Development Camp Day 1 Recap – Greentree’s First Camp, Stoll on Day 1, Salin’s Progress

Kings Development Camp began with two divided skates in the morning, with the forward group and defense group each spending approximately an hour on the ice. Each group returned to the Toyota Sports Performance Center ice in the afternoon for another session to wrap up the day, with the forwards at 3 PM followed by the defensemen at 4 PM.

There was no scrimmage following the divided sessions on Monday, but don’t worry, Tuesday and Wednesday are scheduled to conclude with some game action.

This season’s Development Camp roster is comprised of 39 players, 18 of whom are Kings’ draft selections. Three of the organization’s selections from last week’s draft were present, including forward Liam Greentree, who was taken 26th overall by the Kings on Friday. James Reeder, the Kings’ seventh round selection and another forward, was not in attendance. All other skaters, listed on the roster HERE, were in attendance.

Two players who appeared on the camp roster but were not on-ice participants were forward Aatu Jamsen and defenseman Kirill Kirsanov, as was expected when the roster came out. Jamsen signed his entry-level contract in May after playing professionally in Finland, while Kirsanov recently completed his fourth professional season in Russia.

Forward Francesco Pinelli, a second round selection from 2021, is the only participant with a full season of professional experience in North America. He recorded 20 points in 67 AHL games with the Ontario Reign last season.

Monday’s morning sessions primarily served as an opportunity for the players to familiarize themselves with each other and get more comfortable on the ice in any way they could. Most of the participants have never attended an NHL development camp before, so naturally there can be some early jitters.

“Usually those guys are a little nervous and the pucks are flying all over the place in those first couple drills,” Jarret Stoll of the Kings Player Development staff said. “Yes, there will be some nerves but let’s just calm down and relax. We’re all in this together so let’s have a good three days.”

It’s a quick turnaround for the Kings’ recent draft picks. For players like Greentree, they were in Vegas as of Saturday and two days later, they’re on the ice in Los Angeles. Now, toss in 30 additional players and a jam-packed camp schedule due to the holiday on July 4 on Thursday and settling the players down quickly becomes even more important.

“A lot of these kids have never been to this facility at all, they’re meeting 30 or 40 new people from last night to this morning,” Stoll added. “Their heads are probably spinning, but [our goal] is just to get them to the ice and get them feeling comfortable. That’s where every hockey player is comfortable, getting on the ice, doing drills, shooting the puck and learning.”

The busy schedule limits the Kings to just two scrimmages at this year’s camp, two fewer than they’ve had in the past. That certainly isn’t ideal, but it’s important to see how the players compete in game scenarios.

However, for Stoll and the rest of the development staff, the ultimate goal for camp remains the same as always.

“The purpose of this is for them to take something back to their junior or college teams, or to the Ontario Reign this year,” Stoll said. “That’s all this camp is about. It’s a quick turnaround but its just the way it had to be this year.”

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

It has most definitely been a busy 72 hours for Liam Greentree.

On Friday, he was selected in the first round of the NHL Draft on Friday after posting career-highs in goals (36), assists (54), and points (90) with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League. On Saturday, he was back at the draft to take in the moment with friends who were selected on Day 2. On Sunday, he flew to Los Angeles and today he was on the ice for his first development camp skate.

Despite the attention cast in his direction, Greentree seems to have a pretty straightforward approach to his first go around with his new NHL organization.

“For me, [my expectation] is just to get better,” he said. “I think of the biggest things I stick to, which is that every time I have a chance to get on the ice, that’s a chance to get better. That’s huge for me and it’s what I try to do every time.”

From the perspective of the staff, there isn’t any extra pressure on Greentree because he is a first-round pick.

Stoll added that the only true expectations for Greentree right now are to show off his skillset and learn from the development staff.

“I just want him to play and go out there and show what he’s shown our scouts,” he said. “Anybody that’s a first-round pick is a good player, but you’ve still got to show what everyone else has to show. At this stage, being drafted is the start of everything. It’s not everything.”

Of course, there is some added pressure in being a first-round draft pick.

Naturally, Greentree is the organization’s newest highly-touted prospect, but he isn’t focused on that.

“Obviously people are kind of looking at you and expecting a lot,” he said of himself. “For me, it’s been the same all year, just to get better and do my own thing. As long as I’m getting better, I’ll be a good player for sure.”

Standing at 6-2 and weighing 207 pounds, Greentree was immediately noticeable during each forward group session. He’s strong and protects the puck well and his shot certainly shouldn’t be slept on. He’ll be fun to watch in the scrimmage sessions later in the week.

“I’m very interested to see how he protects the puck and uses his body, because he’s a big guy,” Stoll said. “We have some guys in our organization right now that have figured out how to use their body and become more of a presence out there. For Liam, I’m looking forward to that tomorrow.”

Good morning from El Segundo!

It’s Day 1 of @LAKings Development Camp AND NHL free agency. Let’s have a day! pic.twitter.com/PXYXXHFl5t

— Josh Schaefer (@JoshSchaeferPxP) July 1, 2024

From the North American forward to a Finnish defenseman, Otto Salin is a bit more experienced now at development camp.

Salin was a newcomer to Development Camp at one point as well. Now, two years after he was selected in the fifth round of the 2022 draft, he’s one of the more experienced players in camp.

“I feel a bit more comfortable being here and knowing what to expect,” he said. “I’m more comfortable talking in English and it’s been nice being back. I know all the things here and now some people here.”

Salin spent the 2023-24 season playing professionally in Europe, accumulating 12 points across 44 games in SM-Liiga in Finland, the country’s top league. He also represented Finland at the World Junior Championships for the second consecutive season, this time serving as an alternate captain as his team skated to a fourth-place finish.

He was one of four Finnish players at Development Camp last year, a group that included current Ontario Reign forward Samuel Helenius.

Those players enjoyed the benefits of speaking in their native language and having some familiar faces in camp, even if Salin didn’t really know the others prior to last summer. This year, he’s the only Finn participating in an on-ice capacity but is more comfortable and confident than he had been in the past.

“It’s amazing to see the progress and development of these players,” Stoll said of those returning to camp. “They just get more and more comfortable and confident every single training camp coming here.”

Salin’s goal for this year is to continue working on the defensive aspects of his game and to take those attributes back to Europe where he’s expected to play for 10-time Finnish champion TPS next season.

“The things we practice here are great for me and for my game, so I’ll try to focus on those things here and keep doing them in Finland,” he said.

Day 1 of camp is in the books! Stay tuned for more coverage of LA Kings Development Camp over the course of the next few days, with the prospects back on the ice tomorrow morning.

Photo by Kelly Smiley/NHLI via Getty Images