After beginning their four-game preseason slate at home with games against the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers, the Boston Bruins hit the road for their final two games, in Philadelphia on Thursday night and in Washington on Friday night.
This will be the last dress rehearsal for some players who are still looking to make the roster for next Tuesday night's season-opener against the New York Rangers at TD Garden. Two players on the bubble to make the roster, forward Matthew Poitras and defenseman Mason Lohrei, each suffered injuries in the last couple of days, leaving their futures in doubt.
There are still some other players looking to make one last impression beginning on Thursday night, and here are three players who have a lot riding on their performance.
3 Boston Bruins with a lot on the line against Philadelphia
Alex Steeves
Depending on how long Poitras is going to be out, it could affect how things play out with the bottom-six forwards. One of those players who is squarely on the bubble is Alex Steeves. After beginning hot last season and earning an extension, he cooled off and found himself more of a scratch than a regular in the lineup. It feels like James Hagens has certainly passed him on the depth chart, and Poitras might be on the doorstep of doing it also. This is a big game for Steeves.
Mikey Eyssimont
Like Steeves, veteran Mikey Eyssimont is on the bottom-six bubble. It feels like Hagens has passed him as well on the depth chart, and with a fourth line likely of Tanner Jeannot, Sean Kuraly, and Mark Kastelic back, it's tough to predict a spot for Eyssimont on the roster. He buried a pair of goals in Tuesday night's 5-1 victory, but a lot of fans would keep Poitras over Eyssimont. However, Sturm's comments after the Flyers game on Tuesday night might paint a different picture. We'll see.
Lukas Reichel
Acquired from the Vancouver Canucks at the trade deadline last March, Lukas Reichel was re-signed back in May by the Bruins. He brings speed to the lineup and is someone who is not afraid to get to the dirty areas on the ice; however, he doesn't have the skill that Hagens or Poitras has or the ability to be an impactful playmaker that both of those young players can be. Like Steeves and Eyssimont, Reichel's fate could be determined by this game against Philadelphia.
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