Lysell, Swayman Highlight Boston Bruins Group Playing Vs. Capitals

The Boston Bruins have announced their traveling roster for Sunday afternoon’s preseason opener against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena, and it’s definitely a young group with some veteran players sprinkled throughout.

Jake DeBrusk, Chris Wagner, John Moore, Erik Haula and Connor Clifton are the grizzled NHL veteran among the group with rookie netminder Jeremy Swayman also getting the call in the first exhibition game out of the chute. It’s probably going to be a few days before the B’s making any significant cuts from the roster with P-Bruins training camp not opening until a week from Monday, so now would be the time to get a look at some of the younger players before they’re returned to their junior camps.

“There are six games, and you need to get down to [our final group] while meeting the veteran requirements. After the first exhibition game we’ll get into some of the first cuts of our younger guys. Do they stay or do we get them started with their junior seasons…is that more beneficial?” said Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy. “So that will be the first round of discussions. Who goes out first and is there anybody that’s really jumped out at you that you want to look at? Then it snowballs from there and ‘Wow, we only had him penciled in for one game and now he’s played in two or three [exhibition] games. That’s how the good stories develop.”

Fabian Lysell is one of the bright prospects amongst the group after a rookie training camp where he improved as things went along and has been good in front of the NHL coaches at main training camp.

“Very dynamic. He’s willing to attack the net. He’s not a huge man, but he was willing to drive wide on a [Derek] Forbort. He got stood up at the blue line, but it was good to see him willing to do that,” said Cassidy of Lysell, who will be headed to the Vancouver Giants when he is cut from camp. “The other day he got inside on Charlie McAvoy, so he’s got the mentality to get inside and not just play on the perimeter. At his size he’ll need to figure out when to do that, but he can finish too. He’s got fast, fast hands. He’s got a little bit of Pasta at that age with the explosiveness and willingness to attack.”

With all that in mind and both Lysell and impressive Swedish League free agent Jesper Froden both in the lineup, here is the traveling group for tomorrow’s game vs. the Capitals:

Forwards: Samuel Asselin, Anton Blidh, Jake DeBrusk, Matt Filipe, Steven Fogarty, Jesper Froden, Curtis Hall, Erik Haula, Karson Kuhlman, Jakub Lauko, Fabian Lysell, Oskar Steen and Chris Wagner

Defenseman: Jack Ahcan, Connor Clifton, Tyler Lewington, Brady Lyle, John Moore, Urho Vaakanainen and Jakub Zboril

Goaltenders: Callum Booth, Troy Grosenick and Jeremy Swayman