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It’s an unpopular opinion, I’m sure, but training camp is 90 percent nonsense for fans.
For the most part, NHL quality talents should know how to skate around cones, compete in battle drills, and show up to camp in some sort of identifiable shape. If you can’t, well, I suppose that’s a blog for another day. That’s why I always feel awkward when I watch players skate around for a couple of hours, and then listen to myself tell somebody how ‘good’ somebody was on a practice rink on a random Friday afternoon.
But that’s what our lives are this time of year. So, hey, let’s dig in.
One thing that really caught my eye on the first day of training camp was the line of Danny Paille, Simon Gagne, and Ryan Spooner. There’s a bit of rust on Gagne’s blades (obviously) after a year away from hockey, but the mechanics and the veteran know-how is still there. He’s a 34-year-old that wants to break back into the league, and no longer sounds opposed to the idea of being a bottom-sixer. That was definitely an issue when it came to his lack of productivity with the Los Angeles Kings (and even the Philadelphia Flyers to a degree) during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. But if this is your team’s fourth line to begin the year, I think that’s an obvious upgrade from a year ago.
With no disrespect to Gregory Campbell (who’s still yet to join the B’s for on-ice workouts due to a core injury), the Bruins have made a big stink about adding speed and adding skill. Plugging Spooner in for Campbell addresses that head on, and a veteran Gagne undoubtedly adds more offense than Shawn Thornton did.
Maybe you had higher expectations for Spooner -- and you’re definitely not alone there -- but there’s just no way he’s bumping himself into a center spot on the top nine without some sort of injury. That third-line center spot has been locked down for Carl Soderberg, and if he’s unable to man it, there’s no doubt that alternate captain Chris Kelly would be plugged back into that role. So maybe Spooner’s best chance to break into a full-time role with the Black and Gold is on their fourth line.
Last night’s preseason opener in Montreal made a strong case for that, too.
Spooner scored just over a minute into the game, won 69 percent of his faceoffs, and led all Bruins skaters with five shots. But it was a so-so effort on Montreal’s game-winning goal late in the game that put Spooner in head coach Claude Julien’s crosshairs. Chasing the puck-carrier into the defensive zone, Spooner made a weak attempt at bumping Christian Thomas off the puck, but didn’t even come close, allowing Thomas to send it to Drayson Bowman for the game-winning goal.
From Bruins.NHL.com:
"In Spoons' case, it was nice to see him score that goal," Bruins Head Coach Claude Julien said postgame. "But if you watch the game, he's still a liability defensively - their guy gets a quality shot from the slot there, so he's got to keep working on that part of his game.""Because it's okay and it's exciting to see a guy be great offensively, and we love his game offensively, but at the same time, you can score one goal but if you're going to give up two, you're not helping your team, so we need the commitment from that part of his game to see that he's going to work hard at it, but it's a good start for him."
So, there’s that.
I think this comment was certainly blown out of proportion a bit (what isn’t these days, honestly), but in a lineup simply loaded with two-way forwards and ace defensive forwards, I don’t think you can honestly call putting Spooner into the lineup a mistake because of defensive deficiencies. At the same time, however, nobody plays for this squad unless they’re willing to play all three zones, so you understand the tough love.
One other takeaway from last night’s loss-- rough return for Gagne. Two penalties, two missed shots. Oof.
The scene shifts to Boston tonight as the Bruins play host to the Washington Capitals. No Alexander Ovechkin. No Nicklas Backstrom. No Brooks Laich. But, John Erskine!
Here’s the Caps’ preliminary roster:
Preliminary travel roster for #Caps-Bruins tonight. All three 2nd-line C candidates there. Orpik/Green debuting. pic.twitter.com/aYihH0bAoI
— Alex Prewitt (@alex_prewitt) September 24, 2014The Bruins will counter with a top line featuring Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and Seth Griffith. Griffith has been skating as the Reilly Smith replacement on the Bergeron line all camp. Providence mainstays Alexander Khokhlachev, Jared Knight, Matt Lindblad, and Alexander Fallstrom are in along with Spooner as well. B’s fans will also get their first in-game looks at camp invites Bracken Kearns and Ville Leino, too.
On the point, the top pairing of Zdeno Chara and Dougie Hamilton will be on display, while Matt Bartkowski, Zach Trotman, Chris Breen, and Adam McQuaid are also slated to play.
Tuukka Rask and Jeremy Smith will be between the pipes.
Ty Anderson has been covering the Boston Bruins for HockeyBuzz.com since 2010, is a member of the Pro Hockey Writers Association's Boston Chapter, and can be contacted on Twitter, or emailed at Ty.AndersonHB[at]gmail.com