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Lightning top pick Hedman to debut at prospects camp

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 2, 2009

TAMPA - Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman, the No. 2 overall pick in last week's NHL Draft, headlines the additions to an updated list of players who will attend a prospect camp in Tampa next week.

Hedman, 18, will take the ice for the first time in a Lightning jersey during the week-long event, which begins on July 9.

The team is designing a special Hedman T-shirt for the occasion, to be given away free to the first 200 people who attend an intrasquad scrimmage on July 11. Voting for one of three potential designs is being conducted on the team's Twitter page at www.twitter.com/TBLightning.

The camp, which is open to the public, will run from July 9-15 at the St. Pete Times Forum. The scrimmage/skills competition will be from 7-9 p.m. on July 11, with newly signed free agents Mattias Ohlund and Matt Walker expected to join the prospects to sign autographs before and after the scrimmage session.

The team's other first-round selection, No. 29 pick left wing Carter Ashton, also is scheduled to participate in the camp, plus forward Alex Hutchings (fourth round) and goaltenders Michael Zador (fifth round) and Jaroslav Janus (sixth round).

Six players who were originally scheduled to take part in the camp have been omitted from the roster: C Johan Harju (sixth-round pick in 2007), who will play in Russia this season; LW Justin Courtnall (seventh-round pick in 2007); LW Denis Kazionov (seventh-round pick in 2006) and brother C Dimitri Kazionov (fourth-round pick in 2004); C Paul Szczechura and RW Steve Downie.

Daily on-ice practices will begin at 9 a.m., except for July 15 when they will begin at 8 a.m. Evening practices begin at 7 p.m. on July 9, 10, 13 and 14.

Reporter Erik Erlendsson can be reached at (813) 259-7835.

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