Bruins Roster Battles: Who Has The Edge Entering The Final Week of Training Camp?

Through one week of Boston Bruins training camp, there are three things that are absolutely certain:

• Morgan Geekie, Elias Lindholm, and David Pastrnak will be the first line
• The defense corps is set, with Charlie McAvoy, Mason Lohrei, Hampus Lindholm, Andrew Peeke, Nikita Zadorov, and Henri Jokiharju all locks to be in the starting lineup.
• Jeremy Swayman remains the No. 1 goalie

But aside from what was glaringly obvious before training camp even began, the Bruins’ roster is still littered with questions.

Who will be Swayman’s backup? Who will be called upon should one of the regular defensemen goes down with an injury? And as for the forwards, the middle-six spots are completely up in the air.

The competition to make the roster will only intensify as the regular season draws closer.

Here’s who has the edge as the Bruins enter the final week of training camp:

No. 2 Center

Front Runner: Pavel Zacha Competition: Casey Mittelstadt

Before training camp opened, it seemed that Pavel Zacha and Casey Mittelstadt were destined to work together as two-thirds of Boston’s second line, with Zacha on the left wing and Mittelstadt skating down the middle. But head coach Marco Sturm has a different idea.

Sturm’s primary objective this season is to restore the Bruins’ identity as a defensive-minded team. In his system, the centers are responsible for being the first back on the back check while also providing support all over the defensive zone.

That has never been Mittelstadt’s strong suit as an offensive minded playmaker. Given Zacha’s ability as 200-foot skater, Sturm prefers to have him down the middle of the ice.

No. 2 Right Wing

Front Runner: Matej Blumel Competition: Matthew Poitras

An export of the Dallas Stars, Matej Blumel joined the Bruins as a bit of an unknown. He’s consistently been one of the top goalscorers in the AHL over the last few years, but will that translate to the NHL?

A team starved of scoring depth, the Bruins seem to think so, or at the very least hope.

Blumel has regularly skated with the main group at practice and featured on the power play.

A native of Czechia, Blumel has been living with Zacha has he gets accustomed to life in Boston, so it only makes sense that he lines up next to his fellow countryman on the ice as well.

No. 3 Center:

Front Runner: Casey Mittelstadt Competition: Fraser Minten, Matthew Poitras

While Mittelstadt may not wind up being the No. 2 center, he’s still best suited playing the pivot.

The third line typically isn’t where a player like Mittelstadt lines up. Usually, the third line is deployed in defensive situations, oftentimes matched up against the opponent’s top line.

But with Sturm opting to have Zacha at center, it forces Mittelstadt, and a few other players, to shift around.

Fraser Minten looked to have the inside track toward earning the No. 3 center job entering camp. It made almost too much sense. Now, though, it seems he’s being pushed to the fringes of the roster.

No. 3 Right Wing:

Front Runner: Matthew Poitras Competition: Marat Khusnutdinov, Fabian Lysell

Matthew Poitras is another player whose position is being effected by Sturm’s decision to play Zacha at center.

A natural center himself, Poitras is being asked to slide over to the wing. If Poitras does crack the roster, it will be his third straight year making the team coming out of camp. Fabian Lysell is still waiting to do it for the first time.

The speedy winger ended last season on the NHL roster, but so far hasn’t given the coaching staff much of a reason to keep him on it to start this year.

Seventh Defenseman

Front Runner: Jordan Harris Competition: Victor Soderstrom, Michael Callahan, Frederic Brunet

What looked to be a three-man race has quickly turned into a one-man show.

Jordan Harris seems to have a pretty firm grasp on the seventh defenseman role, distancing himself from Victor Soderstrom and Michael Callahan.

However, the competition isn’t quite over, and there’s a new candidate that’s making a case for himself.

Frederic Brunet has put together a few solid performances in preseason action, and has even spent the last few practices skating with the main group.

The job still pretty much belongs to Harris, but Brunet may very well have put himself in position to be the first call-up from the AHL in the event of an injury on the blue line in Boston.

Backup Goalie

Front Runner: Joonas Korpisalo Competition: Michael DiPietro

The highly anticipated competition to be Jeremy Swayman’s understudy hasn’t been quite as intense as it was originally hyped up to be.

Michael DiPietro has had an up and down start to training camp, struggling in the preseason opener before bouncing back this past weekend with a 24-save performance.

DiPietro will continue to get opportunities to prove his worth, but that may be enough to usurp the incumbent Joonas Korpisalo.

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