Men's Hockey 7/18/2014 1:09:00 PM

Denham Studies Up At Flames NHL Development Camp

RMU junior was one of select few free agents to attend Calgary's prospect orientation week

(Credit: Rob McMorris)

Moon Township, Pa. - Like most hockey players, Robert Morris University junior Brandon Denham harbors dreams of skating in the National Hockey League.

He still has hills to climb to get there, but Denham got a taste of the NHL life earlier this month when he participated in the Calgary Flames' annual prospect development camp.

The Ontario native drank in the Alberta atmosphere from July 4-9, as he was one of 18 free agents invited to join 23 Flames draft picks for six days of orientation, drills and competition.

"I could not be more thankful for the opportunity," Denham said. "I learned a ton throughout this whole experience...so much more than I could've thought."

Denham, who scored 25 points (11g, 14a) as a sophomore in 2013-14, was initially approached by Flames representatives through his advisor. Apparently the Calgary scouting department liked what they saw from the 6-foot-4 forward as he helped the Colonials to a breakthrough season.

The itinerary for camp started with a fitness test on the first day, followed by a series of skill development sessions and scrimmages that tested several aspects of Denham's game. He confessed to being caught up in the "buzz" of it all, but that doesn't mean he didn't absorb all he could.

"One of the highlights of the camp hockey-wise was getting a chance to listen to how an NHL coaching staff teaches and how focused they are on even the smallest details," Denham said. "They want to make every repetition of a drill count. It may sound simple but they take that to a whole new level."

Although Denham definitely ventured out of his comfort zone, he had some guideposts to help him along the way. Most of those came from 2012 first-round Flames draft pick Mark Jankowski, a friend and training partner who was attending his third such camp.

"The camp matched what (Jankowski) told me to expect physically," Denham said. "For me, the hardest thing was just trying to have my body in midseason shape in the summer. It took a bit of extra attention to avoid injury."

Activities weren't limited to the ice, as participants made an excursion to the world-famous Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies. They also took a cooking class that focused on the type of nutrition that meets the needs of a pro athlete.

At the rink, Denham lined up next to former Division I stars like Hobey Baker Award winner Johnny Gaudreau of Boston College and Yale's Kenny Agostino, plus current college stalwarts such as Providence goalie Jon Gillies. While battling against and alongside them, Denham had a glimpse of how NCAA success can prepare one for the pros.

"A big highlight for me was seeing how competitive it is at that level," Denham said. "It was definitely a cool experience to play along with guys who have played NHL games."

Denham felt the quality of his shot lagged behind some of his camp peers, giving him something specific to work on this summer, in addition to other areas targeted by Flames coaches. To his credit, he viewed the critiques as challenges, not indictments.

"I look forward to using what I learned," he said. "I hope to improve on those areas so I can contribute back at RMU while we try to defend our (Atlantic Hockey Association) title.

"It's exciting to have two more months before the season starts."

RELATED: RMU places conference-high 25 players on All-Atlantic Hockey Academic Team

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