Going into the Boston Bruins training camp in September, there are going to be some interesting position battles for Opening Night on Sept. 29 against the New York Rangers at the TD Garden.
There are going to be some decisions that need to be made on defense when it comes to Charlie McAvoy and his six-game suspension. How the Bruins go about filling that hole is going to be interesting, to say the least. As far as both defense and forwards go, there could be some players who surprise and make the Opening Night roster. Here are three players who could make the Opening Night roster, surprisingly.
Matthew Poitras
As we covered recently, Matthew Poitras remains unsigned. However, unless there is a blockbuster deal made to address a need that the 2022 second-round pick could help get done, he isn't going anywhere. Boston has still not addressed their center depth, and maybe they are counting on Poitras filling that somewhere.
He has done everything he possibly could in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Providence Bruins. Stashing him down there doesn't make any sense and would waste another year of his growth. Expect a big camp from him, as long as he's still with the organization, which we're banking on.
Frederic Brunet
Again, no McAvoy for the first six games opens up the door on defense for some players. One of those players is Frederic Brunet. Like Poitras, he has done everything he needs to in the AHL with the P-Bruins, and he is ready to take a third-pairing role in the NHL.
Sturm will have no shortage of defensemen to choose from, given the number that general manager Don Sweeney currently has on the roster. That's going to cause some decisions, and if there are any players out of options and need to be placed on waivers, that's where some interesting decisions are going to come. The thinking here is Brunet lives up to his hype and earns a spot out of training camp.
James Hagens
You might be saying, 'James Hagens, really?' I ask you, have you seen the opportunities that Boston prospects get to make the NHL roster each year? How long do they get to stick? Fraser Minten and Mason Lohrei are players that have exceeded that narrative, but come on, would it surprise you if Hagens began the season in the AHL?
Hagens looked like he belonged after he signed last April, played a few regular-season games and a couple of playoff games against the Buffalo Sabres before being scratched at the end of the series. His main position is center, but Sturm had him on the wing in the spring, and it'll be interesting to see where he slots in camp. It feels like they are going to find a roster spot for him.
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