5 Takeaways from Day 1 of Bruins training camp

The local hockey club is back in town.

And with the Boston Bruins comes a new era under head coach Marco Sturm, one that hopes to restore a level of competence behind the bench that had been sorely missed in the Jim Montgomery era. There’s no question that this Bruins squad lacks the offensive talent to compete with the best in the Eastern Conference, but Sturm and the assembled roster aim to be a tough out.

If they can be painful to play against, and get their goaltending back to a high-end level, they can hang around in the wild card race. Defensive-minded teams, that limit opportunities and wear opponents down with tight checking and physicality, have proven at times to be high-floor operations. But there's no question that the ceiling is quite low.

The first day of training camp at Warrior Ice Arena didn't tell much of a story on the ice. They got their feet under them and worked on forechecking. Defensemen, in turn, worked on breakouts and limiting space. It may have been a small glimpse into how the B's want to play, but it was still a "back to basics" kind of morning in Brighton, the kind you'd likely see at any training camp.

With that in mind, there were still some takeaways from day 1. Let's go over those...

David Pastrnak is out for at least the first 2-3 days of camp, with what Sturm confirmed is a case of knee tendinitis. So there was an inevitable domino effect atop the right wing depth chart.

For now, offseason trade addition Viktor Arvidsson is the next man up. Projected as the No. 2 right wing to begin with, Arvidsson was the logical choice to skate alongside left wing Morgan Geekie and center Elias Lindholm. Arvidsson is in his 12th NHL season and now his fourth team, but feels at home under Sturm, who was an assistant coach with him in Los Angeles.

"I've been in the league for so long, I'm just trying to do the same thing I've been doing through my career," Arvidsson said. "So, it's been good and exciting."

The B's are going to be counting on Arvidsson a lot as a primary source of scoring, as he's averaged 26 goals per 82 games over his career. But he's not likely to hit 82 games, as he plays with the kind of intensity that can get him banged up. As long as he's on the ice, he projects as a top-6 guy, and the next in command behind Pastrnak.

Sturm may come across as mild-mannered in his press conferences, and perhaps even on the ice. But one thing is clear: that man is loud. Reporters could hear his voice booming across the rink from multiple floors up, behind glass.

The new head coach showed a strong level of command with his players during both practices. He pulled everyone in for conversations between drills at least five times. They played with good pace. It felt like a no-nonsense atmosphere.

We'll see how it translates in games, and whether Sturm's lack of head coaching experience will catch up to him. But he seems to have a good grasp on the operation right now, and the guys appear to be buying in, based on our view from afar.

A fresh hint that the Bruins locker room may have not been so healthy last season: the two locker rooms were split between veterans and kids. No wonder they couldn't crack the NHL lineup.

This year, the older and younger players are more of a healthy mix, which certainly seems better for team-building than whatever you'd call the prior approach.

"This year we made an adjustment, we didn't keep all the older guys in the main room," said defenseman Nikita Zadorov. "So, you see the young guys, you know them, because last year you were going on the ice and you'd have some young guys you've never seen them before, you don't even know what they look like, what their names are, but now you're in the same room with them. That's kind of an adjustment I had on past teams too, I like it.

"So, yeah, I think it's great personalities in the organization, down from the office to the players in here, just great people in here."

Sturm made it clear that he plans to experiment with his line combinations during camp, which will probably extend to his defensive pairings. But it was interesting to see Mason Lohrei skate on a pair with top dog Charlie McAvoy.

Lohrei doesn't exactly fit the profile of "hard to play against," as his defensive zone play remains a work in progress and he may never elevate beyond serviceable in that department. But if he can get to that point, his offensive skills are undeniable.

It'll be intriguing to see how Sturm coaches him up, and whether he encourages him to take advantage of his size more.

Group A featured an intriguing young forward group of Johnny Beecher-Fraser Minten-Fabian Lysell. In years past, this line would be destined for exile in Providence. This year could represent a sea change.

GM Don Sweeney made a point to explain why he isn't bringing in anyone on a PTO to start Bruins training camp. He and Sturm want to give younger players a real chance to earn spots in Boston. Sturm could present hope that they'll put their money where their mouths are this time around.

Minten, especially, feels like a fit for how Sturm wants the Bruins to play. It would frankly be disappointing if they couldn't find a spot for the 2022 second-round pick.

More Bruins training camp coverage is coming your way on Friday, after the Bruins reconvene for day 2 at Warrior.