Let me tell you about being the new kid on the block when changing schools. I knew no one when I transferred to the June Shelton School in the fifth grade because I needed help with some of the learning differences I was diagnosed with. I had to talk with people for the first time, and I was so nervous. However, getting that experience helped me become someone who could speak to anyone at Shelton by the end of middle school.
It aligns with the way Cameron Schmidt might feel heading into his first NHL Training Camp since being drafted by the Dallas Stars this past summer. He's going to have to learn to play with other prospects than his Vancouver Giants teammates if he wants to make the Dallas Stars' opening night roster in the near future. I really think he can do it, and I was hyped when he fell to the Stars all the way in the third round of the draft. After watching his highlight reel, I thought he would be a first-round pick.
I'm sure he's nervous and excited heading into tonight's prospect game against the Detroit Red Wings. He has an opportunity to make a first impression to the passionate Stars' fanbase for the first time. However, I just want him to relax and just play the way he does with the Vancouver Giants. There's no need for him to be superman in his first NHL Training Camp. The Stars love what he brings to the table as a future NHL player.
I'm sure there will be times this weekend that Schmidt might make some mistakes, and that's okay. I haven't seen one NHL player play perfectly over the course of his career. It's part of the process of developing into an every-night NHL player. Schmidt is the type of player who can join the ranks of Hemming and others as the cornerstone of the Dallas Stars in the future. This weekend, head out on the ice and have fun playing in your first prospect tournament with the Stars. You can make the NHL based on the highlights I've seen while writing your draft prospect report.