Jesper Boqvist has had a reasonably non-descript raining camp, however the New Jersey Devil castaway had an opportunity to vary all that when the Bruins traveled to Madison Square Garden to tackle the Rangers of their remaining preseason recreation on Thursday.

Boqvist, whose skating is probably his finest asset, was getting an opportunity to play on a high line with David Pastrnak and his former Jersey teammate Pavel Zacha.

What was coach Jim Montgomery searching for with Boqvist on that unit?

“His ability to build our team game, his ability to compliment those two, add offense and also track back and be able to eloiminate plays coming back. His 200-foot game at both ends of the ice and see if there’s any chemistry with those two players,” mentioned Montgomery.

Boqvist, the thirty sixth general choose within the 2017 draft, was a casualty of the league-wide cap crunch final summer season. The Devils selected to not lengthen him a qualifying provide, making him a free agent. The B’s signed him on the second day of free company to a one-year deal value $775,000. He’ll nonetheless be a restricted free agent when the season is up.

Boqvist hopes a brand new begin right here will do the identical for him because it did for Zacha final 12 months.

“You see Pav take the steps he did last year and other guys taking steps, and when you talk to a team like this, it’s almost like a no-brainer,” mentioned Boqvist. “Watching him take those steps last year was fun to watch and I think I can do that, too.”

While Boqvist’s talent set is effectively considered by the teaching employees, Montgomery concedes it hasn’t but proven up for all to see but.

“I think he’s been good in practice with the plays he’s made, the smart reads he’s made offensively and defensively. I don’t think it has translated into the games yet and that’s what we’re looking to see (Thursday),” mentioned Montgomery.

He was trying ahead to have the ability to present what he can do with the road he was slotted in at MSG.

“It’s going to b e a lot of fun. It’s a good opportunity,” mentioned Boqvist. “I played a little bit with (Zacha) in New Jersey and I think we played pretty well together. He’s such a good player, so it’s pretty easy. Same with Pasta. It’s my first time with him, so it will be a lot of fun, for sure.”

Boqvist admitted that he’s nonetheless studying the nuances of how the B’s wish to play, in line with the suggestions he’s gotten to this point.

“A lot of systems stuff, like when I’m standing a little bit wrong, or if I can go harder…it’s mostly system stuff that I’m trying to learn still,” mentioned Boqvist, who had 10-11-21 totals in 70 video games final season.

With a number of jobs nonetheless hanging within the stability, Boqvist wanted to make the most of the prospect he was being given on Thursday.

“You can’t take anything for granted. You’ve got to go out there and try to play your best. It’s a good opportunity for me tonight, so it’s going to be fun,” mentioned Boqvist. “It’s a lot of new stuff, so I don’t think I’ve played my best yet, but it’s coming. It’s coming.”…

One participant with whom Boqvist might be in direct competitors is Danton Heinen, who remains to be in camp on a tryout. He was not within the lineup for Thursday’s presason finale, however Montgomery mentioned we should always not look too far into that.

“He’s had a good camp,” mentioned Montgomery, who coached Heinen at Denver. “Camp’s not over, so I don’t want to make any declarations. I know you may think that with him not playing that we’d be able to answer that question. But for me, I know what Danton Heinen is, I know what he brings, so I don’t need to play him tonight. I think he’s had a good camp and you’ve got to see how everything plays out over the next five days before we start.”…

While Montgomery wasn’t able to say who’s made the group and who hasn’t, he positive gave the impression of he was greater than keen to at the least see Matt Poitras within the nine-game window that groups are allowed to take a look at gamers who aren’t eligible for the AHL to make a remaining resolution on them.

“I don’t know if there is that much of a downside. Obviously, it’s a roster spot. That would be to me the only downside as far as how much depth you keep, right? But besides that, if he continues to play the way he’s played…,” mentioned Montgomery. “But training camp is not over. It’s going to go on after tonight’s game, so usually it plays itself out, who should be here and who shouldn’t.”

Presuming Poitras sticks, Montgomery was requested if that may change his ideas on how he envisioned his high six to appear to be.

“Not really,” mentioned Montgomery. “If you add another centerman who can play both ends of the ice as he has shown, it’s just gives me more flexibility within games, depending on who’s going well, who’s not going well and switch lines like I like to do within games.”

Poitras was anticipated to middle Morgan Geekie and Trent Frederic towards the Rangers.