Who doesn’t love the dog days of summer? The weather is nice, beaches are open, and cookouts are happening. It is a great time of the year to spend with friends and family. Baseball is in the second half of the season, but hockey is not that far away.
We are now approaching August, which gets us one step closer to hockey season. Training camps will begin to open and preseason games follow suit. For the Boston Bruins, there are intriguing young names entering training camp that could look to make the leap and join the big league roster.
All Eyes on the Young Guys
The Bruins are a team that is led by their veteran core. Captain Brad Marchand is the nucleus that keeps the team together, while David Pastrnak is going to be the focal point of attack on offense. The back end is well-rounded, as it’s led by Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, and Brandon Carlo. Let’s also not forget that they have one of the best young goaltenders in the league.
The more beautiful thing is that the team has young pieces that are expected to take the next steps in their careers. Going into their sophomore seasons, Matthew Poitras and Mason Lohrei are expected to be key contributors on the big league roster. They’ve made their mark during the 2023-24 season and shown that they belong. However, entering the 2024-25 season there is an open spot for the taking on the second-line right wing.
It is expected that Fabian Lysell and Georgii Merkulov will compete for that spot and crack the opening night roster. Both players have managed to take the next steps with the Providence Bruins and will have the chance to make the Bruins out of camp. Lysell has finished with 87 points in 110 games with Providence, whereas Merkulov has amassed 120 points in 134 games. Both have managed to impress and are looking to impress the coaching staff this upcoming training camp. With those two being the more likely to make the roster, there is a dark horse candidate that could challenge for a roster spot come opening night.
Player to Watch for During Training Camp
He is a dark horse candidate, but forward Trevor Kuntar has a chance to make a case for himself during this year’s training camp. The fourth line would likely be his role if he was to make the roster and the game he brings would fit nicely in the lineup.
Kuntar is a player that forechecks hard and is willing to go to battle for loose pucks. That is the perfect identity for the Bruins and the fourth line and adding him gives them a player that is hard to play against. Also, he has offensive upside which is great for an extra layer of depth scoring. Kuntar went on to light the United States Hockey League (USHL) on fire with a blistering 28 goals and 53 points in 44 games. He then transferred his game to the collegiate level with Boston College.
In three years at Boston College, Kuntar put up 59 points in 93 games. Then, in his first season with the Providence Bruins recorded 20 points in 70 games. He works hard, is relentless with puck pursuit, and battles hard to create chances. He has the tools to be an impact player and has a case to make the opening roster. Youth is on his side, and the Bruins have strived to get younger, but the roadblock in front of him could halt him from making the cut.
Road Block for Kuntar
With Kuntar likely destined for a fourth-line role, the path in front of him is a challenge. During the offseason, general manager Don Sweeney traded Linus Ullmark and part of the return was center Mark Kastellic. He is likely to take center duty roles, as he is a faceoff specialist and brings that physical edge needed in the bottom-six. Also, there is John Beecher, who made his mark with the Bruins during the 2023-24 season and was a key presence at the bottom of the lineup. For Kuntar to fight for the winger position, there will be a position battle.
In free agency, the Bruins signed Max Jones to a two-year contract worth $1 million per season. While he is a physical player, he also brings that element of speed that the Bruins want in the lineup. We also can’t forget the wonder that is Justin Brazeau. Kuntar is younger and also brings speed to the lineup. The road to get to the big league roster is going to be tough, but that’s why he is a dark horse candidate.
Kuntar Should Be Looked At
Training camp this upcoming season is going to be exciting to watch. There are plenty of key names to watch for in Lysell and Merkulov. However, Kuntar should not go unnoticed. He has a real chance to showcase why he is worth a roster spot, but the players in front of him pose a threat to that. It’ll be very interesting to see if he can shine in training camp and preseason, but with the players in front of him, he is a dark horse to make the Bruins in 2024-25.
