Bruins rookies break the ice

Optimism in air as camp opens

WILMINGTON - The 2008-09 hockey season kicked off yesterday as the Bruins' fresh-faced rookies had their first official session at Ristuccia Arena.

The buildup toward the moment has been a long time coming.

The Bruins turned heads last season when they qualified for the playoffs and put up a seven-game dogfight against Montreal by going back to their roots - scrapping, fighting, and battling their way into late April, sticking to a defensive-minded game plan.

Their most significant shortcoming was in the offensive zone. The Bruins had the 24th-ranked offense in the NHL last season, averaging only 2.51 goals per game.

With that low number in their crosshairs, the Boston bosses signed Montreal sharpshooter Michael Ryder July 1 to a three-year, $12 million deal, hoping the right wing can be the 30-goal scorer he was in 2005-06 and 2006-07 instead of the 14-strike peashooter he diminished into last season.

While Ryder is the newbie, the club's most dangerous threats are their top two returning centermen: Marc Savard and Patrice Bergeron.

Last season, Savard (15-63 -78) led the Bruins in scoring. He trailed only San Jose's Joe Thornton and Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk in assists. And Savard recorded those numbers with some significant limitations.

During training camp, his projected running mates on the No. 1 line were Peter Schaefer and Glen Murray. Schaefer (9 goals in 63 matches) never found his game and at times wound up grinding on the fourth line while slowed by a broken foot. Murray battled a hip flexor strain, but the veteran right wing suffered more from the rusting of his skates and hardening of his hands, rarely showing the explosive side of his game.

Murray's career in Boston came to an inglorious end. He cracked his ribs in Game 7 against Montreal, his final game as a Bruin, then had his contract bought out July 26.

On March 22, Montreal penalty killer Steve Begin cracked Savard across the lower back, breaking a bone and knocking him out for the rest of the regular season.

But Savard's biggest setback may have been the nearly season-long absence of Bergeron.

The plan was for Bergeron to serve as a two-way center who could skate against opposing top lines. In theory, matching Bergeron against No. 1 centers - think Jason Spezza in Ottawa or Mats Sundin in Toronto - would allow Savard to focus on offense instead of minding his own zone.

But with Bergeron gone and nothing resembling a checking line in sight, coach Claude Julien often sent out Savard against the best gunners.

"It was a learning year for me," Savard said. "It's a tougher job every night. Especially when you're at home, you're matched up against the top line."

In 2006-07, Bergeron amassed 70 points, second behind Savard, but bore a club-worst minus-28 rating. Last year, he was returning to form as an effective, physical checker before his injury. This year, a healthy Bergeron is expected to fill his two-way role again, with Marco Sturm and Chuck Kobasew as possible linemates.

"That's my game and I don't want to get away from my game," Bergeron said. "Obviously, you take care of your defense first, then you'll go on offense more often than not.

"I want to help the team every time I step on the ice. Part of my role is to help out offensively, so I've got to do that."

The threesome could serve as a lesser version of Detroit's Datsyuk-Henrik Zetterberg-Tomas Holmstrom trio that powered the Red Wings' attack but also shut down Sidney Crosby and Pittsburgh's No. 1 line in the Stanley Cup finals. Sturm, Bergeron, and Kobasew skated together on Oct. 27, 2007, in the center's final game of last season.

If Bergeron is back to form, there would be a ripple effect. Savard's defensive responsibilities could be lessened. David Krejci, elevated to the No. 1 spot at the end of last year, could be a dangerous No. 3 center. Such variables could pump up a sagging attack.

"I hope that me coming back is going to have an effect on the team," Bergeron said. "That's what I want. I'm hoping for that. Obviously, I'm aware that my game is to play against top lines, be defensively sound, go on offense, and create something."

Yesterday's opening of rookie camp got feisty when forwards Jordan Knackstedt and Brad Marchand threw down the gloves. Knackstedt didn't care for Marchand's scrappy play - the agitating winger had exchanged some bumps and shoves with forwards Blake Wheeler and Matt Marquardt earlier in the session - and the two engaged in a brief and less-than-hard-hitting fight. "Brad was playing with the intensity that he always plays with," said assistant general manager Jim Benning. "I guess Jordan took exception to it. That's within the bounds of players competing to be noticed. It was no big deal." Marchand will most likely start the season in Providence, but he had a strong showing in camp last season. "That stuff happens when everyone's battling hard for a spot," Marchand said. "They all want to show what they can do. We're all trying to compete. When emotions run high, sometimes things get a little chippy and things like that start." . . . Goalie Adam Courchaine (groin injury) will not attend training camp . . . The date of forward Jeff LoVecchio's camp debut is unknown because of his concussion symptoms . . . Defenseman Scott Fletcher didn't skate yesterday, but Benning said he might be on the ice this morning . . . Benning estimates that the Bruins will bring approximately 50 campers to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Monday to start the preseason schedule against the Canadiens.

Fluto Shinzawa can be reached at fshinzawa@globe.com.