By: Jake Ferraro | Follow me on Twitter/X @18Jxxx18
Training camp recently began for the Providence Bruins as they prepare for the 2026-27 American Hockey League season. This Friday and Saturday night, Providence is scheduled to play a home-and-home series against the Springfield Thunderbirds in preseason action before the team’s first regular-season game on Oct. 2 against the Utica Comets. Despite losing key players this offseason, Providence will be eager to defend its MacGregor Kilpatrick title. However, before Providence plays preseason hockey this weekend, news surrounding forwards Josh Bloom and Alexis Gendron recently arrived.
Yesterday, Mark Divver of New England Hockey Journal tweeted that Bloom hasn’t reported to camp yet for Providence because of an immigration issue, but he is expected to arrive soon. Hearing the word “soon” gives Providence a sigh of relief that Bloom will arrive shortly. However, with two days before the team’s first preseason game against Springfield, Providence still can’t see what Bloom offers in the lineup.
Bloom, 23, played in both the ECHL and AHL last season for four different teams combined. In the ECHL last season, Bloom recorded 27 points in 30 games, then three points in 22 AHL games. Bloom signed with Providence this past August, and his potential grew more when he scored four goals during the 2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs for the Fort Wayne Komets.
For Gendron, 22, he was traded to the Bruins organization from the Philadelphia Flyers this past March. Gendron spent the entire 2025-26 season in the AHL with Providence and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. After the trade, Gendron recorded three points in ten games for Providence. Combined with Lehigh Valley and Providence, Gendron recorded 25 points in 57 AHL games. Gendron signed a new contract to remain in Providence this past June, eager to perform better, but that will have to wait.
Today, Providence’s head team physician, Dr. Michael Belanger, released a statement regarding Gendron’s health, and it’s a blow to the team’s lineup:
“During off-season training, Alexis Gendron sustained a lower back injury. On August 25th, he underwent a successful discectomy performed by Dr. Dominic Kleinhenz at University Orthopedics in Rhode Island. He will be re-evaluated in two months.”
No Gendron for two months loses depth up front for Providence, and his return to the lineup remains in question; with a completely new roster from last season to now, there’s concern about how the team will look. Bloom missing camp right now is brutal too, but he is expected to arrive shortly; no Gendron for at least two months creates major holes in the roster before opening night against the Comets.
Providence lost its captain, Patrick Brown, as well as other key forwards Riley Tufte, Georgii Merkulov, and Matej Blumel this offseason. Providence will now be searching for forwards to replace the offense those four provided last season. This season, Providence has a lot of uncertainty about how the team will look, and the recent news about Gendron adds to it.
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