"It was a big year for me to bounce back from the injury and contribute to the team," van de Leest said. "I've always been an advocate for 'You have to strive for greatness but never attain it.' The hard work never stops no matter how comfortable you think are and that was a big motivation for me.
"This upcoming season will be no different in my approach to get better and taking part in this camp has given me that extra push to further round out my game."
There's no question that it was an eye-opening experience for the Kelowna native in his first NHL camp with facing not just other fellow WHL skaters but talent from across the CHL and outside of North America.
"The competitive level showed me the level where I want to play at this year," he said. "I am a pretty competitive guy already but squaring up against guys I've never seen before and seeing how hard they were pushing really made me want to up my compete level.
"It was just another thing that made the camp world-class, having that healthy competition where we all are pushing each other to get better."
As the days continue to pass, Hitmen training camp inches closer to its late-August start with plenty of buzz and excitement for the club to build off of a year that saw them finish third in the Central Division and reach the second round of the post-season.
And for van de Leest, it's a chance to continue to be a key piece in the puzzle.
"I have a lot to prove this year - not to just everyone, but to myself," van de Leest said. "I've been focusing on improving my skating, quickness and just about everything and anything else to help the team be successful.
"Having a strong team like the one we are going to have makes it easier to accomplish that and I am excited to be a part of a core that is going to be hard to play against each night."
