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It looks like Anders Bjork is going to give it a go for the Bruins rookie team at the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo this weekend.
The Bruins will face teams representing Pittsburgh, Buffalo and New Jersey on Friday, Saturday and Monday, respectively.
Bjork, 23, has been a pro for two seasons but has played just 50 NHL games (with five goals and 10 assists to his credit in those games). Last season he was playing for Providence in the American Hockey League when he was injured by a vicious check and underwent surgery on his left shoulder in January.
His rookie season was also cut short by a shoulder injury. He was on the Bruins’ roster for the rookie tournament last fall but wasn’t ready health-wise to compete. Bjork is again on the Bruins’ roster this season, the club announced Tuesday.
Other highlights on the roster are forward Jack Studnicka, who will be turning pro this season; Pavel Shen, who’s coming to North America for the first time; defenseman Urho Vaakanainen, who played just two NHL games and 28 AHL games in his first North American season last year; and goaltender Kyle Keyser, who’ll be competing for playing time with Providence this season.
This will be the first chance this season for Studnicka to crack the Bruins’ forward group and for Vaakanainen to make his case for being part of Boston’s defense.
Here’s a look a the rest of the roster:
Forwards: Samuel Asselin, Anders Bjork, Scott Conway, Trent Frederic, Jacob Gaucher*, Dante Hannoun*, Cameron Hughes, Joona Koppanen, Robert Lantosi, Jakub Lauko, Tom Marchin, Pavel Shen, Oskar Steen, Jack Studnicka, Alex-Olivier Voyer*
Defensemen: Axel Andersson, Max Martin*, Riley McCourt*, Andrew Perrott*, Jordan Sambrook*, Wiley Sherman, Alexey Solovyev, Urho Vaakanainen, Cooper Zech
Goaltenders: Taylor Gauthier*, Kyle Keyser, Dan Vladar
*= invitee