Boston Bruins Preseason Getting Interesting

Over halfway through the preseason, the Bruins still have plenty of questions to answer before the season starts. With 11 players cut from camp on Sunday, we should begin to see how the team is shaping out and where everyone will fit on the roster.

Bruins fans woke up to good news on Monday morning with the signings of Torey Krug and Reilly Smith to one year, $1.4 million contracts. Taking Marc Savard’s long-term injured reserve money off the books, the Bruins are less than a million dollars below the cap. Both were spotted at practice today and according to head coach Claude Julien, both will play miss tomorrow’s game, but play in the final two games of the preseason.

As for players who have been at camp, there are several making their case to make the team. Matt Fraser and Ryan Spooner have both been impressive offensively and have shown improvements in their defensive game as well. Ironically enough, Julien was quick to criticize Spooner after the first game against Montreal. Spooner opened the scoring with a great drive to the net, but was also on the ice for Montreal’s game winner in the third period.

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“At the same time, you can score one goal. But if you give up two, you’re not helping your team,” said Julien. “We need commitment from that part of his game.”

Fraser has been lighting the lamp in the AHL on a regular basis for the past three seasons, but at age 24, there isn’t much left for him to prove in the minors. Bigger than most of the other young guys, at 6’1″ 205 Fraser will have to play physical to land a spot on the team. If the Bruins are looking for an upgrade in skills though, a combination of Fraser’s scoring touch and Spooner’s playmaking ability would surely look nice in the future.

Simon Gagne and Ville Leino have both shown glimpses that they can help the team, but Gagne is now the last player trying out that is still remaining on the team. Shortly after the announcement of Torey Krug’s and Reilly Smith’s deals, the Bruins announced that Leino has been released from his veteran tryout. With Fraser, Spooner, and even Jordan Caron having good showings at camp, there really was no place for the older Leino. The same will go for Gagne if he doesn’t pick it up over the next week.

The next game comes on Tuesday against the Islanders at 7 p.m. and it can be seen on NESN.