2 Boston Bruins Prospects Who Could Get Called Up This Season
As the season gets underway, players will begin to suffer injuries as they sacrifice their bodies for the sake of their team, not to mention the ever-present concern of a positive Covid diagnosis. Eventually, there will be players who will need to miss games, and others will need to be called in to replace them in the lineup. Here are two such prospects who could see some playing time on the Boston Bruins this season.
Jack Achan
Who doesn't love a journeyman prospect breaking into the NHL? Jack Achan was signed out of St. Cloud State University during the Covid shut down in March of 2020. He was captain of his college team in that final year in the NCAA, putting up 7 goals and 25 points in 33 games. Pretty solid numbers for a blueliner. The next season, he made the jump to the AHL, and his game made the jump seamlessly along with him. For a 5'9" defender, Achan plays well above his size. Strong in his own end, Achan also loves to jump up into the play in the offensive zone, and will gladly take up a net-front position and slam away at loose pucks while defenders realize how hard he is to knock over. In 15 games with Boston's AHL affiliate the Providence Bruins, Achan has 2 goals and 10 points in 15 games. He's a bit older than your average prospect and will turn 25 before the end of the '21-'22 season, but Achan is showing he has the talent and tenacity to win a spot in the NHL if given the chance. He's currently the best-performing defence prospect in the Bruins' organization, which means he's at the top of the call-up list should an injury occur.
🚨 @SCSUHUSKIES_MH GOAL 🚨
— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) March 10, 2019
Jack Ahcan puts the Huskies in front 3-2!
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Oskar Steen
This kid has had a long road to the NHL, but since he's already received one call-up this year, it seems likely he'll get another. Currently leading the Providence Bruins in goals and points despite playing 5 fewer games than anyone else in the top 5, Steen has 6 goals and 12 points in 10 AHL games this year. He was called up to the NHL two weeks ago, played two games, notched 2 assists, including one on a Charlie Coyle game-winner, and was re-assigned to Providence a few days later. He's played two AHL games since then and has added 1 goal and 1 assist to his scoring totals already. A 6th-round pick from 2016, the success he's seeing now is a culmination of a lot of hard work put in by Steen since being drafted. There were a couple years in the SHL where it looked like his scoring touch had faded, but Steen appears to be more suited to the smaller ice in North America because, since his debut in the AHL, his production has been increasing at a steady rate. He's already proven he can produce at the NHL level, but a healthy Bruins team meant he was reassigned to Providence for the time being. There's a good chance he won't stay there for long.
Photo credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
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