There are a lot of motivating factors this season for Cam Dineen.
On the positive side, the Arizona Coyotes prospect went to his second NHL main camp and this season was flattered to realize veteran Coyotes D-man Luke Schenn, remembered him from the year before, of course not before joking that he looked like he was 16.
“I got to know him (Luke) and just going back in, right away he came up to me and just talked to me. He was on my team for a couple practices so it was good to get some advice from him just learning and watching him,” said Dineen.
“He told me the simple things a normal coach would tell you but coming from him it means a lot more than maybe some people but I think he just really understands the game and knows what it takes to be an elite defenceman in the NHL so any advice from him, anyone is going to listen.”
At Coyotes camp, Dineen was reunited with his Battalion D partner Kyle Wood, who is working hard in hopes of cracking the NHL lineup this year after an impressive rookie year in the AHL with the Tuscon Roadrunners.
“Going in he is pretty much the only guy that I knew before being drafted to Arizona so that’s a plus right there. And in the rookie tournament we are defence partners again so that was cool to reunite with him and get some playing time with him. I think he has just taught me some things over the past few years coming in here with the Battalion my first year and he has given me some tips on what to expect once I would make it to professional hockey,” Dineen said about Wood.
The New Jersey native is healthy again too and hopes to get off to a quick start not only for the Battalion but also for his stock with USA Hockey. You see, Dineen was slighted by not even getting an invite to the USA World Junior Development Camp in Ann Arbour, Michigan this August.
“I definitely have a chip on my shoulder,” the normally soft-spoken and articulate defenceman bluntly stated.
“I am not going to use it as an excuse about my injury for not making it but I definitely think I deserve a chance to at least be looked at so I think going into the start of the season I have to be at the top of my game and just hope that someone is here watching and recognizing what we are doing,” added Dineen about the Word Juniors which will be held in January in Buffalo, New York.
But don’t think for a second Dineen and the rest of his Battalion teammates also have a chip on their shoulder after missing the playoffs last year in a forgettable injury-plagued season.
Battalion Head Coach Stan Butler noted the club only had nine victories after Dineen’s season-ending knee injury back in December of 2016.
“I wouldn’t blame that directly on me, we had a bunch of injuries which didn’t help,” noted Dineen.
“I think it shows that I have to be at my best all the time and that guys are going to be looking up to me this year to be one of our top players so I just know I have to be going every night.”
Dineen and the Troops open the season against the much improved Barrie Colts who blasted the Ottawa 67’s 11-2 in the Colts home opener.
CHL top import pick Andrei Svechnikov, who may go first overall in the NHL Entry Draft next spring, had two goals in his OHL debut.
View related story: Colts see this season as being different from last, very different
