BRIGHTON, Mass. -- The Boston Bruins have holes in their forward group entering this season, and they will be looking at their youth to fill them.
They could look to Fabian Lysell, the No. 21 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, who took a step forward in his second season with Providence of the American Hockey League. Or to Georgii Merkulov, who led Providence in scoring with 65 points (30 goals, 35 assists) in 67 games last season.
What about Riley Duran, selected in the sixth round (No. 182) of the 2020 NHL Draft?
On the surface, Duran might not seem a realistic option. But according to Bruins general manager Don Sweeney, it isn’t as far-fetched as one might think.
“I would say that [Georgii Merkulov] and [Fabian Lysell] or Riley Duran, keep going down the list,” Sweeney said after NHL free agency opened on July 1. “Just pin your ears back, train your [butt] off this summer, and come with the intent that there'll be an opportunity here. If you're the best player, then we find a way to get you in the lineup.”
Clearly, Duran is on Sweeney’s radar for training camp, and the 22-year-old said he isn’t taking that lightly. But he also said he isn’t putting too much stock in it, either.
“It’s awesome, but it doesn’t mean anything if you don’t show up and play good and compete,” Duran said during Boston's development camp earlier this month. “So I’m just looking forward to showing up and playing against all those guys [at training camp].”
Duran, a native of Woburn, Massachusetts, has been relatively close to home throughout his entire hockey career to this point, save for a couple stints with Youngstown of the United States Hockey League in 2018-19 and 2020-21. He played the past three seasons at Providence College, with 55 points (27 goals, 28 assists) in 102 games, and he didn’t have to go far to join the professional ranks at the end of last season, playing 11 games with Providence of the AHL.
Duran went without a point in four Calder Cup Playoff games, but Providence coach Ryan Mougenel was “super pleased” with the way Duran adjusted, even saying he’s ahead of schedule in his development.
“I think he was a lot better than what I was expecting,” Mougenel said. “Not saying that I had him at a different standard, but we were really surprised at how well his game had grown, and how confident he was in the American League.”
Mougenel said Duran’s skill set -- which includes good hands, speed and ability to separate -- surprised him the most, and Duran is looking to build off that to improve his strength and shot this summer.
An NHL spot is far from a given for Duran, but even if he stays in the AHL this season, he’s thankful he was able to play some games in the spring. He said having that experience, especially in playoff games, was “huge” for his confidence heading into his first full professional season.
“It’s a man’s game now and it’s a job,” Duran said. “So you've got to play and compete every day and just do the little things right, and it will pay off.”
