Natalie Shaver/OHL Images
To be invited to an NHL development camp is not an easy feat to accomplish; most players invited to a camp will have been drafted by a specific team.
But that was not the case for Oakville's Bronson Ride; Bronson went undrafted in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft but was invited to the Ottawa Senators camp to join their young players in a nearly week-long event.
"It was a great honour to be asked to an NHL camp," said Ride.
The process started shortly after the NHL draft; his agent told Bronson that the Senators wanted him to participate in their development camp.
"I was super stoked to get out there because [the camp] was two days [after the phone call], so it was pretty much pack and go."
Once his equipment and luggage were packed, Ride was driven to the airport by his dad, and he flew to the nation's capital for an unforgettable experience.
Once Ride landed in Ottawa and started and began his tours around the Senators' facility, the intimidation began to set in.
Ride wasn't just an undrafted player; he was one of the youngest players at the camp.
Being undrafted is intimidating enough, but being surrounded by players who are almost two years older than you and drafted can add another level of intimidation.
"Obviously, that's in the back of your mind," said Ride about being an undrafted young player.
"There are guys that are first, second, or third round picks there, and there are guys that are signed [that are there] and your the youngest guy plus undrafted… It's not the easiest situation to go through, but you need to [remember] that you're there for a reason."
Once the players hit the ice and began their drills, Ride could tell he was no longer in junior hockey.
"They were very high-paced drills; obviously, in the NHL, they want the best of the best, so everything was moving very quickly."
What was the most significant change for Bronson was the passing drills he participated in.
As a defenceman, your main priority, once you have the puck in the defensive zone, is to pass the puck out of your zone to the forwards in the neutral zone.
The most important part of the pass should be to pass the puck to where a forward will be rather than where they are so the forward can receive the puck in stride and carry it into the offensive zone with speed.
With this new speed came new challenges for Ride and his breakout passes.
"When you're passing to a guy, you need to pass [the puck] 10 more feet in front of them because he is going 15 miles an hour faster than guys in [junior.]"
Not only is this an adjustment, but it also can throw off your timing as now you will have to pass quicker than you are accustomed to and further than you are accustomed to.
Those differences from junior to the NHL are always the biggest changes for players trying to earn spots on NHL rosters.
People often assume that the biggest change is physicality, and that is a big change. But the increase in speed and puck possession from junior leagues to the NHL takes more time and practice to get used to.
Ride was at the Senators' development camp for six days and could hold his own surrounded by NHL talent and high draft picks.
Although he may have been one of the camp's youngest members, he showed off what he could do to Ottawa's coaches and learned many things along the way.
Ride continues his off-season and plans to work harder in the gym and add muscle to become a more physical defenseman.
Most defenders try to reference guys like Erik Karlsson or Victor Hedman when they look at players to model their game after, but Ride threw out a different name.
Ride said he wants to play more like Detroit Red Wings defenseman Ben Chiarot who has been known as a tough and solid player in the defensive zone that no player wants to go into the corners against.
With Ride's 6" 5 frame, if he can add on some muscle and get a little nastier in the corner, he will be a player to be reckoned with in the OHL for the next few years.
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