The draft choices and camp invitees have been put through their paces during the past week and, although it has been physically grueling for the players, they cannot seem to keep the smiles from their faces while on the ice. They’ve skated through drill after drill, all designed to improve their abilities and skills, followed by a short scrimmage at the end of each session. Each player has shown what they can do and have impressed the crowds that have witnessed each day’s proceedings. They have been so impressive that most fans forget these are young men. Most of the B’s contingent on the ice is not old enough to have an adult beverage in public. In fact the break down of the group looks like this:
Average age: 20
Average height: 6’ 1”
Average weight: 190 lbs.
There are 15 Canadians, 9 Americans, 1 from France, 1 from Russia, and 1 from Sweden.
18 players are Bruins draftees, 2 were signed as free agents, 4 were acquired in trades, and 3 are camp invitees.
Players who are making the biggest impressions so far are, Tyler Seguin, Joe Colborne, Jordan Caron, Jared Knight, Tommy Cross, David Warsofsky, and Matt Bartkowski. All were expected to show they are ready for the NHL or will be ready sooner rather than later and they have not disappointed.
In every camp, there is that one player who people take notice and begin asking the question, “Who’s that and where did he come from?” This camp is no different as those two players are Jared Knight and Ryan Button.
Knight, as mentioned in a previous story, was drafted by the B’s in the second round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft from the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights. He has been playing on a line with Seguin and Caron. He has shown skills and smarts beyond his eighteen years. He is a terrific skater with quick acceleration and great speed. He handles the puck very well in traffic and always seems to make a smart play unless he decides to shoot and when he does, he seldom misses his target.
Button was drafted in 2009 by the Bruins. Last season, he played for the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League. He is a smooth skating defenseman, who likes to handle the puck and makes safe, intelligent, passes to the forwards when necessary. He, also, likes to carry the puck and does so very effectively by leading the rush then dishing off to an open forward. He has a cannon for a shot from the point, which he likes to use. One of Button’s best qualities is his poise with the puck. Ryan is not afraid to use the spin-a-rama reminiscent of Bobby Orr then getting off a hard shot that goaltenders have a difficult time handling.
Knight and Button are two of the players who could find their way to the NHL within the next year or two.
The development camp concludes Saturday July 10, 2010 with the players taking to the ice for the final day at 11:00am in the Ristuccia Center in Wilmington, Massachusetts.