Dewar about more than just gaudy stats

ST. PAUL -- Connor Dewar doesn't pay much attention to statistics, even ones that were as impressive as his were with the Everett Silvertips in the Western Hockey League last season.
Dewar paced the Silvertips, who finished the regular season in first place in the U.S. Division, with 81 points in 59 games, ranking seventh in team history and 15th in the WHL. His 36 goals earned him the team's top scorer award and placed 18th in the league. He tacked on an additional five goals and 10 points through nine playoff games, with the Silvertips advancing to the second round of playoffs.

"I think it was just kind of a result of the work I put in from the summer and the confidence I had playing my fourth year in the league," said Dewar, selected by the Wild in the third round (92nd overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft. "Plus being in Everett for so long, I'm really comfortable with the position I was in. It's nice to get the goals or get the points, but at the end of the day it's not about the stat column, it's about how you're helping your team win. That's the bottom line."

What makes those numbers even more notable, the natural winger achieved the feats as a center, an unfamiliar position.
"There's definitely an adjustment," Dewar said. "But moving on and taking that next step you need to be a player that can adjust and take on new roles when you're asked to. That's a part of being a professional."
While Dewar's scoring and constant goalmouth presence is easily what excites any coach or team, it's his skating and puck movement that are also strong skills of his.
Wild Director of Player Development Brad Bombardir said what stands out to him is not just his presence on the puck however, but the 20-year-old's ability to read the plays and the way his moves away from the puck as well.
"He understands the game, especially away from the puck," Bombardir said. "For me, his game is quite mature already away from the puck, and that sometimes is the hardest thing to learn away from the pros, just being reliable away from the puck and making the reads. So he's got a step up on some guys coming in, and that's always a good thing, a good strength, to have."
And of course, there's the offensive skills that he brings to the table. The goal is for Dewar to play with Iowa this season, where he could have a chance to have a big role on a team that is expected to be a little younger than last year's club.
"He can shoot, he can skate, he's got nose for around the net," Bombardir said. "He's always around the net and getting scoring chances ... he'll be a fun one to watch."

During his second pro development camp last month, Dewar said he was focused on building relationships with potential future teammates as well as using the feedback given to him to aid in his training regimen this summer.
His goals for the rest of the offseason are centered around adding more bulk in preparation for the physical toll professional hockey can take on a young player.
"To jump to pro, I think I need to get bigger and stronger," Dewar said. "I'm not the biggest guy out there, so that's something I need to work on. I gotta really take care of myself and work hard in the gym and eat right and everything and that should take care of it. I'm pretty determined."
More from Wild Development Camp:
- Swaney heads back to UMD with plenty of championship equity - Wild hopes for continued growth from Beckman - Boldy and Warren eager to embark on future together with Wild - Filip Johansson's harshest critic is himself - Jones hitting all the right notes, on and off the ice - Roy's mesage resonates with Wild prospects - Packed house witnesses 3-on-3 tournament to end camp - Bitten gets second chance to make first impression - Lodnia preps to take the next step though goals remain the same