Young Yukon hockey players have been back on the ice since Monday at the Canada Games Centre as they receive hockey training from current and former professional players as part of the 17th annual Northwestel and Yukon First Nations Hockey Association Learning to Lead hockey camp.

New to the camp is Brandon Montour, a defenceman for the Buffalo Sabres. He was drafted in the second round in 2014 by the Anaheim Ducks before being traded to Buffalo in 2019.

Montour is of Mohawk descent and grew up in Ohsweken, a village inside the reserve of Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation near Brantford, Ont.

Although new to the Learning to Lead camp, Montour said he has participated in other camps.

"I've done it for a couple years now, coming out with young kids," said Montour. "This is my first time in the Yukon, in Whitehorse, I've done plenty of camps. Even if it's just for a day."

Being on the coaching end of a hockey camp brings back nostalgic feelings for Montour as he reflected on his experiences as he was an up and coming player.

"It was always one of those things for me where I always looked at the NHL and knew all about it," said Montour. "Any time you get a chance to get a current player or a past player to come to camp and share their time with you, it's huge.

"I'll remember it forever. It is kind of one of those things where you see them out here, you see them on TV, but when you see them in person, it is one of those things where it's like 'if I do that and listen to them maybe I can get there.'"

Now the current NHLer teaching the kids he said it is a great feeling.

"It's good, it's one thing where it was a goal of mine to play in the NHL," said Montour. "Now that I'm here it's a great experience. All the hard work I've put into my career makes me grateful for everything that I have."

One of his messages to the young kids is to work hard and your goals can be achieved.

"Working hard is obviously huge," said Montour. "The amount of kids that are playing hockey, it is a tough career to stick with. The big thing for me is loving the game and enjoying it every day. I think that is huge."

The Learning to Lead hockey camp emphasizes on First Nations youth.

"I think it is huge for First Nations," said Montour. "I was at one (reserve) last week that had a little ball hockey arena. Some of the kids come from a long ways just to play competitive hockey.

"Then there are things you can turn to. People like myself, Arron (Asham) and Wacey (Rabbit) whoever it may be. Just role models that you can play in a positive role and make a name for yourself."

Montour touched on what he thought about the city.

"It's great," said Montour. "I didn't know what to expect but the views and the mountains, you can't beat it."

He will now say he has been to the home town of his new Sabres teammate, Dylan Cozens.

"I took him for lunch two days ago," said Montour. "I had the chance to meet him, and he seems like a good kid. I know he came from here, so it's pretty cool."

Returning for his second Learning to Lead camp was Asham, who had a 15-year NHL career playing for six teams. He was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in 1996 and made his NHL debut in the 1998-1999 season.

Asham is no stranger to the Yukon. He was here in March as a guest coach in the 2019 NHL Indigenous Alumni Tour.

"Every time I come up here, it gets harder to leave," said Asham. "The people here are fantastic, the kids are great and they are doing a lot of really good things here."

He spoke to what it was like to see some of the kids again.

"It's great, a lot of them remember me from last year," said Asham. "Just being around the smaller communities around the Yukon, I am seeing a lot of familiar faces, and it is definitely nice to see them again."

Having some continuity with the kids, Asham said, it is neat to see the progression they have made in their skills.

"It's definitely nice," said Asham. "There were a lot of kids, last year, who were having a tough time getting around here. Now they are up and moving around and they've got smiles on their faces, which is the most important thing."

When Asham was a youth, he said, it was always special when he got to attend a camp.

"I grew up in a single-family income, I had three brothers and a sister," said Asham. "Whenever I could get out to one, it was very special. These kids are very lucky. They get the opportunity to come out here and work with Montour and Wacey and myself, so it's definitely a great time."

Asham believes it’s huge to be a role model for kids.

"A lot of these kids aren't going to be playing in the NHL or playing pro hockey," said Asham. "But we could have a couple doctors, a lawyer a chief here. As long as they are out here being around that team atmosphere, meeting new people, making new friends, that is what it's all about."

Joining Montour and Asham on the ice was Wacey Rabbit, a centreman for the ECHL Jacksonville Iceman. It was his fourth year as a coach at the camp.

Off the ice, Ashley Callingbull, a model, actor, First Nations activist and former Miss Universe 2015, returned for a third year as a motivational role model to the youth at the hockey camp.

The camp credits its enduring success to its philosophy, which places a strong emphasis on helping participants develop leadership ability, self-confidence and communication skills in addition to on-ice hockey training.