Boston Bruins' Riley Tufte Makes Case for Opening Night Roster Spot – Hockey Writers – Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins will have some big decisions to make in the coming days as the preseason and training camp draws to a close. While the blue line looks pretty good, there are still a lot of question marks when it comes to the forwards, such as who will play center, who will play on the wing, and what level will make the opening night lineup. ?

Heading into the preseason, all eyes were on Georgii Merkulov and Fabian Lysell who will battle for a roster spot. Excitement has been building around Merkulov since his first season in the American Hockey League (AHL) after signing as a free agent out of college. When it comes to Lysell of course, expectations have been high for him since he was selected in the first round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.

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Neither player performed well in their first preseason game against the New York Rangers, and while they returned for the second preseason game — especially Lysell — there's reason to doubt one or both will make the roster. This left the door open for other guys to get a real look at the opening night show.

With Max Jones out with an undisclosed injury, one of the younger guys who stepped up, impressed, and made a case for being on the opening night roster is Riley Tufte.

Tufte's path to the Boston Bruins

Tufte signed with the Bruins at the start of free agency on July 1 with a one-year contract worth $775,000. The 6-foot-6, 26-year-old arrived after spending a year in the Colorado Avalanche organization where he appeared in five NHL games and 67 games with the Colorado Eagles in the AHL.

The Minnesota-born player is a first-round draft pick, selected 25th overall by the Dallas Stars in 2016. He is one of four 2016 first-round picks currently in the Bruins' program (Charlie McAvoy, Trent Frederic. , and Jones).

Tufte spent three seasons following his draft playing in the NCAA for the University of Minnesota Duluth, winning two NCAA National Championships while a member of the team. He then joined the Stars organization, but did not become a full-time NHL player while in the organization.

Tufte comes to Boston with 18 games of NHL experience. In those games, he has two goals and three points in total. At 26, the clock is ticking on whether or not he can make it to the point of being a full-time NHLer.

Tufte's Best Preseason So Far

Tufte has had a fire lit under him throughout training camp and the preseason thus far. It's clear he's feeling the mounting pressure and the ticking clock, and he wants to make the roster in training camp, despite not being on the radars of guys entering this season. He has the size and aggressiveness that the Bruins always seem to like.

There are some successful guys in coach Jim Montgomery's system. Frederic, for example, really turned things around after the coaching change and is still a reliable member of the roster. Tufte, like Frederic, is a big guy who can play aggressively but also has offensive skills, even if he hasn't been drafted into the NHL. He's the type of player who could excel in Montgomery's system, and like Frederic, Tufte could see himself taking a big step forward this season if he makes the roster.

Tufte scored a goal in a preseason game against the Washington Capitals. His goal, along with his performance in training camp, turned heads for the forward. With other guys struggling with injuries, if he continues to play well and utilize his size to the fullest, as he did in his goal against Washington, there is a compelling case to have him in the opening night lineup.

Will Tufte Make The List?

With the first game of the 2024-25 season still two weeks away, it's too early to tell. That being said, there is an argument to be made. You played well and you get attention. His size is an obvious advantage, especially when you consider how much upside the Bruins have in 2024-25. If he continues to play the way he is doing, I think more and more people will get on the “Tufte train.”

As it is, there is a lot of competition for the last few spots on the list. Besides Merkulov and Lysell, who are big names coming into camp, there are also Riley Duran and Brett Harrison to consider. Both are younger than Tufte and have drawn attention through training camp and the preseason as well.

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Open spots. Unlike last fall when it was immediately apparent that Matthew Poitras would lock down the opening night spot, no one has jumped ahead of the competition to take his spot. Tufte, Merkulov, Lysell, Harrison, and Duran all seem like a pretty good fit now. There might be a slight edge to Lysell, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him get the nod, but I'd be equally surprised if he didn't make it.

This coming week will be very important for all of these guys as they make their case to the coaching staff and front office. It will be really interesting to see how everything will shake out before Oct. 8 and opening night against the Florida Panthers.