Cam Land isn't ready to turn pro yet.
But San Jose Sharks director of player development Todd Merchant is pleased with the 2022 second-round draft pick's development.
“Cam's improving,” Merchant told the San Jose Hockey Now podcast in June. “Every year he gets better at something, and we expect that to continue next year.”
in particular?
“He's got great puck skills. We challenged him at the beginning of the year to get better along the wall and get more involved in contests for the puck, and he's taken that really seriously and has really improved,” Marchant said. “His coaching staff has noticed that, and I know our player development staff and scouts have noticed that.”
That being said, Merchant is hopeful the former Northeastern University star will be ready to take the next step in his junior season.
In the 2022-23 season, Lund recorded seven goals and 16 assists in 35 games, followed by 11 goals and 19 assists in 35 games in 2023-24.
But can Lund win Hockey East?
“It's been a tough year for Northeastern. They had a really good team last year. They had a lot of guys that transferred, graduated or signed, so this was a great opportunity for Cam to be one of the guys, if not the star,” Marchant said. “The same thing will happen next year. He's going to be a target every time we play BC or BU. We're going to have to contain Cam Land. That's not a bad thing. In fact, it's a good thing to have that responsibility.”
What areas have the 6ft 2in winger shown obvious improvement?
At development camp, the 20-year-old reported he was two pounds away from weighing 200, about 10 pounds more than he started last season.
Lund also spoke about what he plans to improve on next season, the buzz surrounding the San Jose Sharks development camp and whether he and Northeastern University fear Macklin Celebrini or Will Smith more.
Regarding the increased attention on the San Jose Sharks development camp, Lund said:
There are a lot of fans here. I don't think there were many in the first year, but it seems to be growing. [be] Hopefully we'll have a bigger crowd. It'll be nice to see everyone. It'll be fun because I want to put on a show for my fans.
Regarding his plans after development camp and the possibility of turning pro, Lund said:
I just take small steps. I try not to think too far ahead and just focus on each day. My main goal right now is to have a good season this year. [at Northeastern] And then hopefully, I'll get to compete in a tournament, that's what I'm looking forward to.
At the 00:42 mark in the highlight video above, Lund (46) overtakes a tiring Celebrini (71).
When asked what he would like to improve next season, Lund said:
We've been trying to improve the game. [defensive] The zone, just knocking the puck off the wall, is something I really want to improve on. I'm just trying to work on those little things every day and get better.
Lund spoke about the strength gains he would like to achieve:
I guess I started focusing more on weight training. I was able to put on a little bit more weight. That's my main goal now. I'm trying to eat more and get up to 200 pounds. I just wanted some muscle… I probably gained about 10 pounds. [pounds].
Regarding coaches Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, Lund said: “It’s great to see them in action.
I get positive feedback from all of them. They are very supportive of everyone on the ice. It's very helpful for all the players to have them around. They give positive feedback. Even if it's negative, they all try to help in a good way. It's always a relief to have them around.
On whether he was scared to face Smith or Celebrini, Lund said:
They're both scary. They're both really good players. We always talk about them before we play them.
