The Providence Bruins are set for next season. Many familiar faces are
returning but some key veterans are departing, like Austin Czarnik, Kenny
Agostino, and Tommy Cross. Their replacements appear to be Mark McNeill, Martin
 Bakos, and Cody Goloubef. With the exception of Bakos, those spots seem set as
 AHL replacements. However, AHL rosters tend to fluctuate during a season, so
who could earn a call-up to the big club? Who's coming in for reinforcements at
 the end of the year? Let';s explore the possibilities.Door Open For Young
P-Bruins'; Centers

The door is open for Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson. Forsbacka-Karlsson is a smart
two-way center in an organization that just lost a solid third line center at
the NHL level in Riley Nash. Although slowed by injury in his first full pro
season, Forsbacka-Karlsson put up a 15-17-32 stat line in 58 games last season.
 He should be an impact player in Providence next season with his offensive
production increasing.

Forsbacka-Karlssson will likely start the season in Providence but he could be
one of the first call-ups. His game suits the big club if a center goes down or
 his performance warrants a promotion. Until then, the P-Bruins will reap the
benefits of a talented second-year forward who';s bouncing back from a
late-season concussion.

Trent Frederic is another center with the potential to shoot through the system
 quickly. Those expectations come largely from the fact he was considered a
project offensively when the Bruins drafted him 29 overall in the 2016 NHL
Draft. Frederic responded by leading the Wisconsin Badgers in goals his
sophomore season with 17 in 36 games. He coupled that with a solid showing for
the United States at the World Junior Championships before joining the P-Bruins
 and immediately contributing at the end of the season. Frederic's early
development is exciting but he may need at least a full season in the AHL
before making the jump.Trent Frederic (Rena Laverty/USA Hockey)

At forward, Bakos may get the call. He is a veteran from Europe who represented
 Slovakia at the 2018 Winter Olympics. At the AHL level, he has big shoes to
fill as Kenny Agostino and Austin Czarnik were proven commodities. He doesn't
have to be a direct replacement offensively as Providence has young forwards
like Ryan Fitzgerald and Zach Senyshyn returning that could step up to help
fill the scoring void.

For late season additions, P-Bruins fans may want to root against the Ontario
Hockey League's Oshawa Generals. The Generals return with a lot of pieces led
by Bruins' 2017 second-rounder Jack Studnicka. Studnicka's P-Bruins debut at
the end of the 2017-18 season saw him average a point per game in his five-game
 stint.

There's a trend here. Studnicka is known as a responsible center in all three
zones. What separates him is his playmaking ability which surpasses Frederic or
 Forsbacka-Karlsson. If Oshawa is knocked out of the OHL playoffs, expect
Studnicka to be an impact late-season addition. Due to AHL rules, he will be
returned to the OHL if he doesn't make the big club out of training
camp.Organizational Depth on Blue Line

Defense is a little more complicated when it comes to potential call-ups. Jakub
 Zboril will play big minutes for the P-Bruins this season. However, the John
Moore signing in Boston puts at least four left-shot defensemen in front of
Zboril on the depth chart. Zboril improved significantly towards the end of the
 season. If the Czech defenseman continues that progression, he'll be the guy
to make up for the absence of Cross in Providence.Lehigh Valley Phantoms Phil
Varone battles Providence Bruins Jakub Zboril.(JustSports Photography)

The remaining defensive group is interesting. Goloubef is an AHL veteran, you
can count on him for production and to eat up minutes. The wild card in the
group is Urho Vaakanainen. The 2017 Finnish first-rounder will be playing his
first season in North America. In terms of AHL expectations, Vaakanainen could
provide a huge boost to the blue line and should be given the opportunity to
develop and play in different situations at the lower level. The organization
already has eight proven NHL defensemen and possibly two more in front of him
with Zboril and Jeremy Lauzon.

The P-Bruins goaltenders should be set for the upcoming season. Unless there's
an injury don't expect a call-up. In fact, signing Jaroslav Halak to a two-year
 deal shows the uncertainty within the organization. Zane Mcintyre finished
2017-18 with respectable numbers but needs to be more consistent. McIntyre was
 pulled in the playoffs against Lehigh Valley for St. Louis loanee Jordan
Binnington.

McIntyre will be a restricted free agent at the end of the year and will be
playing for a contract. This season will bring the arrival of Daniel Vladar who
 has two seasons of ECHL hockey under his belt after making the rare jump from
the United States Hockey League to professional hockey.

McIntyre is more likely to earn a call-up with his experience. With that said,
Vladar is the prospect with the opportunity to win playing time early. Despite
his professional experience, Vladar will only be 21 when the season starts. At
6-foot-5 and with noted athletic ability, expect the organization to give him
plenty of time to develop. When projecting the P-Bruins season, a lot may
depend on how Vladar adjusts to his first full season in the AHL. Halak could
be bridging the gap while Vladar continues development in the AHL

The organization is stocked with talent. For the P-Bruins, that means a solid
core down the middle and a skilled group of defensemen. Vladar is a project in
net but he's young. Providence fans can expect one of the younger teams in
recent years, but high-end talent should be shuffling in and out of the Dunkin
Donuts Center.

The post How The Providence Bruins Roster May Change in 2018-19 appeared first
on The Hockey Writers.

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheHockeyWrite...
--- SBBSecho 3.05-Win32
 * Origin: TequilaMockingbird Online - Toms River, NJ (1:266/404)