Friday, September 23, 2016

Alums Fill NHL Training Camps

More than 500 former NCAA players are in camp as NHL’s 2016-17 season nears.

Alums Fill NHL Training Camps
Hobey Baker Award winner Jimmy Vesey is one of 108 NCAA players from last season in NHL training camps (Photo via nhl.com/rangers).

More than 500 former NCAA players reported to NHL training camps on Thursday and Friday as teams took to the ice to begin the 2016-17 season.

Sortable: NCAA Alumni in NHL Training Camps

Those 535 players represent 55 schools and include 108 rookies who played NCAA hockey in 2015-16. The 535 players marks an increase of 32 from last year’s camps, while the 108 rookies are 21 more than a year ago.

Boston College led all schools with 33 alumni in training camps; Michigan (32), North Dakota (31), Wisconsin (29), Boston University (25) and Minnesota (25) followed closely behind.

The defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins – whose lineup consisted of more than 50% NCAA alums – lead all NHL teams with 30 former college players in camp.