The Estevan Bruins have been sending a handful of players to the Northern Connecticut Wings' summer hockey program over the last few years.
This time, it was forward Ryan Ostertag and defenceman Eric Baldwin suiting up for the Wings, based in Simsbury, Conn.
It's a four-week-long program aimed at getting NCAA Division I exposure for its players through nearly a month of practices and weekend tournaments.
Baldwin, who is entering his 19-year-old season, said the experience made him a better player.
"Absolutely. Not only did it get me into fairly good shape, it allowed me to network and meet different players and coaches," he said. "It made me a more well-rounded player. It gave me better chances offensively to jump up in the play."
The weekday schedule was comprised of daily afternoon practices, followed by off-ice training with an independent gym. There was a tournament against nearby teams each weekend, with a minimum of three games apiece.
The program wrapped up with a showcase tournament the weekend of July 23, with teams coming from all over Connecticut and Massachusetts. The annual event attracted close to 15 Division I schools.
Baldwin said it was a bigger event than the SJHL Showcase, due mainly to geography.
"It's so convenient. There are so many eastern schools around that little hub. There were a lot more (schools) than the SJ showcase.
"There were a lot of people watching, a lot of hype around it."
While only one Wing spoke to a school afterward, Baldwin believes many of them got themselves on the radar.
"I thought I played very well. It's a little bit different style of hockey, based more on style and speed. Being a defenseman from the SJHL, I thought I brought a good presence and played my game."
The Wings' coach came from the BCHL, meaning the systems weren't much different from what Baldwin and Ostertag were used to, although it focused speed and creating offence.
"There was a lot of flow, he liked the defencemen to be fast and jump into the play rather than being physical," the defenceman said.
Ostertag, who was on vacation last week and couldn't be reached, turned in an impressive showing with the Wings.
"Ryan really enjoyed himself. We ended up living together. He played unbelievable. He scored a lot of goals and looked good down there. He definitely took full advantage of it," Baldwin said.
Unfortunately, Ostertag took a hit from behind during the showcase that resulted in a concussion, 10 stitches to the head and a broken finger. It's not clear how long his recovery time will be.
"He was feeling a bit rough, but he toughed it out. It was the one tournament where we had to wear a full cage and he got hit," Baldwin said.
Now that the unique Connecticut venture is over, Baldwin is looking forward to taking a leadership role with the Bruins next season.
"I'm extremely excited. This month can't end any quicker. I'm hoping I can make an impact as a leader and hopefully teach some of the younger guys," he commented. "It'll be tough trying to get it all together but I'm hoping I can help any way I can."
The Bruins' captain and alternates have yet to be determined, but Baldwin said he wouldn't shy away from taking on a role like that.
"I would really love to wear a letter and represent my team," he replied.
