Direct from the Connor McDavid media and fan feeding frenzy of Edmonton Oilers rookie camp to a more sedate practice back in junior with the Victoria Royals.
Undrafted forward Tyler Soy reflected on his time in the Oilers rookie camp as free-agent invite who didn鈥檛 make the cut for main camp.
鈥淚t was crazy,鈥� said Soy.
鈥淭he media was all over him [McDavid] and there would be 10-15 people asking him for autographs wherever we were, including waiting in front of the hotel,鈥� said Soy.
鈥淓ven though he鈥檚 my age [18], he carries himself well.鈥�
That was one of the biggest takeaways for Soy from NHL rookie camp.
鈥淸Oilers prospects] Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Darnell Nurse . . . these guys all have a ton of confidence,鈥� said Soy.
It is that 鈥減rofessional mindset鈥� Soy is trying to cultivate.
鈥淵ou learn a lot at pro camp, from warm-up to cool-down,鈥� said the five-foot-11, 175-pounder from Cloverdale.
And everything in between.
鈥淚 was like a sponge, soaking everything up. Most of the guys in the Oilers rookie camp were older and with more strength.鈥�
The lessons were many and obvious.
鈥淚 need to work on my strength. And my speed, to skate with more explosiveness and quickness,鈥� added Soy.
The Oilers liked aspects of Soy鈥檚 game.
鈥淲ith Dave [Royals鈥� head coach Lowry], you have to be good in your own zone, so they liked that I was a solid two-way forward,鈥� said Soy.
The Royals centre played part of rookie camp on a line with Draisaitl, the talented German who helped the Kelowna Rockets destroy the Royals in the second round of the WHL playoffs last spring.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 talk about the series too much 鈥� we were mostly focused on the task at hand [in Oilers camp],鈥� said Soy, who had 28 goals and 63 points in 69 games last season for Victoria.
From minnow in Oilers rookie camp, Soy returns to being a big fish on a young, rebuilding Royals squad.
鈥淚 am going to have more leadership responsibilities this season,鈥� Soy acknowledged.
Forward Greg Chase, who played with the Royals last season, advanced to Oilers鈥� main camp. He is expected to play in Edmonton鈥檚 AHL/ECHL minor-pro system this season.
Soy is the first to return of the five Royals eventually expected back from NHL camps. Four Royals have moved on to main camps 鈥� forward Jack Walker with the Minnesota Wild, defenceman Joe Hicketts with the Detroit Red Wings, goaltender Evan Smith with the Nashville Predators and defenceman Chaz Reddekopp, a seventh-round draft pick this year of the Kings, will be in El Segundo for Los Angeles鈥檚 main camp.
Victoria (2-3) concludes the WHL pre-season with games tonight in Seattle against a big and touted Thunderbirds squad and Saturday in Everett against the Silvertips.
The regular-season opener is Sept. 25 at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre against the Portland Winterhawks as the Royals play their first six games on home ice. The Royals don鈥檛 play a road game until Oct. 9 when they trek to Kelowna to face the Rockets.
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