Anders Bjork has a couple of weeks ahead of him.
The Boston Bruins winger seemed to have fallen out of favor in the weeks leading up to the NHL hiatus, and he routinely scratched himself healthy due to deficiencies in the physical end of his game.
But at a time when a quick start is a must, Bjork passed the initial test.
The Bruins, and most other NHL teams, resumed camp on Monday, practicing for the first time in about four months. With David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase unavailable, Bjork rode on the right wing of the second line in front of Jake DeBrusk with David Krejci between them.
And while acknowledging that it was only one day, Bruce Cassidy, explaining how he will evaluate the battles on the list, admitted that Bjork could have been the best player on ice on Day 1.
“We are looking at discrimination later in the week, so there will be a performance review during that,” Cassidy said. “You must be careful not to rush to judge from the beginning. For example, today Anders Bjork looked phenomenal, maybe the best guy there is today, but it’s Day 1, so are we going to automatically say ‘OK, he’s with the player so-and-so’? But it’s good for him, I mean there is competition here and I think our boys understand it and have understood it for two years here. But obviously (Patrice Bergeron) is not going anywhere in the lineup, we know that, but there are some points where we have rotated different guys on and off. We’ve put the guys in the press box for the weird night to let them know, ‘Hey, listen, we hope a little bit better here and there,’ and that won’t change.
“… We want to create a competition without putting too much pressure on the boys, but yes, there will be an evaluation of the players, especially as the competition begins and we have a few more replays under our belt, and that will start with scrimmages and they certainly bleed. in an exhibition game. But listen, so we have three games to start and we also have to go during those games, suddenly you’re in the playoffs, so we have to use some of this as an evaluation plan, and we’ll probably a handful of players. ”
Bjork has been the victim of bad luck for much of his professional career, with injuries that marred his time in Boston. This season was the first time he became a regular NHL player, in part because he was healthy and had completed the defensive area of his game, making his dry offensive spells more tolerable. He is the type of player who adds a significant layer of depth if he is playing the way he is capable, but at the same time it will be someone on a short leash.
It’s worth it, but you could have bought yourself a little more leash on Monday morning.
Here are some other notes from Monday’s Bruins practice:
– On Day 1 of practice, the Bruins had 27 of 33 players on the attendee list.
The two most notable absences were David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase, but Cassidy explained that the duo was still in quarantine protocol because they had come from abroad. The other four who did not attend were Anton Blidh, Urho Vaakanainen, Trent Frederic and Dan Vladar, although Cassidy noted that there would be a second session at Warrior Ice Arena on Monday afternoon, and some of those who were not seen earlier in the day. they would. be out there for that.
It’s worth noting that Blidh, Vaakanainen, and Vladar are all Europeans and it was confirmed that they returned home during the NHL hiatus. None had been seen in a Phase 2 practice.
– The NHL is advising clubs not to speak publicly about the circumstances surrounding a player’s absence, largely so that the boys are not inadvertent for hiring COVID-19.
We took a first look at how that works, as the initial question for Cassidy was whether she could detail the respective situations of the six players that were not available.
“As you know with the league, the new protocol ‘can’t practice, can’t be here,'” Cassidy said.
– Torey Krug spoke on Monday, but it had little to do with the return to the ice, rather with his contractual situation.
The defender, an unrestricted free agent pending, is obviously affected by the CBA’s ratification and, in turn, the salary cap for next season is locked.
You can read everything she had to say about her contractual situation here.
– The success of the NHL central plan will be determined in part by the players who really follow the guidelines established by the league, both for the third and the fourth phase.
At this time, players are allowed to be at home with their families and social distance and wearing masks are recommended when outside. When the Bruins arrive in Toronto, virtually the only places they’ll go are the track and their hotel, or areas the league designates as safe zones. If the boys leave a safe area, that will only increase the chances of problems arising.
Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron shed a little light on how players, particularly those in leadership roles, emphasize the importance of being smart.
“I think the professionalism will be enormous. We need to trust everyone to make this happen and work. Right now in Phase 3, you are allowed to go home and we are not going to take care of your whereabouts and all that, so it is about trusting each other and making sure that everyone is doing the right thing and that they are committed to this. work and move forward, so I think the most important thing is to be professionals and be smart and use common sense, obviously ”.
Thumbnail photo via Eric Hartline / USA TODAY Sports Images
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