Hoping for a high-yield bond
Vermont visit paid off last season, Julien says
- |
Most of the 31 Bruins arrived in Vermont with their precious golf clubs, which they hope to break out at the Country Club of Vermont today. They took part in a ropes course activity yesterday at the Bolton Adventure Center. They signed autographs for fans last night at the Ben & Jerry's Factory, aiming not to ruin their preseason work by sampling spoonfuls of Phish Food.
For the second straight year, the Bruins are participating in team-building activities while using the Ice Center as their practice rink.
"We got really good feedback from the players last year," said coach Claude Julien. "They thought it was good. We felt it was very good. You can credit some of it to the start the team had on the ice. But I think as far as building team chemistry and players getting along, I think when you look at the long run from last year, team chemistry was extremely good. If you can start on the right foot, it just builds from there. I think giving ourselves an opportunity to do those things is very important."
By the end of training camp, the Bruins will have spent only a handful of days in Massachusetts. Last week, they stayed in Halifax, Nova Scotia, for four nights, then traveled to Detroit for a 2-1 victory Friday. The Bruins will spend tonight in Vermont and bus to Montreal tomorrow for an exhibition game against the Canadiens. They'll wrap up the preseason with a match in Washington Sunday.
The Bruins' first four regular-season games are on the road, but Julien doesn't want the team building to take place then.
"When we start the season, it's not about bonding. It's about winning hockey games," Julien said. "We need to do this kind of bonding now before the season starts."
But while the Bruins bond and take a breather from last week's five-games-in-six-nights grind, the Boston bosses are busy trying to finalize the roster for next Thursday's season-opening match against Colorado.
While Julien and his assistants are watching over practice sessions at the Ice Center, general manager Peter Chiarelli, assistant GM Jim Benning, vice president Cam Neely, and director of hockey operations and player development Don Sweeney are back in Boston, pondering such questions as:
Does rookie Blake Wheeler deserve to make the team? Should second-year pro Vladimir Sobotka start the season in Providence because he doesn't have to clear waivers? Are trades required to open up room or clear cap space?
Last season, the Bruins brought 27 players to Vermont. They estimated they'd bring a similar number this year, but several players - Wheeler perhaps the brightest example - have extended their camp stays.
"A lot of players have had great camps and forced us to keep them and have a longer look," Julien said. "That's going to make for some pretty tough decisions."
The Bruins must trim at least eight players before the start of the regular season. Julien said some cuts will take place before Sunday's exhibition finale. Julien acknowledged that waivers and the salary cap are factors in deciding the final roster, but he emphasized that the players most deserving of jobs will make the team, not those who are required to clear waivers or carry smaller cap numbers.
"We need to put the best team on the ice that's available," said Julien.
Dream script
Jeff Penner spent yesterday practicing with his teammates, participating in the ropes course activity, and taking part in the autograph signing as part of the team-building schedule, things the rookie defenseman never thought he'd be doing."I came in expecting to go to rookie camp and just seeing what would happen from there," said the 21-year-old. "I was hoping to get maybe one exhibition game in. But I never thought I'd make it this far and play in three exhibition games. So it's been a welcome surprise."
Unlike Wheeler, the 5-foot-10-inch, 191-pound Penner doesn't have a first-round pedigree. He was undrafted and played one year at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks before the Bruins signed him March 29. Penner appeared in two games for Providence before being a healthy scratch in the playoffs.
But Penner has been arguably the biggest surprise in camp. Despite thinking he'd be nervous for his first exhibition game, Penner has played with poise. He's skated well. He's read plays. He's moved the puck effectively. He's used efficient positioning to bust up scoring chances.
Penner is a long shot to make the team out of camp, but he's shown that he can push the veterans and put himself in position for an in-season promotion.
"I can take away nothing but confidence from here," Penner said. "I think it will do me real well in the future, regardless of whether I stay here or get sent back to Providence."
Getting healthier
Phil Kessel and
