Community College of Allegheny County North Campus is bringing college hockey to the Ice Connection in Valencia this season.

It's also bringing a prestigious hockey camp to the ice there.

Former National Hockey League star Bryan Trottier, a member of two Stanley Cup championship teams with the Pittsburgh Penguins, will direct a hockey camp at the Ice Connection next spring as a fund-raiser for CCAC-North hockey.

Dates and times of the weeklong camp will be announced.

"Bryan has been doing these camps for a number of years," said CCAC-North athletic director Chuck Bell. "He's helped out numerous hockey programs in the Pittsburgh region this way.

"We approached him about bringing a camp here because there aren't many notable hockey camps in this area and we thought it'd be a good fit."

Trottier spent 18 years in the NHL, 15 with the New York Islanders and three with the Penguins, and is the Islanders' all-time leading scorer.

Trottier tallied 524 goals, 901 assists and 1,425 points in his NHL career. He has been part of seven Stanley Cup championship teams: four with the Islanders, two with the Penguins and one as an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche in 2002.

Now living in Canonsburg, Trottier doesn't have a NHL coaching job presently. He was fired as head coach of the New York Rangers midway through the 2002-03 season.

"I'm a free agent for the first time in 15 years and I'm enjoying it," Trottier said. "I like not having to be in a certain place at a certain time every day.

"I'll get back into coaching at some point soon, I hope. … Otherwise, people around the league will think I died or something."

Trottier said he has been putting together hockey camps for 27 years.

"It's become pretty easy for me, and if it helps people raise money, then why not do it?" he said.

The camp will encompass all ages, from beginning players through adults. Fee will be $250 for beginners and adults, $400 for all other levels.

The camp will consist of 80 percent offensive skills and 20 percent defensive skills. Trottier is hopeful of getting some current Penguins players and Penguins alumni to help with the instruction.

"I'll make some calls and see what happens," he said. "Getting current players may be tough in the spring, but plenty of Penguin alumni live in the Pittsburgh area and are always willing to lend a hand.

"We'll be working on skating, passing and playmaking. Participants will be at the rink for 3½ hours. We take the final 15 to 20 minutes each day and do scrimmages to actually practice playing the game. Not many camps do that."

The anticipated success of the Penguins this season might help to spark renewed interest in hockey in the area - especially since the NHL hasn't played in more than a year.

"I've enjoyed my relationship with the Penguins over the years," Trottier said. "We hope to piggyback off each other. The Penguins' play will generate more interest in kids learning how to play the game while kids;' interest in playing hockey will generate more interest in the Penguins."

CCAC-North opens the 2005-06 season at 3 p.m. Oct. 2 against Carnegie Mellon at the Ice Connection. Robert Morris, Penn State, Pitt and West Virginia are also among the team's 15 home games.

CCAC-North won the College Hockey Association championship in the team's first year of existence last season.