Raiders' defenceman Landon Kosior is one of several players with ties to the organization playing in the rookie showcase in San Jose. (Jeff D'Andrea/paNOW Staff)

By Rob Mahon

Raiders At Rookie Showcase

Raiders reunion in San Jose as Kosior, Wiesblatt, Vitelli to face off at rookie showcase

Sep 14, 2022 | 12:00 PM

From September 16 to 19, San Jose is hosting a rookie showcase featuring the top prospects and invitees for the Colorado Avalanche, Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, and San Jose Sharks. What they might not realize is they’re also hosting an unplanned Prince Albert Raiders reunion.

Defenceman Landon Kosior and forwards Reece Vitelli and Ozzy Wiesblatt, who played together on the Raiders for three seasons, are all attending the event and are all with different teams. Kosior is with the Kings, Vitelli with the Coyotes, and Wiesblatt is with the Sharks.

“It’ll be good, it’s always nice to play against guys you know and have that little rivalry between the two of you,” Kosior said. “I’m excited to be able to see those guys and play against them.”

Vitelli in particular may be something of a source of inspiration for Kosior. The smooth-skating Regina native has not been selected in the NHL draft, but both young men attended rookie camps last summer and earned a spot at main camp for their respective squads. Vitelli has since signed an AHL contract with the Tucson Roadrunners.

“It’s nice having Reece as an example,” Kosior said. “It’s a good path to follow and it’s nice just having him there to talk to because he’s been through it. It’s a good thing to look up to.”

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The rookie showcase rosters are dotted with first-round picks (Wiesblatt included) and highly touted prospects, so a jump in skill level is to be expected. Then, the skill level jumps again when main camps for those NHL teams begin as the regulars get involved.

“It’s definitely a big increase in speed and skill,” Kosior said. “But it’s also easy to play because everyone knows what they’re doing and everyone is so good at what their position is, so they make it easy on you.”

At the camps he’s attended Kosior has earned praise from the coaches for his skating. That’s saying something, because the quality of skaters in the Los Angeles Kings organization can make it hard to stand out in that regard.

“I got to skate with Drew Doughty, so that was definitely cool,” Kosior said. “I always grew up watching him so it was cool to be skating alongside him.”

Both Kosior and Wiesblatt are eligible to return to the Raiders as 20-year-olds, but both are also eligible for the American Hockey League as they’re no longer teenagers. Vitelli played his final season of junior hockey last year and spent it as the Raiders captain.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP