Five familiar names make NHL "Prospect Camp" roster

Five past members of the Idaho Steelheads have been selected to play for the Dallas Stars? entry in the NHL Prospects Camp held in Traverse City, MI. Forwards Tyler Shelast and Luke Gazdic will join defensemen Trevor Ludwig, Matt Stephenson, and Brandon Milnamow on the ice Sept. 6 ? 10 at the Center Ice Arena. Dallas is one of eight teams to participate. Atlanta, Carolina, Columbus, Detroit, Minnesota, Saint Louis, and the New York Rangers will also have teams of young prospects in the event. Head coach Derek Laxdal led the 2008 Stars? prospect team to the championship in this tournament. Stephenson (pictured) is the most-accomplished player of the bunch. The 6-foot-2 blue-liner was an ECHL All-Star in Idaho before being recalled to the American Hockey League. He finished the season with Providence in the AHL. Shelast also split time between the AHL and Idaho, scoring 21 points (9 goals, 12 assists) in 31 regular-season games with the Steelheads. He was scoreless in four postseason games. In all, members of the Stars? prospect team appeared in 126 regular-season games in Idaho last season, totaling 17 goals. It is also a chance for fans to get to know some prospective future Steelheads. Stephenson, Shelast and Ludwig all played in Traverse City last season, along with goaltender Matt Climie, before spending much of their regular seasons in Idaho. Training camp for the Steelheads opens on October 3 at Qwest Arena in Boise. The regular season opens on October 16 when the Steelheads host the Stockton Thunder. Season-Ticket packages start at $450 per seat for all 36 home games, with partial-season plans beginning as low as $150 per seat. New this year is the all-inclusive ?Gold Club? membership. Call the Steelheads? front office at 208.383.0080 for more information.