COLLINGWOOD, ONT.—When Maple Leafs prospect Zach Hyman isn’t turning himself into the best hockey player he can possibly be, he’s following his other passion: writing.

“I fell into it with a Grade 7 short story competition,” Hyman. “I fell in love with it. It’s a passion of mine. It’s fun for me, so I kept doing it.”

The 23-year-old Hyman has two children’s books published and two more ordered by Random House. His first two books, Hockey Hero and Bambino and Me had similar themes. They are stories about young kids with big dreams.

“It’s about believing in yourself and making your dreams come true,” Hyman said.

Hyman and 56 other young hockey players at the Leafs’ prospects camp have gathered in this resort town to work toward making their own dreams come true.

The Leafs have set a new course with this development camp, copying the Los Angeles Kings’ model in which off-ice sessions were perhaps more important than on-ice ones. There were about a dozen instructors Wednesday working with prospects at three venues — on the ice, in the gym and outside on a ball hockey court — working with the prospects. The focus was on the small things: puck control, taking a pass along the boards, working through the neutral zone.

“What we’re trying to do right now is establish a criteria, an identity of what it’s going to take to play for the Leafs and what the standard is,” said Scott Pellerin, the director of player development. “We’ve had some communication with Mike Babcock and what he wants and what style of play he wants. We’ve designed this camp to bring out those elements in these players.”

Pellerin was clear: This is not an evaluation camp. Free agents will not earn contracts here. Players won’t earn roster spots. But they’ll all get help with their game.

“It’s July. We’re not here to evaluate guys,” Pellerin said. “We’re here to help them be a pro. All the on-ice stuff is a bonus for us. We’re teaching them how to lift. We’re teaching them how to eat. We’re teaching them how to talk to you guys. We’re teaching them how to be a pro.”

It is a cross-section of youngsters the Leafs have invited, from 18-year-old first-rounders Mitch Marner and Kasperi Kapanen to others who might be getting another look before their junior careers end. Some are years from making the NHL. Most, probably, will never make it. One already has.

“They’re bringing me in here because I wasn’t in Toronto for very long,” Casey Bailey said. “It’s giving me an opportunity to meet the guys, meet some of the staff, learn the system.”

Bailey played six games — and scored his first NHL goal — with the Leafs at the end of the season, after finishing his college career at Penn State.

“I think I am ready,” Bailey said. “That’s my goal, that’s my dream. I made it to that level. I was able to play a couple of games. I learned a lot. I know I can be successful at that level. I know it’s going to take a lot of hard work. I’m not going to get thrown in there, I have to earn my spot. It’s something I’m focused on this summer.”

The Leafs say they will not hand a young player a NHL job. As Babcock pointed out, the Leafs have enough forwards under contract.

“Jobs aren’t given to anybody, you have to take one,” said Babcock. “We now have I think 13 NHL forwards signed and so if you’re one of these other guys, you have to take someone’s job.”

While there will be hype and high expectations around the likes of Marner, Kapanen and William Nylander, the reality is they will need more seasoning — Marner in junior, Kapanen and Nylander with the Marlies.

But college graduates like Bailey and Hyman are probably slotted a little differently. Both are older, 23. Both are late bloomers.

Hyman is even more intriguing. The University of Michigan grad is fast and controls the puck well.

“I grew up being a huge Leafs fan. My dad is a Leafs fan. All my buddies are huge Leafs fans,” he said. “Obviously I was rooting for Florida too, because I was drafted by them. But in the back of my mind I was always a Leafs fan.”

The Panthers were worried they wouldn’t be able to sign Hyman and traded his rights to the Leafs last month for forward Greg McKegg.

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Now, with a two-year entry-level deal in pocket, Hyman, like the characters in his books is ready to make his own dream come true.

“I’m definitely NHL-ready,” Hyman said. “I just finished college. I’ve been there for four years developing. I want to make an impact in training camp and earn a spot on the team.

“I just want to come in here and make a positive impact on the team and do whatever I can to eventually help the team win the Stanley Cup one day.”