OMAHA, Neb. - Summer is nearly as busy for UNO hockey players as it is during the season. Far from being idle time, they, like all of UNO’s student-athletes, are hard at work preparing for the start of a new season. Maverick forwards Rich Purslow and Terry Broadhurst got a break from their normal summer routine when they took part in separate National Hockey League prospect camps earlier this month.
Purslow and Broadhurst were both close to home. Puslow, a native of Greenlawn, N.Y. on Long Island, attended the New York Islanders camp while Broadhurst, from Orland Park, Ill., was at the prospect camp of the Stanley Cup-winning Chicago Blackhawks. Due to NCAA rules, both players paid their own way to attend the camps. Purslow and Broadhurst rate the experience an eye-opener.
“There were a few AHL guys, older draft picks and then there are guys like me, invitees, and it was great to see how the AHL guys carried themselves and what type of players they were on the ice,” said Purslow. “And then you had the draft picks, so it was a great experience to be on the ice with all of those different types of guys."
NHL scouts typically attend college games. Some are keeping track of their own draft picks while others are looking for undrafted players who could be a good fit for their teams. Broadhurst earned his invite after a standout season in which he led all UNO freshmen with 13 goals and 24 points and was named to the CCHA's All-Rookie Team.
“I received a phone call after our weekend with Bemidji State,” recalled Broadhurst. “A scout had called me and invited me out to camp. I guess they had watched me throughout the season, and after that weekend they wanted to make it official and invite me out there."
Neither Purslow nor Broadhurst has been drafted by either team. Instead, it was a chance for both to show that they can eventually be a pro player.
“Basically, you’re trying to get your name out there as best you can,” said Purslow. “Every time you’re on the ice, it’s real important, especially being undrafted. You just want to shine as best you can.
“When they’re watching, you want them to circle your name – do something to stand out from the crowd.”
Broadhurst did plenty to make his mark. He led all camp participants in points, scoring seven, and he tied with Blackhawks’ first round draft pick Kevin Hayes of Boston College for the lead with four goals.
“It wasn’t such a big difference as far as players being better,” said Broadhurst. “I think that was the biggest thing going into the first day. I was a little nervous and a little anxious just to get started and see what it was all about. But after seeing it’s just a hockey game, you go out there and play and to see that I was right there with the rest of those guys was probably the most rewarding thing.”
Purslow said that playing for a year under head coach Dean Blais was perfect preparation for playing with and against current and future professionals.
“Everything we do with Dean, the mental toughness that he makes you have, prepared me well for this camp,” said Purslow. “I went into it so mentally strong because of everything we’ve done here – how bad could it be with everything we do here? You feel more comfortable, you feel more confident because you know that everything you’ve done here, you’ve done well.”
Broadhurst, after just one full season of college hockey, agreed.
“Being here in the summer, I was in pretty good shape going there so that wasn’t really an issue,” Broadhurst said.
“As far as the hockey goes, you’re going to have players who are talented and can score and do things like that. But the little things on the ice that really aren’t recognized like getting pucks out of the zone and playing good defense, being in position and knowing when to go fast and when to go slow, those are things that Dean’s talked to the team about and talked to me about a lot during last season, and it really helped me during the camp.”
As Purslow heads into his final season at UNO, he knows his pro prospects hinge on having a good senior season. He also knows that doing well at an NHL prospect camp is a good first step.
“I felt great out there and I felt like I fit in but also you know that those guys are big and strong and some of them have been playing pro for a while so you know that you have to work hard to get there because it’s not easy.”
Broadhurst said the scout who invited him the camp told him the ‘Hawks’ brass was excited by his play and would keep an eye on him as he continues to play at UNO. Broadhurst says playing for his hometown team with a fan base energized by the recent Stanley Cup win is a dream. For now, it’s back to reality.
“It’s always a dream because if you don’t think you can, you won’t. You really can’t worry about it. You have to focus on next season, that’s winning and playing well for your team. When you do that, everything takes care of itself so as of right now, it’s back to school, back to next season and trying to have a good season and do well.”