Thanks to years of spending draft capital on the chase for a Stanley Cup, there are not a ton of what prospect evaluators would term blue-chip prospects in Bruins’ Development Camp this week. Dean Letourneau, just taken with the No. 25 pick last week, is the only first-rounder in camp
But if there’s a player who might be the quintessential Bruin prospect, in the traditional sense, it is Jackson Edward. In polite hockey parlance, the 6-foot-2, 194-pound defenseman is “hard to play against.” In plain-speak, he’s a nasty, in-your-face defender who can deliver big hits and plays with the kind of edge that should endear himself to the Garden faithful should he eventually be able to make the jump.
Playing for the OHL’s London Knights, who made it all the way to the Memorial Cup, Edward racked up 92 penalty minutes in 59 games and found himself in trouble with the OHL, taking a two-game suspension for a high hit back in February. The 92 PIMS were down from 110 the year before.
Edward, whose favorite player growing up was Brad Marchand despite being a native of the greater Toronto area, conceded he needs to keep an eye on that line, but in no way does he want to mute that intensity.
“I think it’s something you need to manage,” said Edward, who’ll most likely get good minutes with Providence in the upcoming season. “There’s always an extent you can go to. I think that finding that line was something I was working on a lot this year. It’s one of the best parts of my game. It’s something I like to implement in my game. So yeah, it’s just finding that balance to towing that line, not taking myself out of plays but still playing with that edge.”
The Bruins’ brass certainly don’t want him to tone down his game too much. In fact, it’s his sandpaper quality that is the first thing they’ll bring up.
“He’s a real gamer,” said GM Don Sweeney last week at the draft. “He’s got a bite to his game, plays both sides. I think he’s really going to take leaps and bounds in terms of getting into the pro game, maintaining structure while allowing that bite and natural competitiveness to bubble to the surface.”
B’s Development Coordinator Adam McQuaid, who played with his own brand of truculence, is a big fan of Edward’s game.
“I love his competitiveness and his willingness,” said McQuaid. “He’s still pretty raw, so there’s lots of development and room to grow. I’m looking forward to him turning pro and us getting to have our hands on him more daily. He’s just a good kid that’s been really resilient in his life. He’s an easy kid to root for.”
Edward might have had the perfect coach to teach him how to play with a mean streak in long-time London coach Dale Hunter (3,563 career NHL PIMS). But it’s the work the Hunter family did with him as a defenseman that Edward really appreciates.
“It was amazing,” said Edward, the B’s seventh-round pick in 2022. “As far as Dale Hunter goes and my D coach, Dylan Hunter (Dale’s son) and Mark Hunter, I learned so much from those guys. I went in there barely knowing how to play defense and came out I’d say more of a defender. I think they taught me a lot just as far as the way of the game. They taught me a lot as far as toeing that line. That’s something I really dialed in on with my D coach this year, making sure I’m not taking myself out of plays but still play smart, but keeping my edge.”
Edward’s offensive game grew in his last OHL season as well. In the regular season, he had 7-23-30 totals in 59 games for the dominant Knights and then added 2-9-11 in 15 playoff games.
“I think it’s something I’ve always had but I haven’t tapped into too much,” said Edward. “Towards the end of the year I was given more freedom and opened myself up to more offensive opportunities. It’s something I’ve implemented recently and I just want to keep it going.”
Edward said his big focus this summer is to work on his technical skating, on his edge work that will make him a more efficient skater. He hasn’t worked a ton with skating coaches in the past and he’s excited about that. And for the second summer he’ll also be working out with long-time NHLer and now fitness guru Gary Roberts.
And then in September he will start his first season as a professional hockey player. McQuaid said Edward needs to work on his skating and his stick work.
“But again,’ said McQuaid. “The edge that he has and the competitiveness kind of makes you excited about what he could be and I think he’ll tap that potential.” …
Loose pucks
The B’s full schedule was released on Tuesday and some notable dates are Linus Ullmark’s return to the Garden with the Ottawa Senators on Nov. 9 and Jake DeBrusk’s return with the Vancouver Canucks on Nov. 26. The B’s will be playing Black Friday again, this year on Nov. 29, but it is scheduled for 6 p.m. and not the traditional matinee. Hiss. Boo. …
While he’s still waiting for a contract extension, Jeremy Swayman was at Warrior Ice Arena chatting with some of the prospects on the bench. Players regularly come into Warrior in the offseason to work out.
