By Chris Davis | Follow on Twitter @chrisjdavis11, @DropMittsHockey
Day two of the Boston Bruins development camp was another great day, and the
prospects showed great intangibles and skill. With most of the practice emphasizing net-front battles and two-on-one situations, we learned a lot about this young group, and multiple players stood out.
Riley Duran was one prospect in particular that was significantly noticeable for the second day in a row. With an absolute rocket of a shot, on three consecutive attempts, Duran went bar down, beating goalies Philip Svedeback and Derek Mullahy. The players started net-front battles as practice continued, and Duran stood out. His competitive battles in front of the net with last year’s second-round pick Matthew Poitras was most notable.
When asked what his biggest strengths are, Duran noted “winning battles,” He showed a significant improvement in this area as he won multiple net front battles using his size and strength against fellow prospects Poitras and Brett Harrison. He also noted that he would like to improve certain areas in his game and has been working on all off-season. Duran wants to be heavier on the puck and add strength this off-season.
Duran was selected in the sixth round, pick number 182 of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft to the Boston Bruins out of Lawrence Academy in Groton, MA. During his draft year there, he posted 22-22-44 and would eventually commit to Providence College but would first make a pit stop in Youngstown to play for the Phantoms of the United States Hockey League.
Once he arrived in Youngstown, he immediately appeared in 47 games for the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL. In those 47 games, Duran netted 8-11-19. Phantoms Head Coach Brad Patterson told The Athletic, “He produced a lot, but maybe not on the scoresheet. And you wouldn’t have known that from maybe looking at the stat sheet. He’s a great example, even talking to young players now, of ‘just keep working, and good things happen.”
After a year in Youngstown, Duran went to Providence, where he would play for the Friars. In a very successful Freshman campaign Duran scored ten goals, all of which were even strengths. With an injury-ridden Sophomore season with the Friars, Duran posted 8-12-20 in 29 games. Although he did sustain a setback during his Sophomore season, Duran was able to participate in the 2022 World Juniors, where he played exceptionally well, showing great speed and physicality during the tournament. Duran was one of the older players on that team and showed great leadership during the tournament.
Duran looks forward to his Junior season, where he will most likely play on a line with Rangers prospect Brett Berard. Both have played together since they’ve been 15 with the Whaler’s AAA team and then at Providence. Most recently, the two were teammates at the World Juniors. Look for Providence College to make a significant improvement this season from their 33-29-7 record last season.
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