It was a bad news, good news weekend for Nelson hockey player Dryden Hunt.
After being passed over in the NHL draft, the 18-year-old forward was feeling a little down.
As he began driving to Calagary, for off-season workouts, he got a call from his agent that liftted his spirits.
“I just got a call saying I’m going to Carolina’s camp,” he told the Star.
NHL teams often call undrafted players to training camp in order to fill out rosters and, hopefully, to find a diamond in the rough.
“It’s exciting, it’s good. It should be fun.”
Hunt said he will be heading to the Carolina Hurricane’s facility on July 18.
“I go there for the development camp and then, on September 1, they have a mini-tournament in Traverse City, Michigan.”
For the past three seasons, Hunt has been playing for the WHL Regina Pats. He finished last year with an impressive total of 40 points notching 21 goals and lending 19 assists in 62 games played.
He plans to return to the club next season.
Hunt is still eligible for next year’s NHL draft and another good seaon with the Pats, could attract more interest from the big league squads.
Hunt began his hockey career in Nelson playing minor hockey until his second year of Bantam when he made a big move to the Notre Dame Hockey College in Saskatchewan. He then later returned to the Kootenays during his major-midget years.