Bruins
The Bruins’ subsequent wave of expertise took half in a full-team scrimmage on Friday morning.
The Bruins wrapped up their annual Growth Camp at Warrior Ice Enviornment on Friday, with the five-day session concluding with a full-squad scrimmage on the frozen sheet at Boston’s follow facility.
Crew Black secured a 2-1 victory, with defensemen Ty Gallagher and Frederic Brunet lighting the lamp for the profitable squad. Ahead Cole Spicer discovered the again of the online for Crew White.
Right here’s what stood out throughout Friday’s scrimmage and earlier drills involving Boston’s subsequent wave of expertise.
Matthew Poitras’ upside is clear
Each Mason Lohrei and Fabian Lysell have held courtroom as Boston’s premier prospects in a largely barren pipeline over the previous few seasons. However 2022 second-round choose Matthew Poitras may be pushing his means into the dialog as Boston’s most intriguing younger asset.
The 19-year-old ahead doesn’t have the wheels or stick abilities of a Lysell, nor does he have the scale of a playmaking blueliner in Lohrei (6-foot-5). However the 6-foot, 182-pound pivot has the potential to be an influence participant on the professional degree, due to his craftiness with the puck and hockey IQ.
Regardless that his skating potential dropped Poitras out of the primary spherical final summer time, Bruins assistant GM Jamie Langenbrunner famous that the teenager’s “elite mind” permits him to generate Grade-A appears to be like by the use of altering tempo, positioning down low, and poised passing.
Poitras broke by way of final season with the Guelph Storm (OHL), rating fifth within the league with 95 factors (16 targets, 79 assists) in simply 63 video games.
Poitras’ shifts throughout Friday’s scrimmage often led to high quality appears to be like, with the pivot extending O-zone sequences by shielding the puck down low. He usually minimize inside towards the slot with the puck on his stick, somewhat than grasp on the skin and await seams to develop.
Along with his processing potential, he can drive close to the blue paint and nonetheless feed the puck to different skaters hovering close to the crease.
Poitras is probably not flashy, however there’s quite a bit to love about how his recreation ought to evolve on the subsequent degree, particularly as he continues to fill out his body.
And given the grim outlook of Boston’s depth down the center within the coming years, Poitras is effectively conscious of the chance in entrance of him if he continues to construct his recreation.
“It’s simply attempting to assault daily, attempting to win daily,” Poitras mentioned of his mindset transferring ahead. “Clearly I stay up for that. It is a good alternative for me. It sort of helps me simply most likely push myself daily, simply having that behind my thoughts.”
Few surprises with Boston’s blue chippers
Poitras has taken a significant step ahead throughout his brief time in Boston’s system. However the Bruins’ different two prized prospects in Lohrei and Lysell had been additionally as marketed all through the week.
Lohrei’s mix of dimension and playmaking acumen on the blue line provides super upside. His flooring on the NHL degree may be a third-pairing, power-play specialist. If he hits and reaches his ceiling, he might be minimize from the identical material as an identical big-bodied, points-producing D-man like John Carlson.
Even when he falls someplace between these two projections, it leaves Boston with a hefty, two-way defenseman who ought to type a potent top-four grouping within the close to future with Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, and Brandon Carlo.
Lohrei’s improved skating and sought-after sturdiness had been obvious this week, particularly when weighed in opposition to earlier improvement camps.
Lysell’s recreation has been well-documented at this level. After a sluggish build-up this week whereas recovering from a concussion, Lysell did loads of harm throughout Friday’s 3v3 session, due to his high-end talent.
Nonetheless, after hitting a wall final season in Windfall, the 20-year-old winger might want to show in 2023-24 that his first professional marketing campaign was only a small setback somewhat than a recurring pattern.
He’s not afraid to hold the puck down low, and has the arms to do harm on these O-zone probabilities. However Lysell’s smaller body (5-foot-11, 179 kilos) and head-down mindset might result in extra punishment within the AHL ranks and past if he doesn’t brace for it.
Heft on the again finish
A smaller, puck-moving stalwart on the blue line has been a staple of Boston’s defensive items for over a decade.
However only a fast look at Boston’s Dev Camp roster alerts how the workforce is focusing on extra beef on the blue line transferring ahead.
In whole, the Bruins introduced in 10 defensemen this week, 9 of that are at the moment within the group.
The typical top of these 10 D-men? 6-foot-3. Common weight? 204 kilos. Hulking defensemen like Kristian Kostadinski (2023 seventh-round choose) and Jackson Edward (2022 second-round choose) are nonetheless uncooked, however their prickliness is obvious on most contact drills.
Boston’s smallest choice on protection is BU’s Ty Gallagher (2021 seventh-round choose) nonetheless made his presence felt throughout Friday’s scrimmage with some sound stick work and bodily push-back across the boards.
Woburn native Duran appears destined for a checking-line position
Prospects like Lysell and Poitras may provide top-six upside in the event that they hit on the subsequent degree. However when it comes to set-in-stone projections, a bodily ahead like Windfall’s Riley Duran looks as if a lock as a fourth-line common in due time.
The Woburn native and 2020 sixth-round choose has been productive throughout his two seasons with the Friars (39 factors in 67 NCAA video games). However Duran’s excessive motor and physicality stick out throughout 5v5 motion, particularly on Friday morning.
If he carves a path to the NHL, Duran ought to ingratiate himself to the TD Backyard crowd in brief order, given his pugnacious and dedicated model of play.
Odds and ends
In case you missed Growth Camp, simply tune into any Hockey East contest later this yr. Six gamers on Boston’s camp roster will play within the league this upcoming season, with Andre Gasseau and Oskar Jellvik in line for sturdy seasons on a stacked BC roster. Latvian-born Dans Locmelis will probably be a reputation to observe as he begins his collegiate profession at UMass Amherst. … Each 2023 picks Chris Pelosi and Beckett Hendrickson popped throughout numerous battle drills, however each might want to tack on some much-needed weight. … Ukrainian-born goalie Hlib Artsabanov held his personal within the internet as a camp invite.
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