Defenseman Thomas Hickey, the team’s 2007 first-round draft pick, on his first NHL camp: “It’s been really neat. I didn’t know what to expect coming in, but so far it has been a blast. Seeing these guys, they’re professionals. You can learn from them on and off the ice, so I’ve enjoyed doing that.”

On working with Rob Blake on Tuesday: “He’s a guy I watched growing up all my life, a guy you look up to. To be giving him passes and vice-versa is something special to me, and I’m really trying to soak it all in right now. He’s so calm. That’s probably why he’s made a very good living out of this. He doesn’t get flustered on the ice. He keeps a really calm demeanor out there and that’s nice for a young guy coming in who might have a couple jitters.”

On the higher level of play in an NHL camp: “It’s a pro camp so you got to expect that the guys are going to play like that, and they do. It’s different than any hockey I’ve played before so I’m just trying to adapt to it and play accordingly.”

On the likelihood that he’ll be sent back to juniors: “I just try to put all that aside, really. I know that, in reality, that’s probably going to happen. But if you come in thinking that then you’re not really going to gain anything out of it. You might as well go out, give your best and see where you end up. If you get sent back to juniors, well you expected that in the first place. But why not try for something special. At the same time, I won’t be let down or anything.”