Rookie Games Are Back, With All But Three NHL Teams In
Prospect tournaments open the hockey calendar, and only Florida, Minnesota and Washington are sitting this one out.
The hockey season starts, unofficially, when the youngest players in an organization get their first shifts. Rookie camps are underway across the NHL, and the games and tournaments that cap them off are set.
All but three teams are taking part in prospect competition this year, whether that means drafted players, signed players or camp invitees. The Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild and Washington Capitals are not participating in rookie games this season.
The rosters carry real names. Recent draftee Ivar Stenberg was rostered for San Jose's rookie tournament, while Toronto announced September 11 that Gavin McKenna would not play in the Prospect Challenge, and Porter Martone, who has already had a brief look at the NHL level, was rostered for Philadelphia's rookie games before main camps open.
For fans, the access is unusually good. Most NHL prospect tournament games will be streamed for free on team websites and apps, though some broadcasts are subject to regional restrictions, so the team's official site is the place to check.
FloHockey has compiled the full slate of prospect games and tournaments, listed both by date and by team, so you can find exactly when your club's youngsters are on the ice.
These games rarely settle anything on their own. They do, however, tell you who showed up in shape and who is ready to push for a look when the veterans arrive.
