WILMINGTON, Mass. — As Development Camp concluded Friday afternoon with the annual Black and White Scrimmage — a scrimmage won by the white team, 8-4 — there was plenty to talk about. From Rob O’ Gara’s standout day to Jake DeBrusk’s highlight-reel shootout goal, this year’s camp concluded with some promising things.

Whether promising for the Bruins, or the individuals attending camp themselves, the ninth annual Development Camp was an all around success. For Saugus, Mass native Mike Vecchione, the experience was one he will never forget.

“It was awesome, took a lot out of us this week. There is a great group of guys here, I knew a lot of people so I was pretty comfortable coming in,” Vecchione said about his first Development Camp with the Bruins. “I’ve done a couple camps before so I was pretty confident in what I needed to do and how I needed to approach it and I thought I did really good overall on the on-ice and off-ice stuff.”

After skating with the Wild in Minnesota last week for their annual Development Camp, Vecchione came back home and skated with the Bruins as a non-roster invite. One of the main things he seemed to learn from both camps was how to transfer your lifestyle and become a professional.

“Yeah I got a few invites to other camps but my main goal was to go to just two to get my name out there and have a couple of experiences here and there. Both of them were really good, similar in the way they teach the game and how to approach being a professional, thats what it’s all about. It’s a full time job when you sign, so that was one of the main things,” Vecchione added.

“The big thing is nutrition, it’s hard at school to eat healthy all the time, but now I am living in a house so I have to go shopping and cook my own meals, so it’s preparing your food the right way. So that is something that is a big change in my game and everyone’s game to follow a good nutrition plan.”

Learning how to become a professional and eat the proper way is not the only thing the 22-year old learned during his two weeks at different camps. Vecchione says learning how to protect the puck was often preached and is something he is going to carry with him into his Junior year at Union College this fall.

“One of the other things is puck protection. They really preach protecting the puck. You work so hard to get the puck so you don’t want to give it away,” Vecchione said. “As a centerman, I have to win the face-offs to win possession and keep the puck. The games you win you usually have the puck in your hand more than the other team and that creates more scoring opportunities. The more you protect the puck, the better off your are. That was one of the things that Pando [Jay Pandolfo] was preaching this week. I’ll definitely start to do that more in my game this year.”

Growing up a Bruins fan in Boston, Vecchione has seen his fair share of Bruins games and has followed the journey of Massachusetts athletes throughout the league. Participating in a camp where Massachusetts native Pandolfo and former Bruin P.J. Axelsson are running the show is a cool feeling for Vecchione.

“Yeah, I mean i’m pretty sure when Pandolfo won the cup with New Jersey he brought it up to Massachusetts and i went to the ceremony and it was pretty cool, I got to kiss the cup and I think I even have a picture with him, it was so long ago” Vecchione said with a smile. “And watching Axelsson play, it’s pretty cool and an all around great experience. The guys were always here to help and I made sure to ask a bunch of questions because they’re great resources as they’ve played in the league for so long and they know how to approach it.”

Even a current Bruin came into camp and helped relay what it takes to make it in the National Hockey League.

Luckily enough for Vecchione, this current Bruin is someone he can relate to.

“Torey Krug came in and taught us how to be a pro and I can really relate to him,” he said. “Obviously a short and stalky guy who came out of college and had to change up his lifestyle. It was a great learning experience and I was able to take a lot out of it.”

Vecchione has committed to go back to school in the Fall, but the former Malden Catholic High School star hopes to someday follow the footsteps of Krug. Following those steps all the way to Boston wouldn’t be a bad thing.