On display was the upper echelon of Bruins prospects, some of whom will be in Boston in October, while others will get their first shot at pro-hockey in Providence. The rest will either go back to college or to their junior teams, with the Bruins' brass keeping an eye on their stats.
Wherever they end up in October, Bruins fans have plenty to look forward to. With that, here are the top 10 prospects coming out of camp.
1. Tyler Seguin
This is obvious. It's almost unfair to even call Seguin a prospect at all, but, as he has been constantly reminding the Boston media, he hasn't earned his spot just yet — even if it is just a formality.
Seguin has been electrifying in development camp. He is fast, creative, and tough, and he has what could be the hardest wrist shot of all the prospects. There's not much more to say; simply wait for training camp and see how he fares against real NHL defensemen. Either way, he'll be in Prague come October.
2. Joe Colborne
This is a big summer for the former University of Denver center. He has a real shot to make the Bruins' roster out of training camp, though that may require a move to the wing.
He averaged a point per game with the Pioneers and impressed in his six games in Providence. He takes advantage of his size and has great hockey sense, but the Bruins may want him to take advantage of his good shot rather than make a pass. A move to the wing may facilitate that.
3. Jordan Caron
Caron is the other player who has a real shot at suiting up for the Bruins after training camp. In his 43 games in juniors last season, Caron racked up 26 goals and 27 assists. He played a good defensive game, too, posting a plus-25 rating for the year. Caron, who was drafted in the first round of last year's draft, is a high-energy player who can do well on the third line — think a grittier, more agitating version of Danny Briere.
4. Jared Knight
Knight flew under the radar at the draft and was a bit of a surprise to some when the Bruins picked him up with the 32nd pick. That reaction may be chalked to the fact that Knight lives with diabetes. That has not stopped Knight from living up to the Bruins' faith in him at camp. A major part of Knight's game is his speed and fearlessness, a common sight at development camp was watching Knight bolt for the net, almost taking the goalie and net with him. Top that off with a hard, fast wrist shot, and the Bruins have a Zach Parise-type player. He'll be returning to the OHL's London Knights next season, but keep him on your radar — he may be one of the Bruins' big steals.
5. Ryan Button
One of the better defensemen in the Bruins' system, the 6-foot, 185-pound member of the Price Albert Raiders (OHL) may be the coveted puck-moving offensive defenseman the Bruins have wanted so badly over the past year or two. Button is an excellent skater who has no qualms with joining the attack, but he has the wheels to get back on defense if he has to. He was one of the brighter spots on a mediocre Prince Albert squad, scoring six goals and 27 assists in 67 games last season. Like any young offensive defenseman, he needs to bulk up in order to handle the physicality of the NHL.
6. David Warsofsky
When the Bruins traded away Vladimir Sobotka for the rights to the St. Loius Blues for the Boston University defenseman, a lot of fans were not happy to see the high-energy Sobotka leave. To put it simply, they shouldn't be.
Warsofsky is a fast, smooth-skating defenseman who, above all, loves to score. He tied for the NCAA lead in shorthanded goals with four last season, finishing with a total of 12 goals and 11 assists. His game is more about challenging the puck carrier and using his speed to break away. He's going back to BU for his junior season, where he will serve as an assistant captain. He'll be working on bulking up and perfecting his angles, but the one thing that will stand out is his offensive touch. He's even got the goal celebrations to back it up.
7. Tommy Cross
A defenseman out of Boston College, Cross has a big summer ahead of him after missing a lot of time because of a bad knee. Now that he is healthy and back at development camp, he's been using his size to impress. He's a defensive defenseman who can contribute a little on the offensive side, as he recorded eight assists in his freshman year at BC. He's big and strong and can skate with the best of them, making him a good future shutdown defenseman.
8. Ryan Spooner
Another one of the B's 2010 draft picks, Spooner scored 19 goals and netted 35 assists in 47 games with the Peterborough Petes (OHL) last season. Spooner is a fast center with some grit in his game who is not afraid to get dirty when it comes to getting the puck. He also boasts a good wrist shot, giving the Bruins should another good center in their system.
9. Maxime Sauve
The Frenchman was a sensation with Val d'Or (QMJHL), where he scored 35 points (13 goals, 22 assists) in 25 games. He then quickly racked up two goals in his first few games in Providence at the end of its season. Another scoring center, Suave does not let his lack of size stop him from doing everything he can on offense or defense. He's a good two-way player who works very hard every shift. Don't be surprised to see him called up at some point during the season to serve on an energy line.
10. Yuri Alexandrov
The Russian defenseman should have an edge over the others in that he played against men over in the KHL. Alexandrov has one of the more complete skill sets among the Bruins' defenseman prospects. Though he has not been turning many heads in camp, his play in Russia can't be ignored. He has a laser of a shot and is completely comfortable quarterbacking a power play, as well as shutting down forwards. He has quick skates and good instincts, but he needs to get some more size and, more importantly, adjust to the North American game. If he can do that he has a good shot of making the big club.
