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View Full Version : Undershute invited to Red Wings Training Camp



Tiger Trauma
08-23-2006, 11:33 PM
It looks like Darren Helm will have some company at Detroit Red Wings camp this year.
Helm will be joined at the NHL team’s camp by his Medicine Hat Tigers linemate and local product Kevin Undershute. The 19-year-old left-winger was invited to camp, and said he is scheduled to be there from Sept. 6 to Sept. 19.
He almost couldn’t believe it, when the Red Wings contacted him earlier this summer.
“I was really excited,” said Undershute, who said he talked to Wings assistant general manager and Tigers alumnus Jim Nill, “I always wanted to go to an NHL camp. This is the first one.
“I am really excited and really looking forward to it.”
Undershute said the camp will be held in Traverse City, Michigan. For the first bit that he is there, the winger, who stands 6-feet and weighs 176 pounds, will participate in a rookie tournament.
A team of Red Wings rookies will compete against rookie teams from six other NHL clubs. After that is complete, he will get a chance to practice and be around the Wings veterans.
“I have been talking with Darren, and it is going to be pretty intense,” said Undershute, whose WHL club opens rookie camp today with player registration at the Medicine Hat Lodge. “You have to be ready all the time. He (Helm) said it was just a lot of fun.”
Last season was Undershute’s second with the Tigers. He played in 67 regular season games collecting 20 goals and 27 assists, while posting a plus-10 in the plus-minus category.
Since coming to the WHL club from the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Brooks Bandits in January of 2005, Undershute has been mainly playing on a line with Helm, who netted 41 goals last year.
Helm has already been through the grind of Wings camp once. The Winnipeg product was selected in the fifth round and 132nd overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Wings.
Undershute said his comfort level about what he is getting into is high, because Helm has been there.
“Helm will help me out a lot,” said Undershute, who expects to ask his Tigers teammate a lot of questions. “We played on a line together, and we are good friends. It will be neat to be down there together.”
In order to prepare for the experience, Undershute did move to Calgary for a month and a half to train with a company that deals with high performance athletes. He was joined by Tigers teammates and local products right-winger Jerrid Sauer and goaltender Matt Keetley.
When he returns from his experience with the Wings, Undershute believes he will be a more driven player.
“I think it will be a really big help,” said Undershute. “Just to be around those guys and see how hard they work, I think it will be a huge learning experience for me.
“The guys that comeback from years before they always seem to work harder, when they comeback.”

-Medicine Hat news

Ti-girl
08-25-2006, 01:00 PM
I'm glad that Kevin got a chance.

:clap: