BOSTON — Alexander Khokhlachev was frustrated early in Boston Bruins training camp about the chances he’s had to make the roster, saying he “will not play in Providence” all his life.
Bruins general manager Don Sweeney was asked Thursday about Khokhlachev’s comments and reiterated the young center has plenty of potential as he fights for a bottom-six forward spot this season.
“All players are entitled to their opinion,” Sweeney said during Bruins media day at TD Garden. “I feel Alexander has tremendous upside, skill-wise. He still has a lot to learn away from the puck. He needs to go through these experiences. He’s only 22 years old.
“I look at the big picture with all of our young players. They’ll determine when they’re ready to play and when they’ll help us at the NHL level. I do believe he’s a player who can step in — whether or not he can play up and down the lineup sort of remains to be seen.”
Cracking the Bruins’ lineup often requires forwards to play smart defensively and help blueliners on breakouts. Claude Julien is a defense-first coach, and not being a liability on that end probably is the best way to earn his trust and ice time.
Khokhlachev, a 2011 second-round draft pick who has played in just four games for Boston, still has to improve in the finer points of the game, as many young forwards do.
“We want him to continue to work hard to fill in those gaps, whether it be faceoffs,” Sweeney said. “There’s small details of the game that show up on the scoresheet each night, and those things can add up.
“The amount of time you spend in your own end after losing draws, at times it’s taxing on other players. There’s just little areas of the game that everybody as a young player needs to go through and experience and come out the other side of them better. He wants to advocate for himself, and I don’t blame him for that from that standpoint. So I didn’t feel the need to comment publicly on it.”
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
