15-year-old winger Nicholas Caamano commits to Whalers

Nicholas Caamano scored 22 goals with 22 assists for 44 points with 54 penalty minutes in 40 games last season for the Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs minor midgets.

PLYMOUTH, Mich. – Nicholas Caamano, who was taken in the second round (27th overall) of the 2014 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection, has committed to the Plymouth Whalers.

General manager Mark Craig made the announcement Tuesday. Caamano, an Ancaster, Ontario native, turns 16 on Sept. 7. He will attend school at the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park starting later this month.

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Caamano scored 22 goals with 22 assists for 44 points with 54 penalty minutes in 40 games last season for the Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs minor midgets. He also scored a goal in five games in the 2014 OHL Cup tournament last spring and added an assist in two games last weekend in the Hockey Canada U-17 Development Camp in Calgary, Alberta.

"We're very excited to have Nicholas in Plymouth," said Whalers head coach Don Elland. "He has good size and an excellent overall skill set. Given time, we look forward to seeing Nicholas develop into a top-six forward."

Central Scouting has this assessment of Caamano:

"Nicholas has made huge strides forward this season in all aspects of his game. He is playing with a lot more confidence with the puck and is trying to do more things than he did at the beginning of the season. He is carrying the puck more, attacking with speed and being more creative. Nicholas has a nice, long fluid stride and plays the game at a high tempo with the ability to make plays at full speed. He is not afraid to take on a defender one-on-one."

Earlier this off-season, the Whalers announced the commitment of first round choice Will Bitten, a skilled center taken seventh overall from Ottawa, ON.

More: Whalers' 1st round pick Will Bitten commits

Caamano and Bitten join a young and improving Whalers team that made the OHL Playoffs last season for the 23rd consecutive year – a current league record. Plymouth brings back six National Hockey League draft choices in 2014-15, including goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic and defenseman Josh Wesley (both with Carolina), defenseman Alex Peters (Dallas), right wing Connor Chatham (New Jersey), left wing Matt Mistele (Los Angeles) and center Victor Crus Rydberg (New York Islanders).

ALUMNI GAME: Plymouth's fourth alumni game is set for Saturday, August 16 at 4 pm at Compuware Arena. So far, 31 alumni have committed, including current National Hockey League players Tyler Seguin (Dallas), David Legwand (Ottawa), Brett Bellemore (Carolina) and Matt Hackett (Buffalo). More alumni may commit over the next week.

The Whalers alumni will meet the fans in an autograph session before the game from 2-3:30 pm.

Billed "Whalers Alumni Give a Miracle on Ice," proceeds of the game – in the form of a $10 donation – will go to the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals at Beaumont Children's Hospital.

Tickets for the game can be purchased online at www.plymouthwhalers.com or at the Compuware Arena box office. Please call the box office at (734) 453-8400.