It is finally here. Training camps around the league are now done as each team has finalized what will be their opening night rosters for the 2023-24 campaign. The Boston Bruins had mixed results during the preseason, posting a 2-2-2 record. However, this year’s training camp also provided the emergence of three prospective rookie skaters, two of which who are on the opening night roster.
While the play of Matthew Poitras, John Beecher, and Mason Lohrei was the high of the Bruins’ training camp, other player’s performances weren’t quite as enthralling. Once touted as the Bruins’ top prospect, Fabian Lysell has seen another year pass and yet again failed to impress at the NHL level. For those who haven’t tuned in to much of the preseason action, here’s an in-depth look at the happenings of the Bruins’ training camp and storylines to watch for as they begin the 2023-24 season.
Bruins’ Poitras Shines Through Preseason
If you haven’t heard the name by now, you probably should have. Poitras entered training camp coming off an impressive season with the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Through 63 games, he finished sixth in OHL scoring with 16 goals and 79 assists for 95 points. While his playmaking skills were never in question, his size, listed at 5-foot-11, 176 pounds, brought questions regarding his immediate NHL readiness. Poitras has continued to quiet any doubters with each passing performance throughout the preseason.
He played in five of the Bruins’ six preseason contests and registered three goals and two assists for five points. While playing against some veteran NHL-loaded lineups, Poitras also showed he has an elusive ability to his game and is able to handle the rigorous physicality of NHL hockey. While the Bruins have decided the kid has earned a spot in the lineup for opening night on Oct. 11 against the Chicago Blackhawks, how long he stays remains up in the air as he is eligible to play in nine regular season games before Don Sweeney and the brass must make their final decision on the talented center. Should Poitras play more than nine games he will burn up the first year of his entry-level contract and if not he will need to return to the OHL for another season of development with the Storm.
Back in July, following the retirement announcement from former B’s captain Patrice Bergeron, I wrote an article discussing potential replacements within the organization with Poitras headlining the list. To this point, he has lived up to those expectations and while you don’t simply replace the best two-way forward to ever play the game, his emergence through this training camp has given both the club and the fanbase a heightened sense of optimism regarding the future. The timing could not be better for Poitras to make his mark with the organization by following in Bergeron’s steps with a surprising training camp and simply forcing the club to keep him around. Keep an eye on the rookie in the coming week as his play in the early stages will determine whether or not he sticks around for the entire season.
Mason Lohrei’s Emergence Presents Options for Bruins
Lohrei was equally impressive throughout his first training camp with the Bruins. The emergence of the left-handed defensemen has presented the Bruins with some options amongst their defensive corps going forward. During the preseason finale, color commentator Darren Pang commented that head coach Jim Montgomery had said that it’s not a matter of if he will play in the NHL this season, but a matter of when. The statement also brings suspicions as to whether or not the Bruins will trade one of their left-handed defensemen, likely one of either Matt Grzelcyk or Derek Forbort.
Related: 3 Bruins Prospects Who Need to Take the Next Step in 2023-24
Lohrei provides a much-needed size aspect and while he is not quite Zdeno Chara‘s size, his extended reach is reminiscent of the years “Big Z” spent patrolling the Bruins’ blue line. The difference is in the mobility as Lohrei has exemplified great poise with the puck as well as an ability to jump into the play on the offensive side of the game. Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing in at 209 pounds, the 22-year-old already possesses NHL-caliber size.
Through his four preseason games, Lohrei logged big-time minutes including a high of 29:01 against the Buffalo Sabres. He chipped in offensively scoring one goal and one assist while posting a plus/minus rating of plus-2 through the four contests. Montgomery has been impressed with the defenseman’s play throughout camp, however, the deciding factor was how much ice time he would see if he stuck around with the big club this season. While some argue that his development may be best served by logging top-pairing minutes with the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League (AHL), my personal thoughts are that he should be playing the season in Boston and Sweeney is behind the scenes trying to work a deal in order to make room for him. Lohrei will be in the NHL this season, it’s just a matter of when.
Beecher Earns 4C Position With Solid Camp
Following more roster moves over the weekend, Beecher, the Bruins first-round, 30th overall selection from the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, will be making his NHL debut on opening night. He burst into training camp with an impressive outing in the Bruins’ first preseason game against the New York Rangers. He has looked dependable in all areas of the ice, has been strong in the faceoff circle, and has the skill set to provide a depth-scoring threat while playing in the 4C role.
Similar to both Poitras and Lohrei, Beecher put together a camp that has leapfrogged him up the Bruins’ organizational depth charts. Last season was his first full-time campaign with the P-Bruins, appearing in 61 games while adding nine goals and 14 assists for 23 points. While looking a lot more comfortable in his second go at Bruins’ training camp, he has done all the right things and looks to be centering Milan Lucic and Jakub Lauko on the fourth line. The addition of Beecher is an upgrade in the physicality department from Thomas Nosek who held down the 4C spot during the Bruins’ remarkable campaign last season.
