LEWISTON – The Lewiston Maineiacs’ training camp roster got a lot better quickly Thursday when Chad Denny and Jonathan Paiement arrived at camp. Denny actually arrived late Wednesday night after flying in from Whistler, British Columbia, where he was participating in Team Canada’s World Junior Team tryout camp.
“It was unreal,” said Denny. “It was such a great experience, and I’m never going to forget it.”
Denny was drafted this summer in the second round by the Atlanta Thrashers of the NHL, and was one of more than 40 skaters invited to try out for the national team.
“We got to skate with the men’s national team, too,” said Denny, “so I got to talk with some of those guys. I know what it’s like at the next level. It was completely different. It;s a whole different game, even with just those players there. The pace, the intensity was much higher.”
Denny cautioned people about thinking he has a chance to jump to the NHL this season, a la Boston Bruin Patrice Bergeron.
“I’ll probably be back here,” said Denny.
“I still need to develop some more. I am still young. The next step is a big step, and it’s not an overnight thing. I am looking forward to this camp, and to Atlanta’s rookie camp in September.”
Paiement had been a no-show at camp through Wednesday, but was in Lewiston on Thursday and promptly hit the weight room.
“I’ve got to stay in shape,” said Paiement, who spent last week at the New York Rangers’ rookie camp. “They liked me enough at camp last week to invite me to the big camp in September.”
The Rangers have tendered Paiement a contract offer, but Paiement is waiting until after camp to make a decision.
“They didn’t tell me anything, about where I might play,” said Paiement. “They told me they were happy with what they saw.”
Both Paiement and Denny must pass their physical this afternoon before being allowed on the ice.
Thank you, but…
Five players have made an early exit from camp, and barring injuries, they will be the only players leaving before head coach and general manager Clem Jodoin and his staff convene Sunday to make the big cut.
Mike Carpenter of Minot, who will skate this season for St. Dom’s, was among those cut Thursday.
“We really respect what he did,” said Jodoin. “He battled hard and he even had a fight and did well, but we had to be honest with him. If we had to start the team tomorrow, he wouldn’t be on the team.”
Since Carpenter is out within 48 hours of the start of camp, he retains his NCAA eligibility.
Other players let go were Stephen Pearson, Pierre Mouton, Brad Swain and Richard Cappadocia.
Swain and Cappadocia suffered injuries Thursday that prevented them from continuing.
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