Tough task ahead
Kanata’s Spooner looking for Bruins breakthrough
Getting drafted by the Boston Bruins is something of a mixed blessing for Ryan Spooner.
Under general manager Peter Chiarelli, the Bruins have become a perennial favourite to challenge for the Stanley Cup, making it to the finals twice in the past three years and winning in 2011.
So once you make it, it’s a great team to be on.
But for 21-year-old Spooner, born and raised in Kanata, that’s the hard part: Trying to break into the lineup.
Ahead of him on the depth chart at centre are Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Chris Kelly and Gregory Campbell.
Those are some big dogs to kick off the porch.
But Spooner, the leading scorer for the Providence Bruins last year — 17 goals and 40 assists in 59 games — is a highly regarded prospect, so he’ll get a long look.
“I think the only thing for me to do in camp is play my game and just try to open some eyes, show them that I’m ready to play,” he said Thursday after a practice session at the Sensplex.
“I think if I do that, hopefully, they’ll make a spot for me.
“If not, I’d be upset going back to Providence to play, but it’s a great league down there, too, and the coaching staff is great, so I can learn a lot of stuff down there.”
Spooner was picked in the second round of the 2010 draft (45th) after two 60-plus point seasons in the OHL.
He had 66 points in 57 games with Kingston and Sarnia in 2011-12, and 81 points in 64 games with Peterborough and Kingston in 2010-11.
He’s got great hands and vision, works hard and is not afraid of bumping or getting bumped.
And after leading the AHL Bruins in scoring last year, his offensive promise is real.
The only drawback is his size (5-10 and 175 pounds).
As it stands, all he can do is work harder than the next guy, which he has been doing this summer. He’s on a rigorous training schedule that has him on the ice almost every day, sometimes twice a day.
“Being the younger guy, it’s kind of hard to crack a team like that,” he said.
“They like you to grow and mature as a player. I had a pretty good year last season. I had my ups and downs, so I’d like to think I learned a lot from the season.
“I’m just going to go into this year and show that I’ve matured as a person.”
Spooner got in four NHL games last year, but he didn’t have very much to show them: Only three shots in total.
The only game he played more than eight minutes was on March 19 in Winnipeg, when he played 15:29 between Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton.
Otherwise, he played 5:29 when he made his NHL debut on Feb. 6 in Montreal, 8:17 when he returned to Ottawa on March 21, and 7:14 in Toronto on March 23.
Spooner will have a lot of chances to make an impression in this training camp. He’s scheduled to play in a four-team rookie tournament in Florida (against the Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Nashville Predators), then he’ll pack up and head to Boston for the main camp.
Considering he’s entering only his second season as a professional, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him head back to Providence, at least temporarily. But he’s certain to be the first centre on the recall list.
As for setting any sort of time frame to make it to the NHL, he’s loath to put himself on the clock.
“I think that’s a tough thing to do,” he said. “It kind of depends on what team you’re on. Some teams need centres like me, but on others you might have to wait a couple of years.
“I don’t really want to set expectations like that.
“For me, I think the thing for me to do is stay focused on my game and when the chance comes, make the most of it.
“All those players there are so skilled and so experienced that once you get immersed in that environment, it really helps you to grow as a player.”