Opportunities came down to the final days, hours and minutes for some familiar AHL names, but all the same they have somewhere to be as training camps have opened across the NHL this week.

NHL teams have wrapped up their prospects tournaments, a perfect warm-up as all 32 clubs open up their main training camps this week.

Some of the AHL’s young talents from last season are showcasing themselves this weekend at NHL prospects tournaments.

With NHL training camps set to open next week, several names familiar to AHL fans remain available.

Players are not the only American Hockey League names who are on their way to the NHL this summer.

In former captain Jared Nightingale, the Rockford IceHogs are getting a coach who has seen all of the ups and downs that come with the pro game.

Derek King will admit that before becoming the franchise’s 29th head coach this week, he had minimal connections to the Hershey Bears. But from a distance, at least, King knew what Hershey represents.

As a player, Rocky Thompson built a reputation as someone who protected his teammates and brought an energetic, all-in mentality with him each day. Now he wants to bring that same enthusiasm to Bridgeport as he steps behind the bench of the Islanders.

Departing Hershey Bears head coach Todd Nelson made the most of his three seasons with the AHL’s senior-most franchise. Along with the pig roasts, team-bonding outings and memorable quips came a lot of wins.

Summer’s months for young prospects mean a time to rest, recover and build for training camp in September. For goaltender Tomas Suchanek, that was last summer’s plan. Until it wasn’t.