CAMP ROSTER
(subject to change)
Goaltenders (5)
Oscar Dansk – 2012 CHL Import Draft (1st round), 2012 NHL Entry Draft (Columbus, 2nd round)
Daniel DeKoning – 2012 OHL Priority Selection
Jake Ireland – 2012 OHL Priority Selection
Nate Miller – 2011 OHL Priority Selection (9th round; Millcreek Township native)
Devin Williams – Veteran

Left defense (9)
Kyle Allan – 2011 OHL Priority Selection (15th round)
Greg Allen – 2012 OHL Priority Selection (6th round)
Travis Dermott – 2012 OHL Priority Selection (9th round)
Justin Felker – 2012 OHL Priority Selection (2nd round)
Kris Grant – Veteran
Artem Kuleshov – 2012 CHL Import Draft (2nd round)
Adam Pelech – Veteran
Sebastian Stangherlin – Free-agent invite
Travis Wood – Veteran

Right defense (10)
Troy Donnay – Veteran
Nathan Glass – Veteran
Nathan Kohler – 2012 OHL Priority Selection (14th round)
Liam Maaskant – Veteran
Jimmy McDowell – Veteran
Patrick Murphy – 2011 OHL Priority Selection (5th round; played 9 games with Erie in 2011-12)
Darren Raddysh – 2012 OHL Priority Selection (5th round)
Riley Robertson – 2012 OHL Priority Selection (3rd round)
Troy Saunders – 2011 OHL Priority Selection (12th round)
Francesco Tolfa – Free-agent invite

Centers (9)
Luke Cairns – Veteran
Jake Evans – Veteran
Blake Jones – 2011 OHL Priority Selection (14th round)
Justin Maiolino – 2011 OHL Priority Selection (13th round; played 2 games with Erie in 2011-12)
Connor McDavid – 2012 OHL Priority Selection (No. 1 overall)
Mac McDonnell – Veteran
Aidan Muir – Free-agent invite
Kyle Petit – 2012 OHL Priority Selection (2nd round)
Bryan Sienerth – 2012 OHL Priority Selection (13th round; Millcreek Township native)

Left wing (10)
Anthony Cortellessa – Veteran
Connor Crisp – Veteran
Jordan Dunin – 2011 OHL Priority Selection (7th round)
Mitch Eisenberg – Veteran
Nathan Feric – Free-agent invite
Dane Fox – Veteran (fractured foot; not expected to participate in camp)
Stephen Harper – Veteran
Quentin Maksimovich – 2012 OHL Priority Selection (11th round)
Lucas Venuto – Free-agent invite
Kurt Wolff – Free-agent invite

Right wing (7)
Nick Betz – Veteran
Connor Brown – Veteran, 2012 NHL Entry Draft (Toronto, 6th round)
Sean Darroch – 2011 OHL Priority Selection (8th round; played 7 games with Erie in 2011-12)
Hayden Hodgson – 2012 OHL Priority Selection (3rd round)
Thomas Lattavo – 2012 OHL Priority Selection (6th round)
Johnny McGuire – Veteran
Sondre Olden – Veteran

No. 1 overall pick Connor McDavid headlines a group of 26 rookies and prospects invited to the Erie Otters’ rookie camp Friday and Saturday at Mercyhurst. Players report Friday morning before starting off-ice workouts on the soccer field at 10 a.m. They head to Mercyhurst Ice Center at 2 p.m. for a two-hour practice and a scrimmage On Saturday, they will have on-ice sessions from 9-11 a.m. and 2:45-4:45 p.m.

The players invited are as follows:
2012 draft picks
Gregory Allen
Daniel Dekoning
Travis Dermott
Justin Felker
Hayden Hodgson
Jake Ireland
Nathan Kohler
Dylan Larkin
Thomas Lattavo
Quentin Maksimovich
Connor McDavid
Kyle Pettit
Darren Raddysh
Riley Robertson
Bryan Sienerth (Millcreek Township native)

2011 draft picks
Sean Darroch
Jordan Dunin
Blake Jones
Justin Maiolino
Nate Miller (Millcreek Township native)
Patrick Murphy
Sean Power
Troy Saunders
Jordan Schneider

2010 draft picks
Brent Hambly
Eric Kimmerly

The Erie Otters cut nine pr0spects Friday to trim their roster to 26 players heading into Saturday’s 7 p.m. preseason opener against Niagara at Tullio Arena.

Two 2011 OHL draft picks – goaltender Devin Williams (fifth round) and defenseman Troy Saunders (12th round) – headlined the list.

Other picks cut were left wing Eric Kimmerly (11th round in 2010), right wing Ralph Cuddemi (11th round in 2010), center Matthew Wildman (seventh round in 2009) and goaltender Adam Wood (eighth round in 2009).

The final two free-agent invites – Erie native Nick Jenkins, a left wing who plays for Fort LeBoeuf, and left wing Jordan Martin – also were cut.

* Enjoying time off: Coach Robbie Ftorek appreciated the club’s off-ice conditioning program this week. But the workouts left players physically exhausted.

“It’s hampered a little bit our on-ice stuff,” Ftorek said. So he cancelled Friday’s off-ice workouts and turned the morning scrimmage into a practice focusing on fundamentals, such as breakouts, defensive techniques and power plays.

“That will help us (Saturday night) in the game or at least allow them to have an idea of what we’re looking to have done in the game,” Ftorek said, “and they’ll get a good rest in between. It’s given them a good break. So we hope that will be beneficial for us.”

* Tough test: The IceDogs will arrive in Erie on Saturday with roughly 16 veterans for the preseason game. Meanwhile, the Otters will play primarily young players. “Some of our young guys’ eyes are going to be opened,” Ftorek said. “Our guys are playing pretty good, but it’s not a game. You know how the intensity picks up in a game. It will be interesting to see how they respond.”

- Victor Fernandes