Day 5.....

From Greg Harder's Slap Shots blog..........

Training camp Day 5 (good news, bad news for Pats)

By Greg Harder Tue, Aug 25 2009 COMMENTS(0) Slap Shots

The big story on Monday was the official signing of blue-chip prospects Chandler Stephenson and Tayler Balog. Both are slated to play in Tuesday’s Blue & White intrasquad game (7 p.m., Lumsden Arena). They’ll likely see some pre-season action as well before joining their respective midget AAA teams: The Tisdale Trojans (Balog) and Saskatoon Contacts (Stephenson). They’re eligible to play just five WHL games this season but can join the Pats on a full-time basis after their midget teams are done.
Here are some other notes from Monday:
— It’s looking like G Linden Rowat and RW Brett Leffler may not be headed for NHL training camps after all. That would be a tough blow for the 20-year-olds, who attended summer development camps with the Ottawa Senators and Chicago Blackhawks, respectively. It was thought those teams would extend an invitation to training camp but that no longer appears to be the case. Unless something changes, D Matt Delahey is now the only 20-year-old who could leave the Pats for a job in the pros. However, the fact that the New Jersey Devils still have a year to sign Delahey bodes well for Regina's chances of getting him back. Delahey, RW Garrett Mitchell (Washington), RW Jordan Eberle (Edmonton) and D Colten Teubert (L.A.) are now the lone members of the Pats who are assured of spots in NHL training camps.
— LW Jason Gardiner, an off-season acquisition from Tri-City, is slated to miss about 10 days with a hyper-extended knee. It was originally feared to be more serious. C Dominick Favreau is also out 10 days with a sprained knee. LW Graham Hood (thumb) is good to go and might play in the Blue & White game. Delahey (charleyhorse) is also coming along well but won’t play in the intrasquad game.
— With 52 players still in camp, there will be significant cuts following the Blue & White game. The contest will feature a mixture of veterans and hopefuls. Jordan Eberle and Colten Teubert are among the vets who may sit, unless head coach Curtis Hunt has a change of heart.
— Returning goalies Linden Rowat and Damien Ketlo are expected to get the night off. As a result, the four rookies in camp — Derek Tendler, Dawson Guhle, Cory Nygaard and Jesse Rogers — will all play. It’s an important audition for a player like Guhle, who has a chance to challenge for a job this season.
— Ex-Pats Jamie Heward and Garth Murray are expected to begin skating with the team this week in preparation for the upcoming NHL season. Heward, who may elect to retire and get into coaching, typically uses the time to improve his conditioning and lend a hand with the Pats. Watch for another Pats alumnus, Mike Sillinger, to do some work with the team this season in a yet-to-be defined consultant/coaching role, perhaps as a skills coach. Sillinger is expected to retire after 16 seasons in the NHL.