BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – For Shawn O’Donnell, Hartford has been his home away from home and he’s back for another shot at making the Hartford Wolf Pack.
“I couldn’t be happier about signing back in Hartford. A quality organization, I spent several years here, and I really like the players we have here and getting the opportunity to show what I can bring to the team,” O’Donnell, entering his sixth pro season, said.
For O’Donnell, this is a third time he will be making a bid to be on the team.
His first go-round in The Insurance Captial of the World was in 2013. He was a training camp walk-on there on an invitee basis after playing at St. Mary’s University (AUAA).
O’Donnell made the team again 2015-16 but was a healthy scratch for 36 games as part of a numbers game and internal decisions by the Rangers. Last season, he was a signee due to injuries, but after playing just a period-and-a-half, he suffered an injury himself, a broken cheekbone that sidelined him for six weeks. Upon his recovery and medical clearance, he was then reassigned to Cincinnati (ECHL).
“Certainly, now is a different time, but I had a few ups and down, but I had some very good times here and really, without Hartford, I couldn’t have gotten my pro career started without it and to get another chance here, it really is overwhelming, and I’m ready for the challenge,”
After last year’s brief audition he’s grateful.
“I was so happy last year when I got the call and then a thousand-in-one chance, a freak accident happens. In the game of hockey, things like that happen. You obviously don’t want it to happen to you, but it did. I’m just fortunate enough to get another chance,”.
Being in Cincinnati, O’Donnell was accorded a lot of ice time and he made the full use of it.
“It was good,” O’Donnell said. “I got a lot of ice time, and really got to work on different elements of my game and you pick up confidence too.“
After picking up 44 points in 46 games with the Cyclones, “I was playing in all types of situations and ice time makes a difference. I was able to ramp up my game and play in situations that I might not get at the AHL level, and when you get an opportunity, take advantage of it.”
O’Donnell returns to a Rangers club in full-rebuilding-mode including a whole new coaching staff in New York headed by David Quinn.
“It’s all an exciting thing that the Rangers are doing here in Hartford. We’re going to have a lot of young prospects here and the future is bright. My role is clearly one to help in that process. Coming in as an older guy, I have to lead by example. To help them along and get them to understand the (hockey) culture here and create an environment where everything goes in the right direction,” O’Donnell said.
O’Donnell’s camp has clearly made it hard for the Rangers not to give him the one-way deal he was seeking. These days in the business of hockey, those contracts are the like $5,000 poker chips at a casino.
“Odie has been our best player in camp, energetic and he ranked number one in our on-ice and off-ice testing, and conditioning getting off on a good footing and that catches your eye right away. His skating is very solid and you look at him you can slot him on a second or third line because of his skating and energy.
“He has experience, which is a plus, and he is the perfect off-ice player we want. A real quality person that will benefit us,” McCambridge said with a very broad smile.
The structure of training camp has changed since his first game here. There were four exhibition games that year. This year, they’ll be just one after the Wolf Pack were forced to cancel a game because of a shortage of players. Last year, the game at Koeppel was canceled because the plexiglass and boards didn’t meet the required standards under the CBA agreement.
The timeframe to impress a coach has clearly shrunk and the metrics have also changed.
“It’s one of those camps where we are a little short on bodies right now. Its been a bit of a strenuous and taxing camp on the guys, and its one of those things. It happens, and you always have changes and unique situations in pro hockey. All you do is bring your best effort and everybody has been working hard.”
Adaption has been the mantra for several years now, and with a whole new coaching crew in New York, the Rangers are clearly trying to narrow their selections down to the CBA magic number of 23. They have 40 players in camp meaning 17 players will need to find a new home by next Thursday’s home and regular-season opener against Nashville.
“Camps are always tough everybody is battling for jobs. Everybody is trying to make an impression. We all come ready to go. You always being evaluated with this camp you might get a better look with fewer guys here either it’s all good it’s a part of hockey.”
His preparation for training camp came from back home in Nova Scotia. O’Donnell got to work with the Cole Harbour All-Stars, local natives, Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, and Brad Marchand. It’s a great advanced summer hockey camp.
“I’m just very fortunate to live a town where we have three great NHL players come there and to be around them and pick up some tips. To be around world-class talent like them easily the top five or 10 players in the world. Watching how they prepare and see the way they move and see the game. I can’t put a value on being out there with them.
“They’re all great about helping you out there and to be a part of it. To watch their level and pace they play at, up close, is impressive how they operate at that speed is incredible.”
But was O’Donnell able to teach them a thing or two?
“No! No, I didn’t do any instructional lessons for them,” O’Donnell said with a laugh.
O’Donnell spent some time in Vancouver vacationing, summer training in Cole Harbour, and now he will make Hartford – his winter hockey home.
