CENTENNIAL, Colo. — With day one in the books for the Colorado Avalanche development camp, the young stars came out cooking this morning. The pace to start was a lot faster as the kids (to me at least) since they knew what to expect on day two of development camp. A couple of players that were absent yesterday for academic reasons made their first appearances today. We got to see the first of Tory Pitner and Jake Fisher, both commitments to the University of Denver. Here are the standouts from day two of development camp for the Avalanche.
Tory Pitner
The Avalanche drafted Pitner this year (sixth round 185th overall) after playing the last two seasons for the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL. While there, he played 86 games and tallied 33 points (8–25). Today he stood out with his strong physical play on the puck and well-timed poke checks. In positioning drills, Pitner looked very comfortable and will have no issues with the transition to the NCHC. The Connecticut native took his backwards transitions in stride and it did not slow him down much. He will be a great addition to a fast Pioneer club this school year.
Tory Pitner on the transition and passing drill. He has one darn smooth transition. #Avs #GoAvsGo @TheRinkColorado pic.twitter.com/IWfjFk7HBW
— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) July 4, 2024
Jake Fisher
The Avalanche (121st overall drafted Fisher, who will be roommates with Pitner this season, in the fourth round). He also spent the last two seasons in the USHL with the Fargo Force. Fisher scored 48 points (24-24) in his 63 games. The main thing that jumped out for Fisher was his shot. His wrist shot is impressive and his accuracy is on point. He appeared to lack the skating, which as a centermen could be a problem. There was no genuine power in the strides, so Fisher lacked the jumpoff speed you expect from a playmaker. Coach David Carle of the University of Denver will definitely try to fix this problem when Fisher joins the Pioneers in the fall.
Jake Fisher, another @DU_Hockey commitment and Tory Pitner's roomie, shows that he is hesitant on his edges. #Avs #GoAvsGo @TheRinkColorado pic.twitter.com/qIWlwmJYuz
— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) July 4, 2024
Chase Bradley
Chase Bradley is a 22-year-old that signed an entry-level deal with the Avalanche on July 1st. Originally a pick in the 2020 draft by the Detroit Red Wings (seventh round, 203rd overall), he never signed with the club. Bradley spent the last three seasons with the University of Connecticut (UConn), playing 95 games and scoring 51 points (25–26). He played primarily on the third line at UConn, but has shown some smooth skating skills at camp over the last two days. Bradley even has a little of stick handling skills to gain some extra room for himself. He may not be the first choice for a call up by the Avalanche, but he looks promising.
Chase Bradley is working on his best Sam Girard impression. #Avs #GoAvsGo @TheRinkColorado pic.twitter.com/58NcO3SUlm
— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) July 4, 2024
Chase Bradley maintains his composure in the slot and then dangles the defense on the blue line to get some space #Avs #GoAvsGo @TheRinkColorado pic.twitter.com/sZZLjBYbJc
— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) July 4, 2024
Conclusion
Day two was a lot faster than yesterday and with coach Jard Bednar out there, the dial turned up quickly. Tomorrow will be a shorter morning skate followed by the scrimmage at 4 PM at Family Sports Center. This will be the last chance that some of these kids will make an impression for a while. It is always an exciting time of the year, as this is sometimes the only way we get to see some of these players. Tomorrow will be even more interesting, with the players probably sorted into a new group for their respective teams and the fun begins. Keep it here for all of your coverage of the development camp.