The Bruins have added a forward they hope will help bring a little spark to their struggling offense.
Boston hasn't waded into the trade waters ahead of next week's deadline just yet. Instead, they dipped into their prospect pool and recalled Carter Camper from their American Hockey League affiliate in Providence on Monday night.
Camper is playing his first full pro season after being signed as a free agent out of Miami (Ohio) University last April. The 5-foot-9, 176-pound right wing from Rocky Rover, Ohio had a goal and an assist in three games in his first taste of pro hockey at the end of the 2010-11 season, and this year leads Providence with 14-24-34 totals in 53 games.
Camper's addition isn't likely to keep general manager Peter Chiarelli from working the phones in search of some help up front with the Bruins struggling to score with Nathan Horton (concussion) and Rich Peverley (knee) sidelined with injuries. Boston is just 4-7-0 since Horton has been out of the lineup, being shut out four times in that span.
The Bruins won't expect Camper to fix their scoring woes, but he might add some needed energy and excitement in his first NHL recall. He did show a good scoring touch in college with 69-114-183 totals in 156 games over four seasons with the RedHawks, where he played in two Frozen Fours and was a Hobey Baker finalist last year after finishing third in the nation with 19-38-57 totals in 39 games.
The P-Bruins' lone representative at last month's AHL All-Star Game, Camper is hot of late, having collected his first professional hat trick against the Connecticut Whale on Sunday.
Camper joins fellow forward Josh Hennessy and defenseman Andrew Bodnarchuk in recent recalls from Providence, and gives the Bruins some needed depth up front, as they have been down to just 12 healthy forwards since Peverley was injured last Wednesday in Montreal. Camper will join the Bruins for practice in St. Louis on Tuesday and be available for Wednesday's game against the Blues as Boston continues its season-high six-game road trip.
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