Boston Bruins: Paul Carey a smart bet on expanded roster

Among those added to the Boston Bruins expanded roster is Massachusetts-born Paul Carey; safe to say, his addition is a smart choice.

Paul Carey is a career tweener, bouncing between the AHL and NHL throughout. The captain of the Boston Bruins’ AHL affiliate in Providence last season; he brings certain veteran qualities to the side.

At just 31 years old, it’s not as if Paul Carey is the oldest player on the roster, nor the best leader necessarily, but he perhaps is the one most well-versed in dealing with adversity.

He may have made his NHL debut back in the 2013-14 season with the Colorado Avalanche, but to even get there he had to work hard for four years at Boston College, before spending a year in the AHL proving his worth.

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Appearing just 12 times in the NHL that season, he struggled to make it stick, bouncing around for several seasons before eventually earning a full campaign in the NHL with the New York Rangers in the 2017-18 season.

Ever the journeyman, Paul Carey arrived in Boston via the Ottawa Senators in the 2018-19 season and saw the ice twice in the NHL for us, adding a further appearance in this suspended season.

What he has managed to do though is prove his true value to the team as a leader in Providence. Leading by example as captain of the team, he tallied an impressive 22 goals and 17 assists for 39 points in 60 games.

Those sort of numbers, along with his age, aren’t about to wow anyone, but over his career he’s shown that he is resilient and more than willing to put in the hard work required of him.

If nothing else, that’s got to be a valuable addition to the Boston Bruins playing group. On a more personal note for the player, it’s a just reward for his efforts since joining the organisation.

Of course, there’s likely a youngster you’d prefer to see this spot taken by, but in reality it’s a safer bet to have some grizzled veteran talent to call upon; someone that has experienced the highs and lows and isn’t going to be drawn into the weirdness of this situation as much.

He’s not about to set the world on fire, but I don’t think for a second that’s what the Boston Bruins are looking for from Paul Carey. Instead, we’re getting reliability and hard graft, which could prove a difference-maker this season.