When Owen Tippett first arrived at the Florida Panthers' development camp last summer, he had plenty of room to develop.
"He had a little baby fat on him," Panthers general manager Dale Tallon said. "He was still a kid."
Fast forward 12 months and the Panthers' 2017 first-round draft pick doesn't feel like a kid anymore. He has had a year to grow and got a taste of the professional hockey experience when he played in seven games for the Panthers early in the season and another five for Florida's AHL affiliate in Springfield, Massachusetts.
He wants to make it back to the NHL level — sooner rather than later.