Bergeron back in action with team
The Bruins are finally starting to look like a reasonable facsimile of the team we will see in the opener Wednesday in Washington.
For the first time, center Patrice Bergeron was able to join the team for practice. He was sidelined due to a back injury that happened while he was rehabbing from offseason groin surgery.
In his return, Bergeron did more than stick his toes in the water. He had on a red non-contact jersey, and appeared to be a full participant in a strenuous double-session practice. He reclaimed his first line spot between wingers Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak as well as the bumper position on the first power-play unit.
Bergeron said he is “unlikely” to play in today’s final preseason game, but expects to be ready to face the defending Stanley Cup champion Capitals in the opener.
“I don’t have to see it as a problem,” said Bergeron of not playing a preseason game. “That’s the way it happened. That’s the way things unfolded. Yeah, it’s unfortunate. I would have preferred to have a full training camp under my belt. But you have to make the most of it and use your experience when that happens and I have a lot of that.
“I’ll use the next few (days) to make sure I feel real good. Yeah, there’ll be some situations where I’ll have a little rust on Wednesday, but then I’ll have to use my smarts and experience to (fight) that off.”
Though he expects to play in the opener, Bergeron said he’s still not completely right.
“It’s a lot better. I wouldn’t say it’s back to 100 percent, but it’s definitely trending that way, but it’s been good. That’s why we’ve been trending that way. We’ve been cautious and we were shooting for the first game and that’s what we’re still shooting for,” he said.
He considered yesterday’s practice a good test.
“You want to pass that mental aspect of it. Nothing’s going to really duplicate a practice with 3-on-2s and 2-on-1s. You can skate all you want with the skills and skating coach but at some point you’ve got to jump into drills,” said Bergeron.
Kuraly centers third line
Sean Kuraly, who was out since the second preseason game with a lowerbody injury, also returned to practice. That allowed coach Bruce Cassidy to put together his forward lines as they are likely to appear in the opener.
After Bergeron’s line, David Krejci centered Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen, Kuraly centered Ryan Donato and David Backes and the fourth line featured Joakim Nordstrom, Noel Acciari and Chris Wagner, with Acciari and Wagner taking turns in the middle.
Forwards Daniel Winnik and Lee Stempniak, both in on professional tryouts, did not skate with the main group but they remain in camp until final roster decisions are made after today’s game against the Flyers. Neither will play today.
North America for Lauko
The Bruins signed forward Jakub Lauko, their third-round pick last June (77th overall), to a three-year entrylevel deal and he will be assigned to Rouyn-Noranda of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
The Czech-born Lauko, who brings a combination of skill and edge, was a standout for the B’s in the rookie tournament in Buffalo before scoring twice in preseason games. His training camp was cut short when he got steamrolled by Acciari in practice after the second preseason game. He hasn’t practiced with the team since then, but has been skating with a group of injured/extra players.
Lauko’s options were to play junior in North America, play for Providence in the AHL, a tall task for an 18-year-old, or go home to play for Pirati Chomutov of the Czech Extraliga. He said he had hoped to play in either the AHL or his pro league back home, but it was apparently decided that junior hockey was the route for him to go this year.
Also Ryan Fitzgerald, Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, Jordan Szwarz and Jakub Zboril were assigned to Providence and goalie Zane McIntyre was placed on waivers for the purpose of assignment to Providence . . . .
Trent Frederic survived the latest round of cuts and he may take Bergeron’s place on that first line today but it’s a good bet he’ll start the season in Providence . . . .
Matt Grzelcyk missed practice with a lower-body injury. Cassidy expects the defenseman to participate in the next practice. The defensive parings in practice were Zdeno Chara-Charlie McAvoy, Torey Krug-Brandon Carlo and John Moore-Kevan Miller.