Caulfield, Clang & McIlvane Learning Lessons At First NHL Training Camp
Sep 25, 2023By Nick Aguilera/SanDiegoGulls.com
This week, the coldest classroom in the world is Great Park Ice in Irvine.
Gulls head coach Matt McIlvane, as well as right winger Judd Caulfield and goaltender Calle Clang, both of whom spent time with the Gulls last season, are all in their first National Hockey League training camp with the Ducks. With growth an emphasis throughout the organization, all three are buying in.
"There’s so much learning going on all around," McIlvane said. "[Anaheim Ducks head coach Greg] Cronin is laying down his systems, his standards and his expectations. We’ve learned a lot of great drills, great concepts. Awesome ideas that we’re going to bring down into San Diego to be able to create that synergy between us and the big club."
Prior to training camp, McIlvane was tasked with running the Ducks’ development camp in June, as well as serving at the helm for Anaheim during the 2023 Rookie Faceoff in Las Vegas. Under his guidance, the Ducks went 2-1-0 at the annual tournament and netted 11 goals across the three games.
The experience with the Ducks’ prospects helped him get to know most of the Anaheim roster, as the Ducks have 34 players aged 24-or-younger in camp. With veterans of both the NHL and American Hockey League now in the mix, McIlvane can finally get a good look at how the two groups will mix.
"There’s a certain calmness that a veteran can present within a practice," McIlvane said. "Whether it’s being able to pick up drills, whether it’s being able to move forward in system play at an accelerated rate, they can bring a little bit of calm to situations that our kids can learn from a lot.
"The skill is apparent. The will is apparent. The character is real. These are high-quality kids who are very driven and very hungry to learn and be able to get that opportunity to eventually play for the Ducks."
Clang and Caulfield, both midseason acquisitions by the Ducks from the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2022 and 2023 respectively, appeared in five games for San Diego last season after Clang wrapped up his stint Rögle in the Swedish Hockey League and Caulfield finished his collegiate career at the University of North Dakota.
Now, the two are under the guidance of not only McIlvane, but also Cronin and his staff during their first taste of NHL action.
"Both coaches are awesome," Caulfield said. "They definitely know their stuff. It’s good to pick their brains a little bit because we all want to get better. That’s what they’re here for, to teach us how to get better and how to play as a team and win games."
"I think the biggest thing you learn from those other coaches is how great people they are," McIlvane said. "There are so many great people around here. The amount of hockey knowledge and the amount of experience in a room, it’s a lot.
"Any little nuggets that we can take from our staff and be able to put into effect. It’s a great learning environment for us."
Clang had an excellent resource next to him in the locker room for the first three days of camp - Ducks goaltender John Gibson. Clang soaked in all the knowledge the 10-year NHL veteran had to offer and it showed in his preseason debut Sunday, as he stopped all 11 shots faced in the Ducks’ win over the Los Angeles Kings.
"It’s a great experience to be around a guy like Gibby," Clang said. "He’s got some experience and he’s been through a lot of these camps. I’m just going to soak up as much information as I [can] and try and learn from the best."
With preseason games now underway, Clang and Caulfield will be able to leave their first impressions on the ice in Anaheim, while McIlvane prepares for Gulls camp to open early next week.
"I want to make as much of an impact as I possibly can and just play my best and see where it takes me," Caulfield said.