Hailing from Berwyn, Pa., a northwest suburb of Philadelphia, Michael Cameron joined New England’s prep ranks as a forward for powerhouse Salisbury School this season. The 5-foot-9, 170-pound center has raised his play under head coach Andrew Will and the region’s top-ranked squad, posting eight goals and seven assists through 21 games.
But this season has also taken the future UMass Minuteman back out of the region for a small taste of the United States Hockey League. Cameron has suited up in three games for the Omaha Lancers and the U.S. National Under-17 Team.
Cameron discusses the path to making his Hockey East commitment on Jan. 18 in our latest New England Hockey Journal Q&A:
How would you describe yourself as a player? Are there NHL players you try to emulate?
I'd say I'm a 200-foot center and someone who can also make plays. An NHLer I like to watch and try to compare my game to is Patrice Bergeron because he always does the little things that are necessary for a team to win, takes care of his D-zone, and he can create offensively as well.
Being from Pennsylvania, what made college hockey something you wanted to pursue?
College hockey was always the goal for all the kids I played with when I was younger. Penn State kind of came on the scene, so that was big around Philadelphia. College hockey definitely got a lot of traction around there when Penn State got a team and started having a lot of success so quickly.
What made UMass the right college fit for you?
I had an instant connection with the coaches (head coach Greg Carvel, associate head coach Ben Barr, and assistant coach Jared DeMichiel) there. They're all great guys and they're obviously great coaches. They have great facilities and I liked the school, but the coaches definitely made the difference in their philosophy towards coaching and they way they approach it.
The style they play is fast, hard on the puck, quick up to the defensemen. I love that. They're very straightforward like forecheck hard, get the puck, and make plays. I definitely like that style. They also say they want to be the hardest-working team on the ice and be the fastest team on the ice. I think that caters well to my game.
What did you take away most from your conversations with those coaches?
They talked to me about how important it is to be the hardest worker out there, at all times. In the classroom and at the rink as well, you always have to be a hard worker. They have that certain style of play that they want everyone to buy into.
UMass has had such a great season this year, moving all the way up to No. 1 in the country for the first time in program history. How excited has all that success made you for the future?
It's definitely really exciting. I got to see a game against Vermont a few weeks ago. They're a really fast and really skilled team and they've got some high-end players. It's no surprised that they're so good this year with the coaching they have. It's awesome to see.
What other schools did you consider? Was staying relatively close to home something you considered through the process as well even though you're originally from Pennsylvania?
Miami and Providence. Both (UMass and Providence) are about the same distance away from my house. That was probably a drawback for Miami because you have to get a flight there, but it's like a five-hour trip to both Hockey East schools.
Providence is an amazing program that has had a lot of success. The coaching is great there, too, but I felt like UMass was a better fit for me school-wise and on the ice.
How has the transition to Salisbury gone for you this season?
We've had a lot of success so far. We have a great team, we all buy in, and we all get along. Coach (Andrew) Will is an amazing coach.
What areas of your game do you think you've improved upon the most during the transition to the prep level?
It's definitely helped me playing prep because it's bigger and faster than U16 hockey. There's a lot of skill, too, so it's been a great experience so far.
In addition to playing at Salisbury, you've been around a little bit this year with stops playing at the National Team Development Program and Omaha. What have you taken away most from those experiences?
Those were great experiences. Going out to play for the NTDP was awesome. I definitely wasn't expecting it, but it's a great experience to have. One of my goals is to go out and play in the next few years; it was definitely a great league, fast, hard to play in, but that was a great experience as well.
I definitely got a great taste of what the USHL is like. I learned that it's really fast, really physical, and really skilled. I learned that I've just got to keep developing in order to keep playing in that league one day.
What are those areas of your game you're looking to keep developing?
Probably just hands, shot, finishing better. I'm going to play (next season) by ear.
What does next season look like for you?
I'd love to come back to Salisbury next year because it's a great spot, but if I have the chance to play juniors and I make the team I'd possibly go out there. I'm not 100 percent sure yet.
