Vinni Lettieri has spent nearly two consecutive weeks playing hockey nonstop, going from the New York Rangers’ prospect development camp from June 30 to July 4 to the Minnesota Wild’s development camp July 9–14.
But after a Wild scrimmage Monday night, he didn’t look one bit fatigued.
As fellow campmates changed out of their sweat-soaked uniforms and into athletic apparel, the Gophers’ rising sophomore emerged from the locker room at the Xcel Energy Center wearing royal blue dress shoes and matching slacks.
Lettieri didn’t just impress the Wild with his wardrobe — he looked pretty good on the ice, too.
“I like the way he skates. He’s a heck of a player,” said Kurt Kleinendorst, head coach of the Iowa Wild, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Minnesota Wild. “He’s a complete player. He does things very well. He competes. He skates. He’s got a nice shot.”
The camp consisted of draftees and invitees. Lettieri, who has never been drafted, fell under the second category.
His shot was on display Monday night, as he scored a goal early in the second period. Lettieri’s team won Monday’s scrimmage 5-3 and Friday’s scrimmage 4-0 at Braemar Arena in Edina, Minn.
After the buzzer sounded Monday, the teams took turns taking penalty shots. Lining up against former Gophers teammate and goalie Michael Shibrowski, Lettieri tried to excite the crowd with a trick shot.
Lettieri said he pulled off the feat in practice earlier, but the puck got away from him when it counted, and Shibrowski saved the shot easily.
“He tried to pull something goofy for the fans,” Shibrowski said, adding that he has bragging rights for stopping his friend’s shot.
Lettieri’s grandfather, former Gophers and Minnesota North Stars defenseman Lou Nanne, said Lettieri was “solid” at the camp.
“He’s quick, he makes good plays, he sees the ice real well,” Nanne said. “He’s become a very good hockey player.”
Lettieri scored eight points (two goals, six assists) for Minnesota in his freshman campaign and is looking to break out in the coming season.
“I’m trying to be the game-changer now — the guy that they depend on,” Lettieri said. “There’s a lot of great players here and players that are better than me, so it’s an opportunity for me to get into this camp and see what I have to do to get better.”
Shibrowski played in only five games last year during his senior season with the Gophers, backing up Adam Wilcox, one of the nation’s best goaltenders.
He played in one half of each scrimmage and allowed only one goal.
“Any time you’re on the ice with NHL staff and NHL teams, you want to do well,” Shibrowski said. “For me, it was just kind of a good experience and it’s a look into the next level and what it’s going to be like.”
Lettieri said the Gophers learned a lot in their loss to Union College in last season’s championship game and are determined to come back as champions in 2014-15.
One thing appears certain after Lettieri’s summer camp tour.
“I’m going to work my butt off,” he said.