Lysell Needs More “Seasoning”
At one time all the hype regarding Bruins’ prospects was focused on Lysell, however for the third time since being drafted, he hasn’t done nearly enough to propel himself into a roster position with the Bruins. The Swedish winger made his preseason debut in the first game against the Rangers but made little impact while skating largely in a bottom-six role. His speed was noticeable throughout the game, as he was often the first man in on the forecheck. At one point, he nearly stole the puck away from Rangers’ goalie Jonathan Quick, who was out of his net and caught off guard by Lysell getting to the area so quickly.
The choice by Montgomery to play Lysell alongside Patrick Brown in a depth position raised some eyebrows for me, as the offensively gifted winger would be best showcased playing in a top-six position, especially in the early stages of the preseason. The decision brings some questions as to why he wouldn’t get the chance to play higher in the lineup. Perhaps Montgomery didn’t see a high enough compete level during the opening practices to warrant the greater opportunity, or he simply thinks he needs to improve in all facets of the game before he takes the next step in his career development.
Following the Bruins’ decision to assign Lysell to Providence, Montgomery was pretty transparent on his thoughts about the 20-year-old’s play. “I think Lysell’s had moments where he’s been good,” Montgomery replied. “He’s had moments where he’s struggled, just as far as he’s drafted to be a skilled offensive player, and in order to be a skilled offensive player, you’ve got to produce, and we haven’t seen the production yet.”
The clock is ticking for the one-time top Bruins’ prospect, as he has now burned up another opportunity in training camp. Keep an eye on Lysell’s play in the AHL this season where he will be looking to improve on his rookie numbers. Although he had a decent showing last season with 14 goals and 23 assists for 37 points in 54 games with Providence, he will need to put up significantly better numbers to prove he still has the potential to be a top-six NHL-level talent in the future.
Harrison and Merkulov Had Underwhelming Camp
While we’ve discussed the high points of training camp, on the other side of things, some players I was hoping would stand out more with their opportunities were Brett Harrison and Georgii Merkulov. Harrison was impressive at the Prospects Challenge but hardly moved the needle with his play during the preseason. This season will be his first as a professional after spending the past three in the OHL. Harrison did get the chance to play in one AHL game last season picking up an assist in the lone outing. Although he didn’t necessarily stand out during his two preseason games, his development will be worth paying attention to as he remains an intriguing prospect for the B’s.
Merkulov picked up an assist while also firing four shots on goal during the game against the Sabres. He followed that up by picking up another assist while seeing limited ice time against the Philadelphia Flyers. He also had four shots on goal during his final preseason showing but with the limited space, he was also assigned to Providence. Despite picking up the two assists, Merkulov also was underwhelming as a whole and will be best served with more time in the minors.
Bruins Moving On From Zboril
With the emergence of Lohrei on the Bruins’ blue line, Jakub Zboril needed to have an excellent camp and quite frankly he did not do that. Drafted in the first round of a 2015 NHL Entry Draft that is memorable for all the wrong reasons for Bruins’ fans, the Czechia native has had some tough luck while trying to make his mark at the NHL level. It appears as though the Bruins may be finally moving on from Zboril and officially making him a bust as a former 13th-overall selection. He was placed on waivers and while he may benefit from a change in scenery, no teams bothered to claim the 26-year-old.
Over the years since making his NHL debut, Zboril has played some solid hockey for the Bruins highlighted by 42 games during the 2020-21 season. He picked up nine assists during the campaign and was looking as if he was going to be part of the Bruins’ blue line for the foreseeable future. However, the following season he was limited to just 10 games when he suffered a season-ending torn ACL knee injury. Last season, Zboril often found himself as the Bruins’ seventh defenseman and was limited to playing just 22 games as a victim of the club’s depth at the position.
With Zboril clearing waivers, he will report to Providence to begin the season. The move may be a blessing in disguise for him as he will get a much heavier workload and consistent game action in the minors. For the time being, it seems as though the Bruins are moving in a different direction, but should there be injuries throughout the season, he could very well find himself playing with the big club once again.
Bruins’ Goaltending Depth Provides Potential Trade Assets
Brandon Bussi stole the headlines with his 29-save shutout performance to kick off the Bruins’ preseason schedule. He made an absolutely jaw-dropping glove save on Rangers’ forward Johnny Brodzinski. The save was just the cherry on top of an all-around spectacular performance, although if you paid attention to Bussi’s play in Providence last season this may not come as a surprise. Through 32 games played, he posted an impressive 22-5-4 record with a 2.40 goals-against average (GAA) and a .924 save percentage (SV%).
Bussi’s impressive development between the pipes highlights what has now been an organizational strength dating back to Tim Thomas’ emergence as a number-one goalie. Season after season, the Bruins have been blessed with strong goaltending, the backbone of any team’s hope of contending for a Stanley Cup championship. Now with Bussi looking every bit capable of playing at the NHL level, the Bruins find themselves with some options going forward.
