Men's Hockey | 9/14/2011 11:29:00 AM

ROCHESTER, NY – Five former RIT men's hockey standouts will attend 2011 National Hockey League training camps, which get underway this weekend. Chris Tanev (Toronto, Ontario/) and Steve Pinizzotto (Mississauga, ON/Oakville Blades) will skate with the Vancouver Canucks, Tyler Brenner (Linwood, Ontario/) is with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Bobby Raymond (Lucknow, Ontario/Owen Sound) is with the Ottawa Senators, and Jared DeMichiel (Avon, CT/) will attend camp with the defending Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins.

Tanev became RIT's first player to appear in an NHL game with the Vancouver Canucks last season. He played in 29 regular season games and five playoff games with the Canucks in 2010-11, including games five, six, and seven of the Stanley Cup finals. He drew praise from several national media outlets, and will look to secure a regular spot in the Canucks lineup in 2011-12.

Pinizzotto, who left RIT after his sophomore season in 2007, signed with Vancouver in July after spending four seasons with the Washington Capitals organization. He was a part of two Calder Cup Championships with the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears. Pinizzotto was called up by the Capitals for a game in March, 2009, but did not dress.

Brenner, who graduated from RIT in 2011, signed with Toronto in March, finishing the season with the AHL's Toronto Marlies. Brenner will look to crack the Leafs lineup in 2011 after a brilliant three-year RIT career in which he tied the Division I school record with 55 goals, including 26 last season.

Raymond, who played every game of his RIT career from 2005-09, was an All-Rookie Team selection in the East Coast Hockey League in 2010-11. He joined the AHL's Binghamton Senators in April, helping them win the 2011 Calder Cup Championship.

In 2010-11, DeMichiel spent his first professional season split between the South Carolina Stingrays and Elmira Jackals of the ECHL, and played a handful of games for the AHL's Hershey Bears. DeMichiel played four years for the Tigers, leading the team to the 2010 Frozen Four, leading the nation with 27 wins.

“We are very proud of these players that have worked so hard to be in a position to realize their lifelong dream of playing in the NHL,” said RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson. “All five of these players came to RIT to develop as people and hockey players. We are happy they chose RIT to help them reach their goal of playing in the NHL and we wish them the best in their upcoming training camps.”

During his 11-year stint as an assistant coach at Bowling Green, Wilson mentored several players who have enjoyed excellent careers in the NHL, including Norris Trophy winner and three-time All-Star defenseman Rob Blake, while he was an assistant coach at Bowling Green University. Wilson also coached former NHL players Dan Bylsma (2009 Stanley Cup Champion Head Coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins), Todd Reirden (Pittsburgh Penguins Assistant Coach), Kevin Dahl, Nelson Emerson, Mike Johnson, Ken Klee, Peter Ratchuk, Paul Ysebart, and former Hobey Baker Award winner and Buffalo Sabre Brian Holzinger.