CALGARY, AB — They’ve played their entire WHL careers with the Medicine Hat Tigers, coming off personal-best years as they enter their overage season.
Now, they’re fresh off a memorable four days in Calgary following the Flames Development Camp.
Forwards Mark Rassell and Zach Fischer are living very similar lives.
Sure, there are differences.
Rassell received a camp invitation after going unpicked in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, while Fischer was a shoe-in after the Flames selected the sizable forward in the 4th round.
Not to mention Fischer’s tenacious play on the ice earned him a team-high 145 penalty minutes last season, or Rassell’s speedy play and quick hands lead to scoring seven shorthanded goals.
But they both agree spending four days under the watchful eyes of the Flames brass was easier knowing a fellow teammate was by their side.
“It’s kind of a relief to have somebody that you know there,” said Fischer.
The familiarity helped break the ice in day one of Development Camp, which ran from July 4-7 at WinSport in Calgary among other various outdoor facilities.
Fischer says it took a little while for everyone to open up, but several team building exercises helped everyone become comfortable.
“The first day we did an Amazing Race,” he said, noting players were broken into teams to perform a certain number of tasks. “It was kind of awkward at the start, but once you get to know each others and goof around a little bit, you start to form a friendship. The things that the Flames made us do were pretty awesome.”
Camp participants also competed in a cooking challenge. The group was broken into different teams. Whoever served up the best dishes, voted on by several members of the Flames staff, were the winners.
That one came with a valuable learning experience.
“It was partly for fun, and partly to teach us to survive on our own,” said Rassell. “If we’re going to be turning pro, we’re going to have to be making a lot of meals for ourselves. We won’t have the billets or the parents to help us out anymore. I think (the Flames) did a good job of breaking the ice with us and teaching us life skills while doing it.”
On the ice, both agree they’re not far off from reaching the next step. The elite level talent out of the Flames highest prospects isn’t a whole lot better than what Rassell or Fischer bring to Tigers ice during the winter.
But Fischer did note he’s working on his skating while gaining the confidence needed in order to get to the next level.
“I believe my skill set is there, just need to work on my skating a little bit more,” he continued. “It’s come a long way this summer so far. I need to keep my focus on that, and being able to compete every night is huge. The mindset of being a professional hockey player is key. you’ve got to think ‘this is my only job’.
“Coming from (camp) I have a really good idea of what I need to do.”
Rassell sings a similar tune, noting how in-depth the Flames coaching staff addressed the mental side of the game.
“You realize how important it is for your on-ice performance,” he said. “Some of the lessons that they teach you, and the lessons that you learn with the fitness and the nutrition, I think you can bring that to your everyday life and eventually it’s going to pay off for my on-ice game in Medicine Hat.”
Both players are spending the summer in their hometowns. Fischer will hang his hat in Lloydminster for the most part, while heading to Calgary a few times to train with the Flames. Rassell’s summer consists of coaching hockey camps for the Okanagan Hockey Group just outside of Calgary.
With a stroke of good fortune, both Tigers could be invited to the Calgary Flames main training camp in September.
