Development camp: Frasca looks to get faster

CRANBERRY, Pa. -- With so few high draft picks in recent years, the Penguins frequently turn to the undrafted free agent market to bolster their prospect pool.

One of the bigger signings the Penguins made from the undrafted free agent market in the last year was the signing of Jordan Frasca, a center out of the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs.

Frasca, who turned 21 last week, was in his overage OHL season and the No. 2 center on Kingston behind the eventual No. 4 overall pick in the draft, Shane Wright.

Frasca had a strong season, scoring 42 goals and 45 assists in 61 games to rank No. 3 in team scoring. The Penguins had eyes on Frasca long before that, though.

The OHL didn't have a 2020-21 season due to COVID, and a number of OHL players gathered throughout the year for informal group skates. Frasca skated with a group of players outside the Toronto area, and some of those players were familiar with Tom Kostopoulos, who at the time was a player development coach for the Penguins and has since been promoted to director of player development.

The other players invited Kostopoulos out to run one of the informal skates, and that's where Kostopoulos and Frasca first met.

The Penguins expressed interest in signing Frasca to an entry-level contract back in December, though he wasn't officially allowed to sign until March. Members of the Penguins' development staff -- primarily Kostopoulos -- kept in contact with Frasca throughout the year and would have regular calls with him, giving him pointers and letting him know where they thought he could improve.

Then-director of player development Scott Young told me at the time that he thought the adjustments Frasca would have to make at the pro game are the same most players have to make once they make that jump: Adjusting to the importance of a strong 200-foot game and the increased speed at the AHL level.

"He's someone that we feel sees the game well, and we feel that when he gets in with us that there's very good upside," Young told me of Frasca. "Most players of his age, when they come into to play with us, there's going to be some adjustments. He's going to have to learn to play the 200-foot game with us and the urgency in the pace that we play it, but I think there's enough there that we really like as far as hockey sense and skill."

That's not to say that Frasca had a poor 200-foot game at the OHL level. Rather, it was one of his strengths.

"I think I'm a very smart player," Frasca told me at the Penguins' development camp. "I could adapt to anything. And I'm mostly a two-way, so I'm good at both ends. That's what I've been really relied on playing against other teams top lines, and then I'm still able to add offense."

Though Frasca played primarily center in Kingston, he does have experience playing wing and said he'd be "adaptable" to wherever Wilkes-Barre puts him in the lineup next season.

Frasca, who is listed at 6-foot-2 and 183 pounds, knows what he needs to work on the most as he makes the jump to pro hockey: His skating. That's an area of his game he'd like to make strides in, and that's been the message from the Penguins' development staff at this week's camp as well.

"I know most people probably say the first three steps," he said of what he'd like to work on. "I think that's a big one for me. What we've talked about here at camp is single-leg strength, and I think that's what I need to work on. Skating, for sure. From the OHL to AHL, or OHL to NHL, or OHL to any pro league, the difference is always the speed. That's the biggest thing I've been trying to work on."

Frasca has been working hard on his edge work on the ice, but says most of the things he can do to improve his skating come off the ice. Part of that is the work he's putting in in the gym this season, and something else that will be key is working on his nutrition and cutting down on his body fat.

"You need to find the right amount for everything."

MORE FROM CAMP

• Casey DeSmith was again on the ice for practice with the prospect goalies to start the day. He's been in town since the season ended and has been skating most mornings here for the last several weeks.

• Goaltender Filip Lindberg practiced today after having a scheduled day off yesterday as part of his ankle injury rehab. He spent a lot of time working on his own with the goalie coaches before the first session of the day, then didn't participate in the third session.

• Camp wraps up tomorrow with a noon championship scrimmage at the Lemieux Complex for the Michel Briere Cup. It's open to the public, totally free to attend.

• In case you missed it yesterday, the Penguins took the prospects to play flag football at the Rooney Complex

Naturally, I had to get the inside scoop and some scouting reports on the Penguins' flag football abilities.

Consensus is that goaltender Tommy Nappier has a future as a franchise quarterback. Forward Sam Houde was reportedly kicking 40-yard field goals for his team, and forward Max Sasson had a strong showing at kicker as well. Defenseman Aidan Fulp was a warrior, with forward Judd Caulfield saying Fulp "played through some blisters."

Caulfield was the unanimous star on defense.

"Judd Caulfield as outside linebacker, he was ripping those flags off," Sasson raved. "He probably had seven or eight tackles."

"Judd was electric on defense," first-round pick Owen Pickering said. "I've never seen somebody play that good of defense in flag football before."

There was praise for the play-calling of a number of guys.

"(Pickering) and Luke Devlin and I, we had a bunch of plays we were drawing up," Sasson said. "We got a W in one, a loss in the other."

Pickering had high praise for himself.

"I've gotta shout out myself too," he said. "I'm just kind of bringing the boys together, being the commander a little bit out there as well as making things happen."

Pickering's ability as a running back drew criticism from social media, with tweets comparing him to LeSean McCoy in the way he held the ball, in one hand far away from his body.

"Not much ball security out there, that's for sure," Caulfield observed

Pickering saw some of the feedback on the way he carries the ball and he's taking it to heart.

"I'm working on the form," he said. "Yeah, I'll be better next time. I apologize. But I will be better next time."