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Cameron Lizotte garners national attention
2012-06-13

For many a top-end young hockey prospect, their OHL Draft year carries with it an excitement level unlike anything they have previously experienced. Falconbridge native Cameron Lizotte is getting a little head start on all of the fun.

Coming off a very successful season playing as a major bantam with the Copper Cliff Redmen Minor Midgets, Lizotte was recently informed that he is one of 42 bantam-aged players from across Canada selected to the Allstate All-Canadians Memtorship Camp, hosted in conjunction with the NHLPA.

While opportunities for spring hockey and prospect tournaments are bountiful, few carry the pedigree that this elite joint venture has already established. Of the 42 players from Ontario and Western Canada who attended the inaugural camp last year, 33 were ultimately selected in the first round of either the OHL, WHL or QMJHL draft.

Pretty heady stuff, for a 14 year old grade 9 student at St Charles College, who is already being rumoured as a lock to be selected as a top-end defenseman in April of 2013.

Not that OHL scouts will need much introduction to Lizotte. Many of them already enquired about the solid all-around blueliner given his experience with the Redmen this past season.

"It was a great decision to play up, largely because of the caliber of the tournaments," Lizotte said recently. "At the start, I didn't get played as much. But I worked hard and worked my way up, and in the end, I played on the power-play, played with (2012 OHL 3rd rd pick) Bradley Bell," Lizotte added. "It was a great experience."

Returning for a second year of Minor Midget "AAA" hockey this year (the Nickel City Sons organization takes on the team that was run by Copper Cliff in 2011-2012), the younger brother of Niagara Ice Dogs prospect Marco Lizotte hopes to put the knowledge he garnered this year to good use.

"Having seen the pressure, knowing what the scouts look for, knowing what I need to do to impress them, I want to take on more of a leadership role this year," Lizotte noted. "Since I know what it's all about, I want to help my teammates as much as possible. It's definitely stressful."

For the youngest of the three sons of Paul and Lise Lizotte, that stress is relieved, at least to some extent, by the comfort that he has in the skill-set he will showcase again next winter.

"I'm a defensive defenseman with offensive abilities," he said with a smile. "I can play aggressive when I need to, working in the corners, winning the battles. I want to be a clutch player that you can depend on in your back-end."

Looks like a framework of talent that worked out pretty well. One of just 11 players born in Ontario selected to the Allstate Camp, Lizotte joins a group that includes Connor McDavid (1st overall OHL pick in 2012 - granted exceptional player status), Dylan Strome (younger brother of 1st round NHL pick Ryan Strome) and Sault Thunder forward Blake Speers.

The 42 hockey hopefuls will gather at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga from July 17th to the 21st, enjoying a five-day intensive camp that involves the likes of former NHLer Gary Roberts, sport psychologist Paul Dennis, strength and conditioning experts Lorne Goldenberg and Matt Nichol, as well as innovative drill technician Jari Byrski.

The camp culminates with a head to head match-up exhibition game on (Saturday) July 21st being televised live on TSN from 1:00 until 4:00 p.m. at the Hershey Centre. Understandably, Lizotte can hardly wait to start.

"I first heard about it at the beginning of the year," he said. "In my head, I thought it would be amazing, but with the top 40 in Canada, I didn't think it was going to happen."

"As it got closer and closer, there were rumours that I might be on the list. I was a little worried that they might be looking at major bantam teams only," Lizotte conceded.

Notified a couple of weeks ago of the honour, Lizotte and family were given a strict "gag order" until the media release had been issued. Since that time, the talented teen has been on pins and needles.

"Just playing on national television, being taught by former NHL players, it's crazy," he said. But make no mistake - there is a long way to go before the Nickel Centre Minor Hockey product sees his name pop up on the computer screen, informing him of his selection to an OHL team.

And still much work to be done. "I'm not going in there thinking I can just run through everybody," Lizotte said. "I'm going to play my game, try not to do too much."

He remains a 14 year old at heart and trying to stay grounded provides a constant challenge, especially in light of the experience that lies ahead. "Seeing all the guys that participated who went in the first round is crazy," he said.

"But I try not to get ahead of myself, just keep working hard." A formula that has proved pretty successful to this point.

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