This weekend, the Boston Bruins have their Rookie Camp and will head to Buffalo to take part in the annual Prospects Challenge. Several prospects are making the trip, but the Bruins are keeping Georgii Merkulov and Fabian Lysell back in Boston to prepare for the beginning of training camp next week.
Some prospects will be in action this weekend ahead of camp next week and one of those is Riley Duran. After his junior season at Providence College last spring, he signed his entry-level contract with the Bruins and finished out the season in the AHL with the Providence Bruins. But who is Riley Duran?
Who is Boston Bruins prospect Riley Duran, anyway?
Last season 35 games for the Frias in Hockey East, the Massachusetts native had nine goals and 16 points before playing 11 games in the AHL with the P-Bruins with two goals and two assists. Following a practice before leaving for Western New York, he explained that he’s using Rookie Camp and the Prospects Challenge to prepare for his first full professional season in 2024-25.
"Just mature as a player….going from a 30-game college season to 70-80 games, it's a difficult transition. But I think I can face it head on...if you work hard enough, they'll make room for you."
Working hard is not a problem for Duran who logged a lot of minutes in college after being selected in the sixth round of the 2020 Entry Draft. He is always around the net in the offensive end creating chances for himself and his teammates while using his strong skating to play a solid two-way game.
He can play both center and on the wing and it is going to be different on his body going from a 35-game college season to a 70-80-game professional schedule and his development in his first pro season, likely in the AHL, is worth keeping an eye on this winter.