Providence Bruins Continue Signing Defensemen

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By: Mark Allred                    Follow Me On Twitter @BlackAndGold277

I wrote an article yesterday following a lead from Providence Journal’s  Bruins Hockey writer Mark Divver about the American Hockey Leagues Providence Bruins signing Connor Clifton, and the top minor-pro affiliate of the National Hockey Leagues Boston Bruins have struck again. Earlier today said writer Mark Divver reported on Twitter that the AHL franchise has signed an AHL contract with defenseman Taylor Doherty.

Defenseman Taylor Doherty signs AHL contract with @AHLBruins. 6-foot-7, 235-pound righty played 10 games with PBs last season

— Mark Divver (@MarkDivver) August 17, 2017

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Last season the Cambridge, Ontario Canada native was up and down the minor system o of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs spending 12 games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, 30 games with the East Coast Hockey Leagues Orlando Solar Bears before being loaned to the Baby B’s for 10 games where he earned two points.  Originally drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the second round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, he’s spent a majority of time in the AHL locally with the Worcester Sharks who’s franchise was shipped out west to keep prospects close and travel at a minimum cost. In those ten games with the Providence team, he earned only two points.

The 26-year-old Doherty is a solid blueliner at 6′-8″  236-pounds and could be that veteran minor leaguer to take the place of departed Alex Grant who I was shocked didn’t get another minor-pro contract to stay with the B’s after he had the best year of his lifetime offensively. The AHL journeyman has 43 points in 256 career AHL games.  In the East Coast Hockey League, he has 32 points in 54 games and can be optioned to the NHL B’s Premier “AA” team with the Atlanta Gladiators of the ECHL to add defensive size to help Glad’s goaltenders Matt Ginn and Bruins 2015 third round pick Dan Vladar.

Regardless of minor league placement the increased amount of defensemen in the lower leagues are certainly stacking up with names with main stay name such as Chris Breen, Tommy Cross, Rob O’Gara, and Matt Grzelcyk already on the team with the additions of first-year minor-pro defensemen Emil Johansson, Jeremy Lauzon, Jakub Zboril, and the recent signings of Connor Clifton and article topic Taylor Doherty, this is certainly going to be an interesting training camp coming up within a month. With the additions of youth coming into the system for the first time, it’s almost seemingly the signings of Clifton and Doherty might be to add some strength with opposing players taking Liberties on the younger developing players.