Eagan's Will Merchant, a Mr. Hockey finalist last season, was admittedly disappointed he wasn't selected in the NHL Draft in June, but he got to experience the pace of pro hockey as a free agent invitee at the recent Minnesota Wild development camp.
Merchant, a Maine recruit, talked about the experience in an interview with the Maine Hockey Journal:
“It was really fun, it was a good experience being the hometown kid,” said Merchant. “The pace was definitely faster then what I have been playing before,” Merchant added. “It was really helpful to me because that’s going to be the pace in a college hockey."