EVERETT — When Austin Lotz was growing up in St. Adolphe, Manitoba, he was a huge fan of the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks, so much so that he hung posters of Vancouver goaltenders Dan Cloutier and Roberto Luongo in his room.
So to say Lotz is excited about attending rookie training camp with the Canucks is something of an understatement.
“This one has a special feeling to me because Vancouver was my childhood team growing up,” said Lotz, who was scheduled to depart Wednesday. “They were all over my wall in my room, and my family is pretty crazy about them, so it’s exciting.”
Lotz is one of three Everett players who are headed to NHL rookie training camps this week. Defenseman Ben Betker is attending camp with the Edmonton Oilers, while winger Dawson Leedahl is attending camp with the Boston Bruins. Betker was a sixth-round pick by Edmonton in the 2013 NHL draft. Lotz and Dawson both received invitations as free agents.
Defenseman Mirco Mueller is also attending an NHL rookie camp. However, the 2013 first-round pick of the San Jose Sharks isn’t currently listed on Everett’s roster as he bypassed Tips training camp and the preseason to head straight to San Jose. He’s considered a candidate to make the Sharks as a 19-year-old.
Lotz and Betker will be participating in the Young Stars Classic from Friday to Monday in Penticton, B.C. Leedahl is headed to the Predators Rookie Tournament from Saturday to next Tuesday in Nashville, Tenn.
For the 19-year-old Lotz, this is his second free-agent invitation to an NHL rookie camp. Last year he was invited to camp with the Carolina Hurricanes. However, he was invited to Vancouver’s development camp over the summer, and he showed enough that the Canucks invited him back for rookie camp.
“I’m really excited,” Lotz said. “My development camp was awesome, I had a great time. I really got to see what the organization is like, it’s obviously in my mind a great one, and I think everyone in the league really respects the organization. I’m just really looking forward to going back there.”
Betker is also attending his second NHL rookie camp, both with the Oilers. Betker, as a 20-year-old, is eligible to play professionally in the minor leagues this season. Therefore, it’s possible he will earn a pro contract and end up playing in the Edmonton organization this season. However, Betker said Edmonton has something of a logjam on defense in its organization, and the Oilers still hold Betker’s rights for another year before having to sign him, so it’s likely he will be returned to Everett for his overage season.
“Who knows when I’ll be back,” said Betker, who was also scheduled to leave Wednesday. “The timeline is a little different this year, seeing how I’m an overager and eligible to play. We’ll see, time will tell. But I’m very excited, it’s been a long time coming. I’m anxious to get out there and see how I stack up against their guys.”
As for Leedahl, the 18-year-old was passed over in this year’s NHL draft. However, he received an invitation to the Calgary Flames’ development camp over the summer. Then he accepted an invitation to attend rookie camp with Boston shortly after.
“It should be a good experience, I’m pretty excited,” said Leedahl, who left Tuesday. “I’m just going to play my game, play hard and maybe get something out of it.”
Lotz, Betker and Leedahl will be unavailable for Everett’s final two preseason games, a home-and-home set against Seattle this weekend.
Slap shots
The Tips made one roster move Tuesday, releasing winger Chris Stockl. The 19-year-old Stockl was given a free-agent tryout after being released by Red Deer during the offseason. He had one goal and one assist in four preseason contests. Stockl’s release leaves Everett’s roster at 27 players: 15 forwards, eight defensmen and four goaltenders. … Everett has hired Wayne Duncan as its athletic trainer. Duncan was working with the Highline School District, south of Seattle, and he has previous hockey experience in the ECHL. He replaces Marc Paquet, who was hired by the NHL’s Calgary Flames to be the trainer of its American Hockey League affiliate, the Adirondack Flames.
Check out Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog at http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog, and follow him on Twitter at NickHPatterson.
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