CANUCKS CAMP: DAY 2

CANUCKS CAMP: DAY 1

ANTHONY BLOGGING FROM CAMP

Just like Yann Sauve a year ago, a Saint John Sea Dog will be blogging his Prospects Development Camp experience with the Vancouver Canucks.

“Okay, so I don’t have a lot of experience blogging but I know Yann kept a blog last year so it can’t be that hard, right,” said Steven Anthony in his first blog entry. “If he can do it, then I know I can do it better (of course).”

“Steven Anthony chronicles prospect development camp in Vancouver for a week with insights from a player's point of view,” reads the official description if the blog.

Anthony, a seventh round pick of the Canucks in the 2009 National Hockey League entry draft, is partaking in his second summer prospect camp in Vancouver.

To check out his first blog post about what went down on the opening day of camp, click HERE.

In three seasons with Saint John, the Halifax native has 45 goals and 63 assists in the regular season and playoffs combined.

- Shout-out to Canucks fan Cody for sending in some info.

CANUCKS CAMP OPENS TUESDAY

Vancouver Canucks Prospects Development Camp opens tomorrow at GM Place in Canada’s 2010 Olympic City.

36 players are expected to be at the camp which, according to Canucks blog The White Towel, begins on Tuesday with off-ice conditioning and goes to on-ice work on Wednesday and Thursday. The group will hike the Grouse Grind on Friday, scrimmage on Saturday and conclude with a three-on-three tournament on Sunday.

One prospect who will not attend the camp – on Canucks managements blessing - is the highly touted forward Cody Hodgson who will stay in Toronto to continue his training. Several top end players will attend, however.

From The Province:

Forward prospects include last year's first round pick (22nd overall) Jordan Schroeder and the Canucks' 2009 second rounder (53rd overall) Anton Rodin. On defence, notable attendees include Vancouver Giants' outstanding D-man Kevin Connauton, last season's fifth-rounder (143rd overall) Peter Andersson, 2008's second round pick Yann Sauve 41st (overall) and this year's top pick, Patrick McNally (115th overall).

In goal, Swedish free agent signing Eddie Lack will also attend.

Sauve, a four year member of the Saint John Sea Dogs, was drafted by Vancouver with the 41st overall selection of the 2008 National Hockey League Entry Draft. In his Quebec Major Junior Hockey League career, Sauve has 20 goals and 82 assists in 251 regular season games. In the post-season, he has six goals and 14 assists in 39 games.

Last season, the Rigaud, Quebec native recorded seven goals and 29 helpers in 61 regular season appearances. En route to a six game series loss in the President’s Cup Final, the now-overage defenseman registered five markers and 10 assists.

Sauve signed a contract with Pacific coast club a few weeks ago. He is eligible to return to Saint John for one more season but most predict him to play with the American Hockey League’s Manitoba Moose in 2010-11.

Manitoba based reporter Ken Wiebe lists Sauve ti make the Moose roster next season in his latest blog post on The Brawl.

Steven Anthony, a seventh round pick of the Canucks in 2009, could also attend the camp. In three seasons with Saint John, the Halifax native has 45 goals and 63 assists in the regular season and playoffs combined.

FEELING DUCKY

Marco Cousineau begins his professional hockey journey tomorrow as the Anaheim Ducks begin their annual prospect summer conditioning camp. A total of 31 prospects will participate in both on-ice and off-ice workouts at THE RINKS - Anaheim ICE, according to a team press release.

Cousineau, selected by Anaheim 83rd overall in the 2008 National Hockey League Entry Draft, was traded to Saint John from the PEI Rocket during the holiday trading period.

In 20 games in with Saint John in the second half, Cousineau went 15-5 with a 2.36 goals against average and a 0.914 save percentage. In the post-season, the Les Cedres, Quebec native went 14-7 while playing in at least a part of every playoff game.

In his four year career in the circuit with Baie-Comeau, Drummondville, PEI, and Saint John, he has a combined regular season/playoff record of 112-93.

The seven-day camp focuses on both the on- and off-ice development of the organization’s top young prospects. In addition to on-ice scrimmage sessions, each player will participate in strength and conditioning drills that allow coaches and management to closely evaluate the progress of each athlete. Along with daily weight and aerobic training, each player will also receive a personally tailored nutritional recommendation and be tested for strength thresholds, range of movement and aerobic capacity.

Playing as an overager with the Sea Dogs last year means that he cannot return to the Quebec Major Junior League this season. It is unlikely “Couzy” makes the Ducks this season, meaning he will play in the American Hockey League or East Coast Hockey League.

Anaheim’s AHL affiliate is the Syracuse Crunch, who, according to the Syracuse Post-Standard, are in need of some solid goaltending.

The most important position in the sport is also the biggest test Anaheim faces in proving that it knows how to put a winner in Syracuse.

Right now, the organization lacks a true No. 3 goalie, which in turn means Syracuse has no No. 1.

Ferguson is encouraged by the promise of two young goalies, Timo Pielmeier and Marco Cousineau. Pielmeier went 27-22-5, 3.29, .883 for Bakersfield of the ECHL as a rookie last season. Cousineau, who will be a rookie this year, was 15-5, 2.36, .914 for Saint John of the QMJHL.

Anaheim has also signed another young netminder, J.P. Levasseur, who has bounced around the AHL, ECHL and CHL the past three seasons. All of these may be candidates for the Nos. 4 and 5 spots in the organization, but none would be a confidence-building bet to rely upon as an AHL stopper right now.

“One of our goaltenders who is in Syracuse will be there for the purpose of developing and being ready to go to the NHL,” Ferguson said of adding an experienced depth goalie. “The last thing you want to do is have two good prospects in the same place because that cuts down on their playing.”

FLEABURN AT TODAY'S PARADE

From the Sea Dogs' official newsletter, "Dog Bytes":

Sea Dogs mascot Fleaburn will be helping to spread national pride throughout the Port City today when he takes part in the annual Saint John Canada Day Parade!

The parade begins just after 11am in the city's uptown district.

If a video involving a cat and domino's doesn't make you feel patriotic, we don't know what will. Happy Canada Day.