Approximately two dozen players will be chasing long-shot jobs, and their every move will be scrutinized by the decision-makers.
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The kids show up Wednesday, full of hope and promise, dreams and maybe a few healthy doubts, as a new hockey season gets under way on Guest Street. It’s Day 1 of Bruins rookie camp in Brighton, with some 25 fresh faces trying to secure a foothold on their NHL careers.
Truth is, though it’s not officially a closed shop, the Black-and-Gold varsity roster this season looks like it will be no country for young men. Job openings are few, most likely zero.
Be that as it may, what’s important in the days ahead for “the young bucks,” as captain Brad Marchand referred to them, is for them to be aware their every move is being watched, on and off the ice.
Compete matters, perhaps more than anything. Conditioning and work ethic matter. Attitude matters, on the ice, in the gym, even when lining up in the chow hall, noted Marchand.
Eyes. Everywhere, eyes. It’s the sports version of “Person of Interest.” Be careful, kid, that ballpoint pen peeking out of team president Cam Neely’s gabardine suit pocket? Could really be a camera.
“Everything is about leaving an impression,” noted Marchand, who was 20 years old when his rookie camp of 2008 led him straight to Providence for his first pro season. “Maybe you don’t make the team out of camp, but the impressions you leave here can dictate the opportunities you get in the future.”
As of Tuesday morning, the Bruins had yet to make public the names of the two dozen or so starry-eyed hopefuls who’ll take the ice under the charge of Providence coach Ryan Mougenel. For the most part, the emphasis for roster composition is expected to be on first- and second-year pros, perhaps augmented by a sprinkling of kids from the three top Canada junior leagues likely destined for more seasoning in the amateur ranks.
It was at this camp a year ago that Matthew Poitras, age 19 and expected to be kicked back to OHL Guelph for the season, earned himself an invite to the following week’s varsity camp … and then went on to become one of the youngest players in the NHL for 2023-24.
A shoulder surgery ultimately cut short Poitras’s rookie season, but his case proved that there’s work there for the taking. Poitras, who this year will report directly to the varsity shop that opens a week from Wednesday, should be a source of inspiration for the kids about to arrive.
A handful of the likely rookie camp attendees:
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Jackson Edward (defenseman). A physical, 6-foot-3-inch backliner whose game is framed on thumping. Reporting from OHL London, where he learned the game’s nuances from Dale Hunter, a man of few, shall we say, subtleties.
▪ Frederic Brunet (defenseman). Second-year pro. Played 48 games for Mougenel’s WannaB’s last season after moving up from QMJHL Rimouski. Also 6-3. Noticing a trend?
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Brett Harrison (center). Another second-year pro, following up his 5-9—14 rookie season in Providence. Again, 6-3, and spent most of his junior career in Oshawa, the launching pad decades ago for Bobby Orr.
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John Farinacci (center). Played three seasons at Harvard before signing and spending all of last season at Providence (71 games: 12-26—38).
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Trevor Kuntar (center). An ex-BC Eagle from Gronk’s part of Western New York (Williamsville). Collected 10-10—20 in his first year at Providence, turning pro after his three seasons at The Heights.
▪ Riley Duran (center). Grew up in Woburn (on Duran Drive). He’s 6-2, shoots from the right side, was drafted at No. 182 in 2020, and turned pro with Providence last spring after his three seasons with the Providence Friars.
A smattering of the prospects will advance to varsity camp, while others will be shipped out or designated for Providence.
According to Marchand, it’s important for the kids to lean on the skills that have served them well to this point.
“You can’t come in and change now, try to be something else,” mused the veteran of 1,029 NHL games. “Play with what has allowed you to have success. If you’re a scorer, don’t try to be a checker. If you’re a checker, don’t try to be a scorer. Play within the confines of your game.”
Above all, he noted repeatedly, be aware that those who are watching, those who have a say in where their careers go, have an eye for detail.
In a world where all the little things matter, there’s no such thing as the inconsequential moment.
“The biggest thing for me is, when I see young guys come in, they treat practice like practice,” he said, “rather than it’s like a tryout. You’re being watched. Sometimes guys don’t finish drills, they don’t push back hard enough in one-on-one drills. They treat it like a practice.
“What they don’t understand is, no matter where you are, no matter what you’re doing, you’re being watched, whether it’s in the gym, the way you clean up after yourself when you’re eating, the way you walk in the dressing room and what you’re wearing. Everything is an about example and leaving impression.”