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Boston Bruins

Bruins make first cuts of training camp

By Ty Anderson
A detailed view of the Boston Bruins' logo on a player's sweater during a game. (Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

The position battles are still very much waging on for the Bruins through the opening week of training camp.

To the point where throwing darts at a board seems like a more worthwhile endeavor than trying to speak with any sort of confidence when it comes to how the bottom of the roster is going to shake out on Opening Night.

But Thursday did come with the first cuts from Don Sweeney’s camp, with the Bruins trimming their camp roster by eight skaters, and with all eight players set to report down to Providence for the opening of camp for the Baby B’s.

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The cuts also came with the Bruins having played two of their six preseason games on the 2023 slate, and with Jim Montgomery’s coaching staff having a full week of looks at those vying for spots on this year’s Boston roster.

  • Sep 26, 2023; Buffalo, New York, USA; Boston Bruins left wing Luke Toporowski (83) waits for the face-off during the first period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

    Sep 26, 2023; Buffalo, New York, USA; Boston Bruins left wing Luke Toporowski (83) waits for the face-off during the first period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. (Timothy T. Ludwig/USA TODAY Sports)

    Up front, the most notable cut from camp with the Bruins assigning winger Luke Toporowski down to Providence. In action for 15:10 in Tueday’s preseason loss in Buffalo, the energetic Toporowski finished with one shot on goal (on four attempts), and was credited with creating two rebounds.

    The 22-year-old Toporowski is coming off a 2022-23 season that featured 15 goals and 29 points in 47 games for AHL Providence. The lefty also added two goals in four AHL playoff games, and turned that year in Providence on a minors-only contract into a standard NHL contract, too, with Toporowski signed to a two-year, entry-level contract worth $870,000 per season back in July.

  • BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Boston Bruins fans hold a giant flag with the Boston Logo on it prior Game Six of the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final against the Chicago Blackhawks at TD Garden on June 24, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

    BOSTON, MA – JUNE 24: Boston Bruins fans hold a giant flag with the Boston Logo on it prior Game Six of the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final against the Chicago Blackhawks at TD Garden on June 24, 2013. (Elsa/Getty Images)

  • In addition to Toporowski, the Bruins also sent forwards Joey Abate, Vincent Arseneau, Justin Brazeau, Curtis Hall, and Owen Pederson down to Providence.

    Abate, a 6-foot-1 winger, scored three goals and six points in 35 games with Providence a year ago. 

    A project wing of the highest order, the 6-foot-5, 245-pound Brazeau put up a career-high 16 goals and 45 points in 67 games with AHL Providence last season, but did not draw into action for a preseason game this preseason after appearing in game action during the 2022 preseason. 

    As for two of the more unfamiliar names on this list, Pederson is beginning his pro career with Providence after recording 94 goals and 198 points in 200 WHL games from 2018 through 2023. Arseneau, meanwhile, scored seven goals and 10 points in 35 games with AHL Abbotsford last season, and the 31-year-old comes to the B’s organization for 2023-24 with 212 games of AHL experience since 2012-13.

    The club also assigned defenseman Ethan Ritchie and goaltender Shane Starrett to Providence training camp.

  • Sep 24, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; The scoreboard at TD Garden announces a 45 minute delay for a game between the Boston Bruins and the New York Rangers. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

    Sep 24, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; The scoreboard at TD Garden announces a 45 minute delay for a game between the Boston Bruins and the New York Rangers. (Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports)

  • In the case of these cuts, it’s worth noting that only Hall and Toporowski are signed to standard NHL contracts, meaning that they are the only players among this group who can be recalled from the minors.

    The other players part of this first wave of cuts would need to sign standard NHL contracts to be eligible for NHL game action once training camp comes to a close in less than two weeks.

    This first wave of cuts will also intensify the minutes and opportunities for ‘tweeners’ such as Anthony Richard, Jayson Megna, and Oskar Steen. And will put more pressure on younger hopefuls such as Johnny Beecher, Georgii Merkulov, and Fabian Lysell, who are expected to more reps with NHL-level talents as a result.

    Another set of noteworthy non-cuts came with both Alex Chiasson and Danton Heinen remaining with the club on their tryout agreements. Both players appeared in Tuesday’s loss, and both are expected to suit up in Friday’s home preseason head-to-head with the Flyers.

Click here for 98.5 The Sports Hub’s complete coverage of the Bruins. 

Ty Anderson is a writer and columnist for 985TheSportsHub.com. He has been covering the Bruins since 2010, and has been a member of the Boston chapter of the PHWA since 2013. Yell at him on Twitter/X: @_TyAnderson.

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