EDMONTON, AB - It's called Oilers Development Camp, not Oilers Evaluation Camp.
And although many of the prospects are trying to make their best first impressions, while others are slated to make a jump to the professional ranks next season, Bakersfield Condors Head Coach Jay Woodcroft is more concerned with growing the ability of a player rather than assessing it.
"It's not an evaluation camp," Woodcroft, who signed a contract extension with the Condors just two weeks ago, started.
"There's no pressure to come in and go 100 miles an hour and out-compete someone. It's a development camp so that they can work on their personal games."
Naturally, players want to give their all but Woodcroft doubled down on his comments, saying that Development Camp is an opportunity for the future Oilers to get to know the franchise, the city and the team personnel.
"It's for them to develop relationships within the organization," Woodcroft, who coached the Condors to a 42-21-3-2 record in the '18-19 campaign, continued.
"That doesn't just mean the head coach of the American Hockey League team. It means the head coach of the National Hockey League team. Both coaching staffs are here. The ability to get familiar and comfortable around our strength & conditioning staff, our training staff, our equipment staff.
DEV CAMP: Woodcroft stressing development, not evaluation at Dev Camp
"It's not an evaluation camp… It's a development camp so that they can work on their personal games," said Condors Head Coach Jay Woodcroft
