Boston Bruins: Top three players likely to surprise us at training camp

BOSTON - SEPTEMBER 4: Boston Bruins' Anders Bjork, left, and Zach Senyshyn joke as they warm up during captain's practice at Warrior Ice Arena in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston on Sep. 4, 2019. (Photo by Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
BOSTON - SEPTEMBER 4: Boston Bruins' Anders Bjork, left, and Zach Senyshyn joke as they warm up during captain's practice at Warrior Ice Arena in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston on Sep. 4, 2019. (Photo by Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
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TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 26: Anders Bjork #10 of the Boston Bruins skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on November 26, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Bruins 4-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 26: Anders Bjork #10 of the Boston Bruins skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on November 26, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Bruins 4-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

Anders Bjork

If you caught any of the recent Prospects Challenge, you’d have surely taken some notice of Anders Bjork‘s performances. He came out of the three-game tournament looking like he’s ready to make a real go of it this season.

His game-winning goal with a second left against the Pittsburgh Penguins in that tournament was a particular highlight.

He already has fifty NHL games to his name, but has suffered injury setbacks year-on-year meaning they’ve all come in fits and spurts, so whereas guys like Danton Heinen and Jake DeBrusk have managed to make it stick in that time, he’s spent seasons rehabbing or stuck in Providence.

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This training camp, he should be arriving with a clean bill of health and ready to make a big impression. Given that there is an opening on the right wing, possibly two, he really has a good chance to finally elevate himself to a regular spot in the Boston Bruins line-up.

Tough competition from newcomers like Brett Ritchie, as well as Karson Kuhlman, who found his way into the line-up for the Stanley Cup play-off run last season, should hopefully motivate him even further.

As a fifth round pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, it’s already safe to say that the Boston Bruins have found value, but if he can make a real go of it this training camp, it’ll be safe to say that Anders Bjork could turn out to be a later round steal.

For a 23 year-old to have suffered so many setbacks already, you’d have to think that his confidence may be a little shattered but if his early start to this new season is anything to go by, it’s the complete opposite.

If he can carry that same sure-fire confidence into the Boston Bruins training camp this week, we’ll be laughing.