balancing winning and development on the Bakersfield Condors club:

"About three years ago when our staff went down there we talked a lot about how our most important job was to develop players for our parent club, the Edmonton Oilers. How that guides everything we do. But we also felt that you could do so in a winning environment. We thought you could marry the two concepts of development and winning. As important as it is to ingrain certain habits and certain skills in our younger players, things like passing, shooting, decision-making, puck management, is all very important.
"But we've said right from the beginning that winning is a skill, too. We wanted our younger players to learn the skill of winning at the American Hockey League level so that when their time came to play in the National Hockey League, they had that experience to draw on. We've been very fortunate to be the benefactors of some good hockey players and good human beings that have come through the program. We're proud of how far some of those younger guys have come."

On what Raphael Lavoie needs to work on to become an NHL player:

"I'm excited to see Raph's progression. He's another guy I have yet to bump into. In the summertime, he was tasked with getting bigger and stronger. Like a lot of these younger players, they're growing into becoming men. To be able to physically compete at the highest level, there is a level of strength and training and seriousness off the ice that needs to be gained through experience. It was a big summer for him that way.
"In terms of his on-ice play, his skills speak for themselves. He's a shooter, he's big, he's strong on the puck and can be physical. For Raph, he had a good year last year in that he cut his teeth in the Swedish Allsvenskan League. He played a lot and put up some decent numbers in that League. And then when he came back to the American Hockey League, he got a free taste of what North American pro hockey is like. He got about 20 games or so and he learned the requirements of consistency. Being a consistent player and an important player at that level. He took strides. Were there times where we needed a little bit more? Sure, there was but that's all part of the process with these young men."

Woodcroft's first impressions from the opening practice of Rookie Camp:

"I thought it was a really good day for these young players to come in and show what they have to not only the coaches on the ice, but the coaching staff for our parent club and managers that were watching from up top. I thought we tried to keep things simple today. We wanted them to go fast. Our theme was to go north and work towards the opponent's net. I thought there was a lot accomplished. Very impressed with the try and effort of the young men that were out there today."

On the fine line between evaluating but also introducing concepts and systems to the players:

"We're quite understanding that we play a game on Saturday night here against a big rival in the Calgary Flames Rookies. We have to give our players some pieces of information. Our goal is to keep it simple and not try to be over-enamoured with complexity, especially in the two days we have to prepare. We just want to give our players a basic framework so they understand the way we want to play. They're not wandering around with a compass, so to speak. They should have an understanding of where their teammates will be on the ice. We got some good reps in today but as I said, we're trying to keep things simple and not overcook it or overcomplicate it for them."

On the big, tall and mobile defensive group in Bakersfield:

"Some tall trees on the back end. It's a uniquely built back end. I would never want to presuppose or pre-assume who's going to be down in Bakersfield this year. I think a lot of people feel good about the opportunities they have not only in Rookie Camp but heading into Main Camp next week. The collection of young talent on the back end is an exciting aspect of our organization. That's something you can't teach as a coach: you can't teach someone to be 6-foot-4 or 6-foot-5, they either have it or they don't. Our job as a coaching staff and organization is try to maximize what each person brings to the table. I'm excited about the potential players that might end up in Bakersfield, for sure."

On the goaltenders in the organization and their development:

"It's a position of strength for the organization, as well. All the goaltenders bring something to the table and are accomplished in their own right. I'll start with Stuart Skinner. I've had the opportunity to coach him over the last three years. I've seen him as he's transitioned from junior hockey to professional hockey. I see tremendous growth and I see somebody who has developed, not only on the ice and built different parts of his game, but he's really matured off the ice. He's an impressive human being to be around and I thought he took a real step last season. I think he was helped by his experience up in Edmonton. Learning at this level, not only from Dustin Schwartz - the goalie coach here - but also from the shooters at this level. To learn about what NHL-level preparation is and to learn from some of the guys he shared the net with in Mike Smith and Mikko (Koskinen) as well. That was a great experience and set him up for a good season. We rode him hard last year and put him in situations to try and test him. He passed a lot of those tests.
"Ollie (Olivier Rodrigue) was thrust into a starting position immediately out of the gate last year for us in Bakersfield. He made some big saves for us early. It took him a while to find his rhythm and find his groove. What I really liked about Olivier is that I saw growth as the season wore on. His numbers down the stretch and we played a game in the playoffs where we gave up some goals early. I made a goaltending change and Olivier Rodrigue went in and gave a good account of himself in that game when we were in a tough spot.
"I'm excited to see what (Ilya) Konovalov can bring to the table as well. I know he's coming to the organization with a lot of fanfare. He's a pedigreed guy who played at a high level in the KHL for the last couple of years. It's going to be exciting. Those answers will play themselves out as we work through NHL training camp and Condors Training Camp in October."