By: Eamonn McLean | Follow me on Twitter/X @EamonnMcLean44
Rookie camp marks the start of the National Hockey League season as young players don their respective clubs’ sweaters. Last season, the Bruins saw several prospects graduate to more significant roles within the organization. This left many slots open for this year’s rookie camp. As a result, the Bruins have invited several free agents to help fill out their roster. Here are five players to keep an eye on in Buffalo.
#76 Tomas Cibulka – Defenseman
Cibulka, a native of Ceske Budejovice, Czechia, has played the last three seasons in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. Last season, Cibulka registered 49 points in 55 games from the backend, splitting time between the Val-d’Or Foreurs and the Cape Breton Eagles.
That performance earned Cibulka a spot on Team Czechia at the World Junior Championships, where he helped the Czechs upset Canada en route to a Bronze Medal. At 6’0″, 170 pounds, Cibulka isn’t the biggest defenseman however he makes up for it with good offensive instincts.
#83 Connor Hvidston – Left Wing
A fifth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft by the Anaheim Ducks, Hvidston has played his entire junior career with the Western Hockey League’s Swift Current Broncos and registered 156 points in 170 career games. Hvidston also has some pro experience, playing in seven games with the American Hockey League’s San Diego Gulls and scoring one goal. The Tisdale, Saskatchewan native will return to the Broncos this upcoming season.
#89 Adam Mechura – Center
Mechura enters camp in the final season of his two-year AHL contract with the Providence Bruins. The Pisek, Czechia native spent most of his first pro season in the East Coast Hockey League with the Maine Mariners, where he scored 48 points in 63 games.
A 6’4”, 201-pound center, Mechura has a large frame that he uses to his advantage around the net. Mechura will look to cement his place in the AHL this season and continue to climb the Bruins’ developmental ladder. A strong rookie camp could set the tone for a breakout campaign.
#97 Markus Vidicek – Center
A consistent playmaker for the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads, Vidicek has registered at least 40 assists in each of the past three seasons. Vidicek is an intriguing prospect because he has developed a goal-scoring touch as well. Last season he scored 45 times and totaled 88 points. The present point leader among active QMJHL players, Vidicek will look to add to that total this year with the Moncton Wildcats, as they chase a Memorial Cup Championship.
#56 Evan Vierling – Center
Vierling, the second player on this list under contract with Providence, split last season between the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers and the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Selected in the fifth round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers, Vierling had a solid junior career in the Ontario Hockey League despite missing a full year as a result of the cancellation of the 2020-21 season due to the pandemic.
While only playing eight games in the AHL, Vierling showed promise, scoring seven points. The Prospect Challenge allows Vierling to showcase his game to Providence Bruins Head Coach Ryan Mougenel and take the first step towards becoming a full-time AHL player.
When these five players don the Spoked-B in Buffalo, they will look to impress the Bruins’ brass and find a home in professional hockey. Can they succeed in doing so? A link to the Tournament schedule and the Bruins roster can be found here.
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