More college kids paying their own way to camp.

It's too bad that there aren't any professional development camps close by, like maybe the Ralph, where a hockey fan could come watch some of the action and take some pictures. It will be interesting to see how Zach Budish does this season after missing all of last winter with a knee injury.

Hockey is not an inexpensive sport by any means. High-end equipment, registration fees, and travel expenses are all part of the commitment a hockey player and that player’s family are forced to endure to continue playing the sport they love. For the players at the Development Camp, they see the financial outlay as money well spent both in terms of their hockey education and the message their presence sends to the Predators.

“It sends the right message to the organization that you want to be here and you want to play in Nashville one day,” forward Nick Oliver said. “I think it is a great tool for college guys to come here to help them get prepared for their upcoming seasons. I’m going to try and learn a lot here.”

The 6’3” 184-pound Oliver is headed for St. Cloud State University in the fall. He was selected in the 4th round (110th overall) of last month’s Entry Draft.

Fellow recent draftee Zach Budish echoed Oliver’s comments.

“It’s a big week in our development, and gets us started off on the right note,” Budish said. “I just got drafted a couple of weeks ago, so I wanted to come down here, have a good experience, and learn a lot of things hopefully.”

The 18-year-old Budish already possesses NHL size at 6’3” and 229 pounds. He is recovering from a torn ACL sustained in a high school football game last fall. That injury prevented him from playing his senior hockey season at Edina High in Edina, Minnesota. Had Budish not sustained the knee injury, there was a good chance he would have been selected in the first round of the Entry Draft. Nashville selected him in the second round with the 41st overall pick.

Budish, who will play for the University of Minnesota in the fall, credited his parents for their financial contribution allowing him to come to Nashville [Examiner.com]