PENTICTON, BC - Opening night in the Okanagan.
The Edmonton Oilers Rookies begin their Young Stars Classic schedule on Friday night with a game against the Winnipeg Jets Rookies at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Pentiction.
Friday's contest is the first of three exhibition contests against the Jets, Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames for the Oilers Rookies, with a number of prospects expected to earn their invite to Main Camp next week back in Edmonton.
With this fresh-faced group of prospects, many of which are attending their first professional Rookie Camp either as a recent draft pick of the club or an invite, errors are expected this early in the season.
The coaching staff that's being led by Bakersfield Condors Head Coach Colin Chaulk has accounted for those potential missteps by harping on the basics in hopes that the wrinkles are slowly ironed out as the tournament progresses.
Over the first two on-ice sessions, including Friday's morning skate, the emphasis has been placed on special teams, forechecking the opponents' zone and returning to their own end with intensity.
"We're going to make mistakes," Chaulk said. "Everybody will, and we want those to end on this side of the progression whether that's the forecheck or a zone entry in a game. We want to make sure we're aggressive and we want to win our battles, we want to finish first, and we want to get in on the inside. That's mainly been our theme for the first two days."
Edmonton boasts a strong roster that includes 13 draft picks and the club's four most recent first-round picks in Reid Schaefer (2022, 32nd overall, Xavier Bourgault (2021, 22nd overall) Dylan Holloway (2020, 14th overall) and Philip Broberg (2019, 8th overall).
"I think we've got a pretty good roster for this tournament, so it's going to be good," forward Matvey Petrov said.
Between the pipes, college free-agent signing Ryan Fanti will start the first game before Olivier Rodrigue takes command of the crease in Saturday's matchup with the Calgary Flames.
DRAWING WITH CHAULK
This Oilers Rookie Camp isn't just for the players.
The Condors coaching staff will take the reins behind the bench tonight when the puck drops between the Oilers Rookies and Jets Rookies, and it will be one of the first times that the staff of Edmonton's AHL affiliate will have worked together behind the bench.
"We had to replace a lot of staff," Chaulk, who took charge of the Condors mid-season after Jay Woodcroft was elevated to the Oilers with Dave Manson, said pre-game. "I started with (Assistant Coaches) Keith McCambridge and Josh Green, then brought in (Video Coordinator) Kris Horn, so going through that process and getting those guys established.
"I wanted to make sure we put the right people in place and learn from the previous staff in a similar process to what I went through. I'm really excited to have the additions in Bakersfield."
