It might not be the players the fans would want to see, like David Pastrnak or Charlie McAvoy, but the Boston Bruins will return to game action this upcoming weekend. The annual Prospect Challenge at the Harborcenter will return to wrap up rookie camp, with the Bruins playing games on Friday and Sunday afternoon.
The Bruins' prospects will practice in Boston on Wednesday and Thursday before heading to Buffalo for their games. They will play the Pittsburgh Penguins' prospects on Friday at 3:30 PM ET and the New Jersey Devils' prospects on Sunday at 12:00 PM ET. Although it hasn't been announced yet, rookie tournaments in the past have been available to stream on the Bruins' website, and this year will likely offer that option again.
Let's take a look at some players to watch in this year's rookie camp who could be wearing the Spoked-B again sooner rather than later.
Dans Locmelis
Dans Locmelis started to make a name for himself in Boston with his play at the NCAA level last season. He confirmed that he was one of Boston's top prospects by making an immediate impact with the Providence Bruins after signing his first pro contract. The Bruins' roster will be a tough one to crack for young players this season, but Locmelis has been showing continued growth over the last couple of seasons. A successful Prospect Challenge could start the hype train.
Jackson Edward
Jackson Edward turned some heads at last year's rookie camps with his physical nature. If there's one thing that excites fans in Boston, it's a violent defenseman, and that's the perfect way to describe Edward. With a professional year now under his belt, it'll be interesting to see how Edward looks amongst his peers and whether this will be a year where he takes the next step.
Fraser Minten
Fraser Minten was a surprising addition to this roster, considering he looked to lock down a place on the NHL roster at the end of last season. It's unclear whether Minten wanted the extra time to fine-tune his game before training camp or if this is a message from the front office stating that his place on the NHL roster isn't guaranteed. Either way, it's a good sign that these two games will show everyone Minten at his best.