Filling Out
Josh Filmon got his first taste of pro hockey last year, playing mostly with Adirondack of the ECHL. He played 65 games with the Thunder, scoring 20 goals and 36 points, while also making 12 appearances with Utica of the AHL.
“I think it was really valuable. It challenged me a lot early, playing against bigger, older, stronger guys, which I hadn’t really done much of previously,” Filmon said. “There was a bit of a learning curve, but it was pretty beneficial for me to spend time down there—just to be able to play, make some mistakes, and learn through those mistakes.”
Filmon has a big frame at 6-foot-1, but has yet to fully fill out his body. So starting in a less physically demanding league like the ECHL is a good way to develop him to get ready for the AHL.
“That’s a focus every year,” he said of adding strength. “I’ve always been pretty slim comparted to the rest of the group, and I think each year I’m starting to close that gap.”
Filmon’s physical development has improved drastically since he was selected 166th overall (sixth round) in 2022. He held his own against a physically demanding league like the ECHL.
“Just being able to stay in battles physically a little bit longer and hold more pucks in the offensive zone,” he said. “I think that allowed me to create some more offense in the second half of the year. And then defensively, people being able to expose you more physically when you lose some of that body position. So making sure I’m staying on the right side of pucks is a big thing—especially in the American Hockey League. Guys are so physical down there. It’s a much more brutal game, so there’s not much room to give.”
Aside from the strength perspective, Filmon also improved his skating and stick handling over the summer.
“A lot of time just on the sheet or in the shooting room, being more comfortable with the puck on my stick,” he said. “I don’t want to be bobbling pucks on entries at higher speeds. I think it just starts with handling pucks for longer. Different analogy, but I think Tiger Woods was saying a thousand contacts with the club and ball a day builds that natural feel—and that’s what I’m trying to build with the puck.
“I would say better balance and better edge control coming out of turns. I got to work with our skating coach, Angelo, a little bit in Winnipeg at development camp. I’d say it was some reps and learning what’s causing me to come off balance and lose speed through some of those turns.”
