Ryan Spooner has put the Bruins on notice with a very strong preseason, and it’s going to make for some difficult decisions in the coming days. According to Bruins coach Claude Julien, those difficult decisions are still very much up in the air.
Spooner had arguably his best game of the preseason Thursday night in Winnipeg. He had a goal and an assist in the B’s 3-2 overtime win, with the helper coming on a brilliant give-and-go with Loui Eriksson for the game-winning tally. The 21-year-old Spooner now has a goal and three assists in four preseason games with the big club, and he’s making a strong case for staying with the team.
The Bruins, however, already seem to be set at the center position, and the idea of moving Spooner to the wing sounds like it’s out of the question. So while it would appear the decision to send Spooner to Providence to start the season seems like a given, Julien is at least saying publicly that Spooner has a chance.
“He’s been good. He opened some eyes . . . there’s no doubt about that,” Julien said after Thursday’s game, according to CSNNE.com. “His skating and playmaking ability [are there to see]. There are still some areas that we talk about him improving, but he’s certainly in the mix and he’s put himself into the conversation when we’re making those [roster] decisions.”
Spooner made his NHL debut last season and appeared in four games with the Bruins even centering the club’s fist line at one point. In his first full season with Providence, Spooner scored 17 goals and added 40 assists for the Baby B’s.
