Moose Jaw Warriors' defenceman Lucas Brenton saw plenty of ice time working to keep Connor Bedard in check during the past two seasons.
Now he’ll have a chance to play on the same team as the burgeoning NHL superstar.
Brenton is one of five Moose Jaw Warriors off to NHL Showcase tournaments and rookie camps beginning this weekend after being added as a free-agent invite by the Chicago Blackhawks.
“I’m super pumped, it’s something every player works towards and I was working towards last season and it’s going to be great going there,” Brenton told Marc Smith of the Moose Jaw Warriors.
“It’s going to be a great hockey experience, something that I haven’t experienced before and I’ll learn a lot of stuff that I’ll be able to take it back here for the season.”
That is, if he returns.
As an overager, Brenton can be signed by the Blackhawks and immediately assigned to the American Hockey League or ECHL. He’ll be among 23 rookies and prospects suiting up for Chicago in the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase, which will include scrimmages with the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild.
Brenton will hit the ice in Chicago for practices on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday before travelling to St. Paul for the tournament. The Blackhawks square off with the Blues on Saturday and then take on the Wild on Sunday afternoon.
Yager and Calvert are off to Pittsburgh Penguins camp and will pay in the Buffalo Sabres Prospects Challenge alongside the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens New Jersey Devils and Ottawa Senators. They take on Boston on Friday night, Ottawa on Saturday afternoon and finish things off against Buffalo on Monday.
Yager was selected in the first round, 14th overall by the Penguins this past summer and Calvert is an overage invite like Brenton, meaning he can be signed and assigned to the minors.
Mateychuk was recently part of the NHL/NHLPA Upper Deck Rookie Showcase in Arlington Va. -- an event designed to allow the trading card company to get photos in NHL jerseys for rookie cards -- and the 12th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft will now take part in Traverse City Prospect Tournament. Columbus will face the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday, Detroit Red Wings on Saturday and close things out against the Dallas Stars Sunday.
Firkus won’t be taking part in a pre-season tournament but will be skating in Seattle's two-day rookie camp, joining 25 players in the event beginning Sept. 18 in Seattle. The Kraken’s second-round pick in 2022, Firkus will then look to crack main camp, which is set to begin on Thursday, Sept. 21.
The Warriors are back in action this weekend with their final two games of the pre-season. They travel to Brandon on Friday before hosting the Wheat Kings on Saturday at the Moose Jaw Events Centre. Game time is 7 p.m.
