Sudbury Wolves prospects impress at orientation camp
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Brayden Bennett came as advertised with a combination of skill, speed and competitiveness.
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Kingston Harris turned heads with his fleet feet and puck prowess in a high-scoring performance.
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Caleb Deanovich displayed smooth skill and high-level hockey IQ.
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Ethan Dean and Henry Doucet looked exactly as hoped — faster, stronger and seemingly ready for bigger roles at the OHL level.
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Eager for a glimpse at their newest crop of prospects, Sudbury Wolves staff and fans got an eyeful during a two-day prospect orientation camp this past weekend, with many youngsters meeting or even surpassing expectations over two days of practices, scrimmages and off-ice testing at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
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'It's very nice here,' smiled Deanovich, the 16-year-old defenceman from Fond du Lac, Wisc. who was the Wolves' fifth-round choice in the 2025 OHL Priority Selection.
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'The coaches are very good, Scott Barney is an amazing coach and I like the city a lot.'
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A right-shooting six-foot, 170-pounder who starred for the Chicago Reapers 15U AAA squad this season, Deanovich was among several U.S.-based standouts who helped to make up a roster of 35 players who converged on the Nickel City.
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Most members of the 2025 and 2024 draft classes, a sprinkling of 2023 picks and a handful of free agents took part the camp, which included Blue and White games on Saturday night and Sunday morning.
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'I wanted to see what the OHL is like, especially Sudbury,' Deanovich said. 'I never really got to experience it before, but the college portals have opened up now, so it's good to be here. It's definitely nice to see.'
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Asked to described his game, he pointed to his speed, offensive skill and ability to see the ice as some of his best qualities.
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'I want to show my speed, my vision of the ice — and hopefully, we'll put the puck in a little bit.'
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That they did, with Deanovich's Team White edged 6-5 on Saturday, then bouncing back with a 6-5 win over the Blue side the next morning.
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Also a first-round pick in the recent United States Hockey League Futures Draft, Deanovich will have no shortage of options for the next phase of his hockey development, but NCAA rule changes will allow him to explore the OHL route without jeopardizing his Division I eligibility — an intriguing possibility for the youngster.
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