Providence's Opening Night Roster

[chilly666]

Providence, RI - The Providence Bruins, entering their 19th season in the American Hockey League, have announced their opening night roster with their season set to begin on Friday, October 8. The P-Bruins are scheduled to host the Springfield Falcons at 7:05 p.m. at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. Providence's squad is comprised of 25 players, including 14 forwards, nine defensemen and two goaltenders. Among the group are four veterans, 10 rookies and an average age of 23 years.

For the third straight season, the P-Bruins are led on the bench by head coach Rob Murray and assistant coach Bruce Cassidy. Over their two seasons together, Providence has compiled a 79-67-11-3 overall record, an average of 86 points per season, and one trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2008-09.

Murray and Cassidy welcome back 16 on-ice contributors from last year's club, including forwards Jamie Arniel, Joe Colborne, Zach Hamill, Jordan Knackstedt, Jeff LoVecchio, Lane MacDermid, Kirk MacDonald, Levi Nelson, Yannick Riendeau and Maxime Sauve, defensemen Andrew Bodnarchuk, Alain Goulet, Steve Kampfer, Jeff Penner and Cody Wild, and goaltender Matt Dalton. Veteran Jeremy Reich has also enjoyed considerable time in Rhode Island, last suiting up for the P-Bruins during the 2008-09 season.

New faces to the locker room this year include veteran forwards Wyatt Smith and Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman, along with rookie Antoine Roussel. Also new to the fold is veteran blue-liner Nathan McIver and first-year defensemen Yury Alexandrov, Matt Bartkowski and Ryan Donald. Bartkowski will join the team after the Boston Bruins return from Prague. Finally, goaltender Michael Hutchinson also enters his first professional season.

The club's captains are expected to be announced in the coming days.

Forwards: Jamie Arniel, Joe Colborne (R), Zach Hamill, Jordan Knackstedt, Jeff LoVecchio, Lane MacDermid, Kirk MacDonald, Levi Nelson, Jeremy Reich (V), Yannick Riendeau (R), Antoine Roussel (R), Maxime Sauve (R), Wyatt Smith (V), Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman (V)

Defensemen: Yury Alexandrov (R), Matt Bartkowski (R), Andrew Bodnarchuk, Ryan Donald (R), Alain Goulet, Steve Kampfer (R), Jeff Penner, Cody Wild

Goaltenders: Matt Dalton (R), Michael Hutchinson (R)

[smashem]

OK, So who is the tough guy, I am sure once the P-B's start getting run out of the building they will send Gratts down for some playing time, and some Beefing.

[chilly666]

reich and we think donald along with macdermid

[BlackIce27]

Donald doesn't cut, it he got the s**t kicked out of him by a kid OHL player, O'Neil, in Boston's rookie camp. I'm not sold on him and any bit of toughness! College tough doesn't always equate to the pros.

[Purely_Purinton]

Not nearly as exciting as last year with Clouthier in camp and on a PTO to start the year. Hope all the Atlantic teams beef up, Hartford has a bunch of LHWs and MWs with Soryal the biggest threat, MacDermid and Reich are both LHWs I'd say, Worcester has Mashinter but I guarentee he won't be as active this year, Manchester has nobody now that Westgarth has been called up, and Lowell looks like Hartford with mostly LHWs with guys like Corrente and Fraser shuttling up and down all year, though they do have Stoez (hopefully) up all year. And we won't even waste time with Portland

[Jensen]

Originally Posted by Purely_Purinton

Not nearly as exciting as last year with Clouthier in camp and on a PTO to start the year. Hope all the Atlantic teams beef up, Hartford has a bunch of LHWs and MWs with Soryal the biggest threat, MacDermid and Reich are both LHWs I'd say, Worcester has Mashinter but I guarentee he won't be as active this year, Manchester has nobody now that Westgarth has been called up, and Lowell looks like Hartford with mostly LHWs with guys like Corrente and Fraser shuttling up and down all year, though they do have Stoez (hopefully) up all year. And we won't even waste time with Portland

Mashinter said he is hoping to improve every stat this year including PIMs.

[IhateLindros]

Originally Posted by Purely_Purinton

Not nearly as exciting as last year with Clouthier in camp and on a PTO to start the year. Hope all the Atlantic teams beef up, Hartford has a bunch of LHWs and MWs with Soryal the biggest threat, MacDermid and Reich are both LHWs I'd say, Worcester has Mashinter but I guarentee he won't be as active this year, Manchester has nobody now that Westgarth has been called up, and Lowell looks like Hartford with mostly LHWs with guys like Corrente and Fraser shuttling up and down all year, though they do have Stoez (hopefully) up all year. And we won't even waste time with Portland

Manchester has Clune and Dwight King.

[caps05]

Originally Posted by IhateLindros

Manchester has Clune and Dwight King.

Manchester also has had Justin Johnson from the ECHL's Alaska Aces on a tryout in camp, and with Westgarth up in LA, he may get a serious look.