With training camp almost upon us, and lots of speculation on who will be on the opening night roster for the Boston Bruins, it is time to take a look at who will be taking the ice for the long time AHL affiliate of Boston, the Providence Bruins. In my personal opinion, the players staying up with Boston for the year will be forwards Seth Griffith and Brian Ferlin along with defenseman Zach Trotman and goalie Jeremy Smith. So, don’t expect to see them in the formations that I have put together.
Forwards
Brandon DeFazio – Alex Khokhlachev – Zach Phillips
Colton Hargrove – Joonas Kemppainen – Austin Czarnik
Anthony Camara – Ben Sexton – Tyler Randell
Anton Blidh – Frank Vatrano – Noel Acciari
Puck Prose
Now, Joonas Kemppainen may end up spending a lot of time with the Boston Bruins roster this year, but he needs to get use to playing on North American ice first. He will spend a good amount of time in Providence getting the experience needed and showing management what he is capable of. My favourite forward line is the third line of Camara, Sexton and Randell, a line that is experienced and hard working that will fight for every inch of the ice.
Defense
Joe Morrow – Colin Miller
Linus Arnesson – Tommy Cross
Chris Breen – Chris Casto
We have a “Chris Line” with Breen and Casto who had very similar point production last season and will make for a very formidable third pairing. Veteran Tommy Cross will help guide Linus Arnesson to becoming the defenseman we all hope he can be, while, arguably to the two best players on the team, Joe Morrow and Colin Miller, will put together a dominant first pairing, when they are not being called up by the Bruins.
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Goaltending
Malcolm Subban
Zane McIntyre
Most people seem to think that Jeremy Smith has the inside track in the race for the backup role for Boston, but, for me, that decision is still very much up in the air. At any rate, Malcolm Subban should be getting a lot of games this year with Providence. Zane McIntyre is coming into a new league to show management that he is ready to take the next step in his blossoming career and will have a very competitive and healthy battle with Subban for the starting position.
Missing from this line up, but definitely up for consideration, are forwards Colby Cave and Justin Hickman as well as defenseman Jakub Zboril. This is just what I think the team will look like on opening night, but, as you all know, things can, and will, change throughout the month of September. Who knows what the Providence Bruins, or Boston Bruins, will finally look like in the 2015-16 season?
What do you think? Agree or disagree in the comments below. Make your own line up if you like. For more information on the Boston Bruins, and Providence Bruins, follow 29Bruins on Twitter.