Sniper Broda awaits offer from NHL Capitals

After leading the Western Hockey League with 53 goals last season, Joel Broda appeared to be a lock to graduate to pro ranks this fall.

That might still happen, but for now the Prince Albert resident is waiting to sign an NHL contract with the Washington Capitals, who drafted the forward in the fifth round in 2008.

"Maybe at the start of the off-season, I certainly thought it would happen sooner," Broda said this week from Calgary, where the Hitmen begin their main training camp Friday.

"But, every team is different. (The Capitals) have a really deep organization, so they've had the time to wait with me. They're just taking their time, and they have the right to do so.

"I've just got to make sure that I do what's best for my future."

Lesser talents and lower-profile players have signed pro contracts, but Broda still believes his time will come with Washington. He made his case at the Caps' development camp in July, and he'll try to do likewise at their rookie camp beginning Sept. 6.

"I always think I can do better, but I think did pretty well down there (at the summer camp)," Broda said. "And I think they're happy.

"It's going to come down to (training) camp. They'll see how I've improved over the summer, and that I've gotten better. I'll just go down to camp and try to make the squad."

Broda was pegged to play in the American Hockey League this season with the Hershey Bears, who won the Calder Cup championship last spring. But if he doesn't land a pro deal, he would return to junior for his over-age season.

"I think you've always got to prepare to move on, but you certainly need to be ready to come back, and being motivated to do as well as you can if you come back," said Broda, who turns 20 in November.

"Either way, wherever you're playing, you've got to make sure you have a high level of motivation and be pushing yourself all the time."

Last season, Broda was a big reason the Hitmen pushed all the way to the WHL final, where they lost to the Kelowna Rockets. Picked up at the trade deadline from the Moose Jaw Warriors, he flourished with pennant-winning Calgary and finished the regular season with 87 points in 67 games. In the playoffs, he added a team-leading 24 points.

Many of the Hitmen leaders, including coach Dave Lowry, are moving on to pro this season, and it would seem natural for Broda to go the way of players like Brett Sonne, Keith Seabrook, Paul Postma, Alex Plante and Carson McMillan.

Regardless of where he plays this winter, Broda knows what he wants to accomplish.

"I think you've just got to round out your game and make sure you don't have any weaknesses," he said. "Just playing physical and playing both sides of the puck, working hard every shift. Just all those little details in your game that you're perfecting so that you don't have any weak points when you're moving on to the next level."

Lowry has gone to the Calgary Flames as an assistant coach. His replacement with the Hitmen is former Portland Winterhawks coach Mike Williamson.

Hitmen general manager Kelly Kisio, the man who swung the deal for Broda last January, doesn't necessarily expect the sniper back this season.

"I've talked to (the Capitals' management)," Kisio told the Calgary Sun. "They think he's a very good prospect, but their farm team is very solid. They won the American league last year, so they're very deep.

"I think a lot of where he ends up has to do with what kind of training camp he has with Washington."

Broda, six feet and 202 pounds, is recovering from a minor wrist injury that he suffered off the ice last week and might delay or limit his participation in the Hitmen camp.

"It's not too bad," he said. "It's a little swollen, but I'm taking pretty good care of it, so hopefully it will go down in the next week or so.

"I've just got to take care of it now so that it doesn't linger all season, and I don't have any problems."

The Hitmen veterans, including sophomore forward Tyler Fiddler of Prince Albert, will go through fitness testing Friday and hit the ice Saturday.

Prince Albert Mintos centre Tyson Dallman is among about 80 prospects at Calgary's rookie camp, which began Wednesday.

jmacneil@paherald.sk.ca