( Above Photo Credit: NHL .com )
By: Nick Peters Follow Me On Twitter @NickPeters48
Anders Bjork has been deemed NHL ready ever since signing an entry-level deal with the Bruins last May. This was proved right when he made the team out of camp, in the much-wanted spot on the Right Wing, with Marchand, and Bergeron. Marchy and Bergy will undoubtedly raise Bjork’s point totals. But the main question is what numbers can he put up. At Notre Dame, Bjork put up 109 points in 115 contests, 52 of them (21 goals, 31 assists) were put up last season.
Those numbers were not ignored, as Bjork became a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, which is annually awarded to college hockey’s most outstanding player. In addition to being a finalist for the Hobey Baker, Bjork was a finalist for the Hockey Humanitarian Award for his Community service in a 3rd-grade classroom, not too far from Notre Dame. Following the season Bjork attended Development Camp. At camp, Bjork was by far the best player on the ice, showing off a broad skill set, and tons of confidence, as he often attempted to make difficult dangles around his fellow campers. Below you will find a clip from a one on one he had against Jesse Gabrielle.
Following camp, the B’s decided it would be a good idea to put Bjork with Marchand and Bergeron. The trio worked well together in camp, and in the preseason. Bjork ended up picking up a goal on a one-timer from Bergeron, in their tilt versus Chicago.
The Bruins brass made the apparent decision in keeping Bjork on the Bruins roster. Bjork answered by picking up his first career point on a goal by Jake DeBrusk. Bjork can be called an offensive player, with some defense built into his game, after learning the defensive side of his game from Jeff Jackson. (Notre Dames head coach)This season we can expect Bjork to put up goals in the 20-25 range and put up assists in the 30-40 range. If Bjork plays the entire season on the first line, his numbers will definitely be at the higher end of these predictions.
Eventually, I can see Bjork putting up Pastrnak like numbers, and being a high-end top-six forward. At the end of the day, the Bruins have a high-end talent who hopefully has several years ahead of him wearing the black and gold.
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