On Thursday, according to Conor Ryan of Boston.com, the Boston Bruins have made their first cuts from the 2023-24 training camp roster.
The first roster cuts are in for Bruins training camp.
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) September 28, 2023
Joey Abate, Vincent Arseneau, Justin Brazeau, Curtis Hall, Owen Pederson, Ethan Ritchie, Shane Starrett and Luke Toporowski have been assigned to Providence Bruins Training Camp.
Of the cuts, only two have stepped onto the ice for the Bruins so far this preseason and those are Curtis Hall and Luke Toporowski.
For Hall and Toporowski it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to many, despite Toporowski playing well in the Prospects Challenge, as both players were expected to start the season with the Providence Bruins regardless of how they performed in the preseason.
What this does mean, however, is that Boston is not immediately disregarding the performance youngster Matthew Poitras who potted a goal in the first game of the preseason. While it is unlikely, it’s possible this means we see him in one more game before the front office makes a decision on his direction this season.
Joey Abate, and Justin Brazeau will be returning for their second consecutive season with P-Bruins; whereas, Owen Pederson and Ethan Ritchie are entering their first professional seasons after spending last season in the Western Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League, respectively, where they played for the Manitoba Ice and Sarnia Sting.
Vincent Arseneau spent last season in the Vancouver Canucks system, spending last season with their AHL-affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks. While there he took part in 35 games, and scored seven goals with three assists to go along with it.
He has also been in the league since 2012, where he made his debut with the Lake Erie Monsters, back when they were the affiliates of the Colorado Avalanche.
Shane Starrett is another minor league hockey veteran who will be making his way to The Creative Capital for the first time.
The Bellingham, Mass.-native comes to the Bruins after spending the last two seasons in the Seattle Kraken and Pittsburgh Penguins’ systems after spending this first three years, following two at the Air Force Academy, with the Edmonton Oilers’ system.
Boston will be back in action with more preseason hockey on Friday when they take on the Philadelphia Flyers at the TD Garden – puck drop on NHL Network is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.