Perhaps the Boston Bruins’ first two games were the ultimate microcosm of this season to come. There was first the high of beating the defending Western Conference champion Nashville Predators in the Oct. 5 season opener at TD Garden, then a Columbus Day shutout loss to the Colorado Avalanche, the worst team in the National Hockey League.
With a slew of rookies stepping into key roles and injuries having quickly impacted the lineup, those ups and downs are to be expected. No matter what this year brings, the team’s future is certainly bright.
Just weeks into the season, it is clear that Anders Bjork is a key piece to the puzzle, ready to ride the rookie roller coaster and reap the benefits of the on-the-job training more than a handful of players are receiving at this stage of the team’s development.
And, it is also clear that the ups — among them, a two-goal preseason — will far outnumber the downs for Bjork, who is poised to play a key role for years to come.
"I’m very excited and grateful to have this opportunity, for sure," said Bjork, a Hobey Baker Award finalist and reigning second-team All-American who passed up his senior year at Notre Dame to sign a three-year, entry-level contract on May 30. "The biggest thing for me is just focusing on doing what I can to be a positive to the team."
It will be hard for the native of Mequon, Wis., a northern Milwaukee suburb, to not make an impact as the start to his Bruins career continues. Head coach Bruce Cassidy and general manager Don Sweeney let it be known that there would be competition for roster spots from the outset of training camp.
The 21-year-old Bjork won his spot, though admitting initial nerves playing on the top line with franchise players Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. Obviously, there will be room for growth, but for Cassidy and the B’s brass, there was, indeed, a lot of good in Bjork’s game.
"Yes, it does," Cassidy said when asked if it looked like Bjork belonged in his key top-six role right off the bat. "Again, the competition will stiffen for him. We’ll keep evaluating that. Still, he’s got skill, speed and courage. He gets to the dirty areas. He’s hard to play against, second effort on pucks. It’s not one-and-done with him. And for a young kid, that’s special, to be able to hang in there and battle."
Bjork tallied his first career goal Oct. 14 against Arizona, then added two goals and an assist in a win against Vancouver on Oct. 19.
Bjork is a special player, but staying the course over his two years playing in USA Hockey’s successful National Team Development Program and three at Notre Dame proved vital in his transformation into the elite player of which Bruins fans are getting their first glimpse.
He fondly remembers playing in the NTDP, but he was not thrust into a top-six role or playing special teams situations at that point in time.
Bjork truly worked at his game and benefitted from Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson’s unique coaching background, which spans from the NTDP’s beginnings to a stint in the New York Islanders organization, the junior and collegiate ranks.
Few coaches have as varied a past as Jackson, and he helped Bjork increase every offensive total during each of his three seasons at Notre Dame. He was a Hockey East second-team All-Star as a junior and finished last season as a 21-goal, 52-point scorer in just 39 games, becoming the only other Irish player to join his father (Kirt, 1983) in the school’s All-American annals.
Not bad for a fifth-round draft pick back in 2014.
"You’ve seen him evolve over the course of time," said Sweeney. "His first two years (he was) playing under a demanding coach, and really doing a lot of things away from the puck as an extension of what he does in the (NTDP). Last year, taking an enormous leap offensively, and playing with a tremendous amount of confidence and speed, going to a World Championship and acclimating himself there.
"He felt he was ready to take the next step and play against the best players."
Against, and with the best players, too. Bjork’s early assignment to the top line, as well as playing with 2015 firstrounder Jake DeBrusk early in the season, shows nothing but confidence.
After all, it was going to take a special player to keep up with those likes. At least trying to do so has been a valuable early season experience to keep improving his game, and it’s already provided benefit.
"It’s definitely easy to see how they have chemistry; they work so hard and they’re so passionate about the game," Bjork said of playing with Bergeron and Marchand. "They talk to me about little things like our system — they say, ‘Oh, do this’ or ‘Turn here,’ small offensive plays, or ways to get my shot off quicker, which I’ve been working on and they’ve helped me with."
As a first-year pro, Bjork is just trying to do his part and fit into a Bruins lineup that is chock full of young talent. He’s not the star on this team, so it’s a part that is different than what he most recently filled at Notre Dame.
"One time during the game, Marchand told me where he wants me to go so he can give me the puck, which is a little different than I’m used to," Bjork said. "It’s cool how experienced they are and how (much they) know, so I’m just trying to listen to them and take in all that I can."