Depending on how the season goes and how Pavel Zacha and Charle Coyle respond to their elevated roles, the Bruins could potentially use one of their goaltenders as trade bait in an attempt to bring in an experienced top-line center. Logan Couture, captain of the San Jose Sharks, has had his name swirling around the rumor mill of late, and even Tampa Bay Lightning captain, Steven Stamkos, could be an interesting candidate considering the injury news to starting goaltender Andrei Vasilevsky, who will be out of the lineup at least into December following back surgery.
For now, the Bruins will continue to roll with the best tandem in the NHL last season. However, having a netminder of Bussi’s calibre in the depth charts is a great asset for Sweeney. The future looks good between the pipes for the Bruins.
Projected Opening Night Roster
Forward Line 1: James Van Riemsdyk – Pavel Zacha – David Pastrnak
David Pastrnak will look to continue what he does best by filling the net once again this season. The Bruins’ sniper was lighting the red lamp in arenas across the NHL last season finishing with 61 goals, becoming just the second Bruin in franchise history to hit the mark. Along with Zacha, the Czech linemates formed an instant chemistry and James van Riemsdyk is a nice quiet addition to fill out the line. People aren’t talking enough about JVP, as he could be a huge underrated piece for the Bruins this season. His net-front presence and ability to finish will serve him well on the Bruins’ top line.
Forward Line 2: Brad Marchand – Charlie Coyle – Jake DeBrusk
Newly named captain Brad Marchand will be skating on a line without his longtime partner in crime, Bergeron, this season. We saw this line together in Games 1 to 4 of the Bruins’ playoff series against the Florida Panthers last spring and they didn’t disappoint. Jake DeBrusk will be looking to build off a career year and should surpass the 30-goal mark for the first time barring any injury issues. Coyle is relishing the opportunity of playing in the top-six and aims to be more relentless with his attack. It will be interesting to see how the line performs early on as Marchand gets accustomed to life after Bergeron.
Forward Line 3: Trent Frederic – Matthew Poitras – Morgan Geekie
Trent Frederic is coming off an impressive season and will once again be an important part of the Bruins’ third line. Playing alongside the kid, Poitras, he will be leaned on to protect the rookie at times and as he has shown before, Freddy doesn’t hesitate to drop the gloves. The playmaking abilities of Poitras make this third line an intriguing one to watch as the season kicks off. Morgan Geekie posted a career-high nine goals and 19 assists for 28 points in 69 games last season with the Seattle Kraken and will be looking to make his mark in his first season wearing the Spoked “B”.
Forward Line 4: Milan Lucic – John Beecher – Jakub Lauko
The return of fan-favorite Milan Lucic will have the Garden rocking at times throughout the coming season. His veteran presence will be leaned upon as he is set to play with Beecher and Jakub Lauko. The line looks like they will give the Bruins everything you could ask for from a fourth line. Plenty of physicality between the trio, along with a good mix of grit and skill. Playing alongside the youth as well as his return to Boston should be re-invigorating for Lucic. What Lucic lacks in footspeed is made up for with the skating abilities of both Beecher and Lauko.
Defense Pairing 1: Matt Grzelcyk – Charlie McAvoy
Grzelcyk and Charlie McAvoy make up a formidable top pairing. The duo are no strangers to playing together going back to their time at Boston University. The chemistry extends beyond the ice as the two are like brothers off of it. Both can thread the needle and are strong in transition with their skating and puck-moving abilities. McAvoy looks to continue his progression into being one of the top defensemen in the NHL and what Grzelcyk lacks in physicality, McAvoy picks up as he throws big momentum-swinging hits from time to time. One wish for the season is that McAvoy shoots the puck more frequently, something even president Cam Neely alluded to during the season-opening press conference on Monday (Oct. 9).
Defense Pairing 2: Hampus Lindholm – Brandon Carlo
Hampus Lindholm enjoyed a stellar season last year and will look to continue his strong play while pairing up with steady defender Brandon Carlo. Not much has changed within the Bruins’ top-four defenders and you can once again expect the club to have solid defensive play in front of their goalies.
Defense Pairing 3: Derek Forbort – Kevin Shattenkirk
With Lohrei being sent to Providence, Derek Forbort will hold down the left side of the bottom-pairing once again to begin the season. I would expect at some point between now and the trade deadline that Sweeney makes a move to create room for the B’s top defensive prospect. For now, they will benefit from Forbort’s defensive play and his strength on the penalty kill. Kevin Shattenkirk will round out the blue line and will be a solid veteran replacement following Connor Clifton’s departure.
Bruins Ready to Kick Off Regular Season
That’s a wrap for this year’s training camp. Overall the Bruins had a good competitive camp which ultimately caused them to lose A.J. Greer to waivers due to the strong camps from the kids. Moving ahead the roster is set and the club is now focused on opening the regular season on Wednesday, Oct. 11 as they take on highly touted Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks. Be sure to tune in to see what the new-look Bruins can do in their first game of another exciting season.
