The goal for these sessions is to help prepare the Bruins prospects for the real camp in September, when roster spots will be up for grabs.
A year ago, Ryan Spooner used the confidence he gained in development camp to put together a strong showing in the main camp. He came close to making the squad, as he was one of the final cuts just before the team left for Europe for the start of its Stanley Cup odyssey.
Now Spooner is back for his second development camp, more comfortable and confident than ever. And even more determined to make the squad this fall. The Bruins wouldn't want it any other way.
"He showed very well in training camp last year and really pushed to stay right to the very end, and deservedly so," Bruins assistant general manager Don Sweeney said after the camp's third day of workouts at Ristuccia Arena on Saturday. "Obviously the bar resets this year, and he'll come back and try and do the same thing. I could sit here and guess, but I bet you I'm accurate in the fact that he thinks he can make this hockey club, and that's a great thing for the kids to come in here and feel that way."
At the start of this camp, Spooner admitted that last year there were some jitters as he approached his first taste of professional hockey. That's not an issue this year.
"Last year, I was pretty nervous when I came here, but this time around there's a lot of guys that I know and I've been through the whole routine, so I was pretty relaxed," Spooner said.
With that newfound comfort level, what is Spooner hoping to accomplish in his second development camp?
"I think it's just to make an impression before going to the main camp," Spooner said. "To get in shape, to get to know all the new faces, stuff like that."
Spooner followed up his impressive training camp with a strong season back in the Ontario Hockey League last year. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound center was traded from Peterborough to Kingston in November and finished with 35-46-81 totals in 64 games split between the two clubs. He then led the Frontenacs in playoff scoring with 4-2-6 totals in five games.
"It was good," Spooner said of his third junior season. "Obviously looking back on things I felt I could have had a bit of a better year, but all in all I was happy."
The Bruins were happy as well, and even more pleased to see his willingness to join their American Hockey League affiliate in Providence after Kingston's season was over. Spooner played just three games in the AHL, but had 2-1-3 totals and showed enough to keep the club excited about his future prospects.
"I love the fact that he came down to Providence at the end of last year unsigned, but wanted to come and play hockey and wanted to kind of be a sponge to absorb it," Sweeney said. "He wanted a taste. You could just tell that the kid is gung-ho. He wanted a taste of what it was going to be like to play against bigger, stronger players, and he came in and did very well. We asked him to shoot the puck a little bit more and he did that.
"I think that most of his growth has come off the ice, to be honest with you," Sweeney added. "I think he's maturing, as all these kids are, but he's kind of understanding the work he needs to put in, and particular areas that he needs to pay attention to, and it's starting to translate on the ice. … [There's been] some real good progress with Ryan and we're excited to see where he’ll be come September."
Spooner and fellow 2010 second-round pick Jared Knight were two of the standouts in last year's camp, and neither has disappointed so far in their second time through the program. Spooner and Knight were friendly rivals from the OHL before coming last year, but the camp strengthened that bond and helped both of them get ready for the main camp.
"If I didn't come to this, I probably would have only known Jared," Spooner said. "That was probably the only guy I actually knew, so coming here made things easier.
"He's a great player," Spooner added of Knight. "He makes great plays out there. He's a great guy. It's fun playing with him."
Sweeney thinks other players will soon be saying the same of Spooner, who has already shown signs of being the kind of special playmaker capable of elevating everyone around him.
"We're very excited to have Ryan as part of our group, first and foremost," Sweeney said. "He's a highly skilled player. He plays at high, high speed, something we want to continue to have in our organization, and I think he's going to make other players better. He's got a real good mind for the game."
And in Spooner's mind, his immediate goals for this week and the main training camp to follow are simple.
"I'm just going to try my best and hopefully things work out," Spooner said.
