Nine UConn men's hockey players participate in NHL Development Camps

For the first time since 2012, the NHL Draft came and went without a single UConn men’s hockey player or commit selected. That could always change — Chase Bradley, Ryan Tverberg and Samu Salminen all committed to the Huskies after being selected — but at the moment, they were blanked.

Despite that, UConn was still represented at NHL Development Camps by nine players across 10 teams.

The Huskies’ three draft picks — Jake Richard (Buffalo Sabres), Joey Muldowney (San Jose Sharks) and Tyler Muszelik (Florida Panthers) — all joined up with the teams that selected them. Richard and Muldowney were taken four picks apart in the sixth round of the 2022 NHL Draft while Muszelik 15 picks later.

The Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn highlighted Richard, writing:

For the third summer in a row, Jake Richard caught my eye at development camp. His shot has always been his best attribute and that continues to be the case. But the way he’s added size and taken steps as a skater has made him a more well-rounded player. He’s confident with the puck on his stick and as willing to set up a teammate as he is to use his excellent shot. He had 18 points as a freshman at UConn last year and did a lot of good work around the net.

“His skating has taken a step, too,” Amerks coach Michael Leone said. “You see the puck skills and the deception. He’s really good around the net. I think he’s taken a big step.”

While Chase Bradley wasn’t listed on the Colorado Avalanche’s camp roster, he participated after signing an NHL entry-level contract with the club.

Elsewhere, freshman forwards Ethan Gardula and Kaden Shahan continue to be attached at the hip. Not only are the two arriving in Storrs this fall after playing together on the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers this past season, they both attended the Vancouver Canucks’ development camp.

Shahan, a native of nearby Everett, Washington, performed well during the scrimmage and even notched the game-tying goal. From The Hockey News:

Kaden Shahan may have been the most impressive forward during the scrimmage. A camp invitee, Shahan delivered a fantastic tape-to-tape pass on the first goal of the game, while his willingness to not give up on the puck allowed him to score what was the final goal of the scrimmage.

Nobody has been busier than Callum Tung, though. He joined both the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers at their respective development camps. Ethan Haider suited up for the Nashville Predators after signing with the organization this offseason while Ethan Whitcomb got an invite from the Toronto Maple Leafs.