When the Bruins sent Fabian Lysell along 18 other player down to Providence on Sunday, the Twitterati was not happy.
Lysell, the highly skilled right wing, had played pretty well in the last two preseason games after being a no-show in the opener. It looked like he was starting to show the promise of a first round draft pick,, which he was in 2021.
But while Lysell being sent to Providence indicates how the Don Sweeney is thinking, the GM said there could be a number of players who come back to play in the preseason game in Quebec City on Thursday or in the preseason finale in Washington on Saturday.
“Camp is not over. The evaluation process really never ends,” said Sweeney. “We had Fabian in situations in camp where he got reps with different players. Obviously, the game lineups, some nights early in camp look a little differently, but that’s what going to Madison Square Garden against 13 or 14 NHL guys, what those guys look like when they’re playing against NHL players. And there’s the evaluation side of it, the consistency piece. Everybody sees the skill set that Fabian has, and we’re excited about it. Now we continue to allow him to fill in the gaps in terms of building a team game that Monty feels is a big part of what the Bruins to have success is, and all young players go through that process. But he’ll get another opportunity and hopefully he takes advantage of it.”
Sweeney didn’t want to delve too far into Lysell’s camp performance, but made it clear he’s got a ways to go to grasping how the B’s want to play.
“He’s got a lot of talent, and we’re trying to get him to understand a little bit more of the team-based game and apply that, whether that’s in practice in Providence…then bringing it back when he does get another opportunity here, that’s what you’re hoping for. In all young players that’s what you’re hoping for,” said Sweeney. “There’s very few ready-made players. This is a league that chews them up pretty quickly.” ….
With the Jeremy Swayman contract negotiation dragging out, coach Jim Montgomery didn’t exactly break any news when he said, as of right now, Joonas Korpisalo will be the opening night starter in Florida on October 8. Korpisalo, meanwhile, is not getting ahead of himself.
“No one’s told me anything yet, so I’ll just go day by day and do the best I can every day. You never know what’s going to happen. If that’s it, so be it. I’m ready to play,” said Korpisalo.
The Finnish netminder, who struggled mightily in Ottawa last season, seems to have gotten his groove back in the four-plus periods of preseason hockey. He was the Bruins’ best player in their 3-2 overtime loss in Philadelphia, stopping 37-of-40 shots.
If Korpisalo can get his game back, it would be another success story for goalie coach Bob Essensa.
“He’s been great, with his experience and watching him work with all the good goalies here before. I waited for the moment to get on the ice with him and watch some video and hear what he thinks of my game. He’s been a real treat” said Korppisalo…
Swayman’s contract is not the only one that Sweeney is trying to hammer out. He said he’s had negotiations with the camps of captain Brad Marchand and Trent Frederic, both of whom are scheduled to be will be unrestricted next summer, and Morgan Geekie, who will be a restricted free agent.
Sweeney said he’s also continuing negotiations on an extension for Montgomery, who is in the last year of the three-year deal.
Asked if it was important to get a deal for the coach done before the season started and there became a lame-duck situation, Sweeney would not put that timeline on it.
“I think it was really important to to make sure that Monty knows that when we went through the interview process, we hired a good coach. We believe he’s a good coach, and we’d like to extend him and to be our coach,” said Sweeney. “Our discussions will be ours and be internal and where he feels his landing spot needs to be, but I think it was really important to make sure he knew what our intentions are.”…
Sweeney said he’s still evaluating veteran Tyler Johnson, who is in camp on a tryout.
