Drafted or not, several Spitfires continue to chase the NHL dream
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That's what several members of the Windsor Spitfires are doing as four players have accepted free-agent invitations to attend prospect camps with NHL teams.
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'Going into the draft, I didn't have that high of expectations,' Spitfires' defenceman Jonathan Brown said. 'I knew if I got picked, it would be in the sixth or seventh round. So, I wasn't too disappointed.'
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The 18-year-old Brown, who played prep hockey at Shattuck-St. Mary's in Minnesota last season, was rated as the 177th prospect among North American skaters, but went unselected.
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However, Brown quickly accepted an invitation to attend prospects camp with the New York Islanders and was on the ice on Monday.
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'I'm really happy I got invited to Islanders' camp,' the six-foot-two, 201-pound Brown said. 'Just an amazing experience to learn from such a great organization.
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'I'm trying to learn a lot and soak in all the knowledge that comes with being around great players and coaches.'
Jack Nesbitt was one of the big surprises at this year's NHL Draft. The Philadelphia Flyers traded a pair of first-round picks – at No. 22 and No. 31 – to the Pittsburgh Penguins to move up and snag Nesbitt at No. 12 overall.
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'It means a lot to me for them to trade two first-round picks to get me early,' the 18-year-old Nesbitt said. 'I was very shocked, but very honoured to have this opportunity and I'm going to do nothing, but good things with it.'
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Rated as a second-or third-round NHL prospect at the start of the season, the six-foot-five, 186-pound Nesbitt kept climbing the chart. He was considered the No. 15 prospect in North America, but had a hunch he might hear his name called when the Flyers made the trade.
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'I met with them at the (NHL Draft) Combine and talked to them a little bit throughout the year as well,' Nesbitt said. 'To be honest, I had a little feeling that it was going to happen, but didn't think that feeling was going to be real and I am very happy it did.'
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The Flyers will open prospects camp on Wednesday. Former Los Angeles Kings first-round pick Liam Greentree, Washington Capitals prospect Ilya Protas and Chicago Blackhawks prospect A.J. Spellacy, who were all drafted a year ago, will also be taking part in prospects camp, but a trio of other Windsor players have joined Brown in accepting free-agent invites.
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