Boston Bruins: Ryan Spooner Aims to Stay
With the Boston Bruins a week away from entering their final training camp in Wilmington, this camp should feel entirely different to Ryan Spooner for reasons other than nostalgia. He’s been to five camps before, so this is nothing new. This year, though, Spooner can enter camp knowing he has a new two year contract, (and a one way deal at that.)
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The 23-year old had his coming out party last year, seemingly in the second half. After starting the season in Boston, he played five games in October, with no points to show for it. Relegated to the Providence Bruins, he put up 8 goals and 18 assists over the next 33 games, and was on his way back up Route 95 in February. In the following 24 games in Boston, he scored 8 goals and 10 assists, playing on a line with Milan Lucic and David Pastrnak. Besides his offensive output, it was more so his speed that many took notice of.
It is that speed that is a key part of the new look the Bruins will show this year, and Spooner has the skating ability to lead the way in that category. With Carl Soderberg traded, there is now a wide open spot at center to be filled on the third line. It’s not fair to Spooner to say it’s his job to lose, but it certainly seems as though dealing Soderberg for a sixth round draft choice created an opening for him to fill.
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In 2010, Spooner came to camp as an 18-year old who had put up solid numbers in two years with the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League. He averaged over a point per game, and also established himself as a producer on the power play, scoring 16 times in that span.
Fast forward six years later, and the Ottawa native will arrive at camp with 56 games of NHL experience under his belt over the past three years, but more importantly he brings the confidence built up over the final three months of last season. His time is now.