Ryan: Another youth movement is likely planned for the Bruins this offseason - and it might be their only option

There were plenty of encouraging takeaways for Don Sweeney and his staff to draw from at the conclusion of Bruins’ Development Camp last week.

Oskar Steen showcased some of the skill that made him a top-10 scorer as a boy amongst men in Sweden, while 2019 first-rounder John Beecher routinely skated laps around fellow B’s prospects. 

Even Jack Studnicka, held off the ice due to his heavy workload this spring with the Black Aces, still drew praise for the intangibles in his game, with the 20-year-old pivot harping once again on his desire to fight for a roster spot up with the big club come September. 

Development Camp gives these prospects a chance to show their merit under the watchful eye of the Bruins’ top management, with players like Steen and Studnicka, in particular, trying to jumpstart another infusion of young talent on a B’s roster that already boasts eight players aged 25 or under. 

They may not need to convince Sweeney all that much. After all, Boston’s GM seemed adamant that another influx of young talent was prescribed for the 2019-20 campaign — or at the very least, it was the expectation. 

“You have players that hopefully will take a step this summer and come, ready, locked and loaded,” Sweeney said back on June 17, over a week before the start of Development Camp. “I mean, shame on any young player who doesn’t recognize that this was a taxing year for some of our players, that they don’t come with their ears pinned back to think, 'Boy can I take a step here.'”

Sure, the 2018-19 Bruins might have been anchored by stalwarts such as Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, David Krejci, Brad Marchand and others, but contributions from the next wave of B’s talent put Boston over the top and put them just one game short of a Stanley Cup title. 

Whether it be Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, Jake DeBrusk, Matt Grzelcyk, Sean Kuraly — you name it — Boston ran with the added spark that these young players brought to an already talented locker room, while Bruce Cassidy’s willingness to sow internal competition often brought out the best in his players.

Boston’s bench boss doesn’t expect the 2019-20 season to be any different, especially with players like Steen, Studnicka, Urho Vaakanainen and others seemingly knocking on the door and ready to usurp some starting roles. 

“We want to get some youth into the lineup,” Cassidy said. “How much is a balance — Donny and I talk about and the rest of the group talks about, see where it lays. But usually, at the end of the day I think the best players end up separating themselves, regardless of age, and that’s kind of what we’ve tried to do and it’s kind of worked out well for us, and hopefully that’s the same kind of strategy going forward.”

Whether it be new blood like Steen or Studnicka, or even the expected development from someone like Anders Bjork, it seems like another youth movement will be inevitable come September.

And given the way Boston’s current cap situation is this summer, it might be their only choice.



When addressing the media Friday afternoon in his annual press conference ahead of free agency, Sweeney reiterated the same message he delivered prior to Dev Camp. 

Whether it be relieving a beleaguered returning cast that played six more weeks than other clubs this past season, or fighting outright for multiple vacancies on Boston’s roster, the next crop of B’s skaters are going to be given every chance to make this club from the outset of the 2019-20 campaign. 

“This camp, in September, will be one for all the young players to be very keenly aware of,” Sweeney said. “We played over 100 games this year. We’re going to be very careful with some of our guys, so the opportunity is going to be there for several people to make an impression. And that message is going to be sent loud and clear.”

While the tolls of an extended Stanley Cup run don’t expect to keep regulars like Bergeron and Co. out commission once regular-season play resumes in October, one would likely expect that Cassidy will keep his go-to skater’s reps to a minimum during the preseason — giving players like Steen, Vaakanainen, Trent Frederic, Studnicka, Bjork, Zach Senyshyn and others plenty of opportunity to stake their claim for a starting NHL spot. 

Boston could certainly use their help, as it’s becoming more and more likely that the Bruins will not shore up some of the holes on its roster with a marque free-agent pickup. 

Even if Boston frees up some more cash than the $12 million it already has to work with summer — such as by offloading David Backes’ contract or dealing Torey Krug — the Bruins may not have enough capital to work with much on the UFA front, especially when you look at the looming contract decisions awaiting them for the next couple of years.

2019


RFAs: Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, Danton Heinen
UFAs: Marcus Johansson, Noel Acciari

2020

RFAs: Jake DeBrusk, Karson Kuhlman, Matt Grzelcyk, Connor Clifton
UFAs: Charlie Coyle, Torey Krug, Jaroslav Halak, Zdeno Chara, Kevan Miller, Chris Wagner, Joakim Nordstrom

With Johansson likely on his way out and with more pressing in-house contracts to handle, it seems like a given that the onus will be on the young guys to follow in the footsteps of McAvoy, DeBrusk, Grzelcyk, Carlo, Heinen and more and give this team another shot in the arm.  

Studnicka and Steen are the two newcomers that could turn heads with a strong training camp, although — as natural centers — they may need to take some time to adjust to the pro game, especially if put on the wing. 

In Steen’s case, Sweeney does believe that he can make a quick transition away from the pivot, putting him in contention for that vacant top-six role on the wing that Boston has been unable to solve for over a year. Bjork, set to be cleared for camp despite undergoing surgery on his shoulder for the second year in a row, also seems like a top candidate, while this could be a make-or-break summer for someone like Senyshyn. 

On the blue line, it looks as though John Moore will not be cleared in time for the start of the regular season after undergoing shoulder surgery this summer, opening the door for a player like Vaakanainen. However, with three starting left-shot D already poised to take most of the reps in Chara, Krug and Grzelcyk, things could get dicey in terms of consistent playing time for Vaakanainen, barring a trade of some sort. 

It can a bit of a tough pill to swallow for some Bruins fans if this is indeed the route that Boston takes this summer, especially with the club just one win away from hoisting the Cup. 

But it might be the club’s only realistic option at this point. And while it can be a bit disheartening to see other clubs load up on players like Panarin, Duchene, Bobrovsky and more over the next 24 hours — the pieces are still in place for this B’s team to put together another run, as daunting as it might seem in a cutthroat Eastern Conference. 

There are no guarantees in a game as unforgiving as hockey. But as long as the Bruins’ core continues to hold steady, youngsters like McAvoy, Carlo and DeBrusk take steps forward and unproven skaters like Steen/Bjork/Vaakanainen do their jobs, Boston has a puncher’s chance in this league. 

And sometimes, with a sprinkle of luck, that’s all you need. 

“Well, I obviously would like to bring back a team that won one more game, to be perfectly honest with you,” Sweeney said. “It’s never going to be the same team. Year-to-year there’s always changes that occur. Do we feel comfortable? I think we have a really good hockey team. ... I’m not concerned about where our hockey team is at. 

“I would like to see our hockey team improve in areas, and I would like to see – there are several players as I referenced that would look at the potential exits – again, I’m not saying that Marcus is leaving or Noel is leaving, but there might be an opportunity there. There are several players that really should have their eyes wide open, be able to take the next step. And sometimes that’s what it takes to get you over. 

“We’ve had other players in the last two, three years that have done that as well. That’s what we have to look at, but we’ll be bringing in some other players to create that internal competition, which I do believe our group will need and will benefit from."