I know Brekel and OneManShow are the resident Bruin experts, and they are knowledgeable and I respect their opinions, but does anyone else think that Heinen will make the team before Forsbacka Karlsson?
Heinen excelled late in the season, including leading the team in the playoffs, JFK has not played 1 game of pro hockey
Heinen has played wing as a pro, but grew up a center in junior. Has he forgotten how to play center? Can coaches help him get back to playing center so that he can take the 3rd line C role if Spooner leaves?
Does Bruin management usually like to see their players learn to play pro hockey before they play against men?

Just askin'........

ill take the third option of them both making the team at the same time

If he has already played a full year of pro down in providence as a wing, why bother converting him back to center when he could be more valuable to the team on the wing? Both of these guys should be able to make the team out of camp barring any veteran signings in free agency

Not sure I'd say I'm an expert, but I appreciate the compliment. I'll be honest, I keep going back and fourth on JFK. I feel like he wouldn't leave college just to go to the AHL and a major reason the B's are moving Spooner is because they have JFK to play #3C. On the other hand I don't know if he's ready for the NHL yet. Skill wise it's there, but maturity wise he still has some room. We've seen what a year of AHL can do for guys like DeBrusk and even Heinen.

Heinen did get a look to start this season and looked ok, but not what many expected (part of the reason I hope people temper expectations on Bjork). There are a ton of spots up for grab and IMO, what you did last year doesn't mean squat. These are the only locks I see right now....

Marchand - Bergeron - Backes
Bjork - Krejci - Pastrnak
XXX - XXX - XXX
XXX - XXX - Nash

Now I think a guy like Nash (if not traded) is all but locked in barring a terrible camp. He goes under the radar but bring a lot to the bottom 6 and with young as were going, we need some veteran leadership down there. I also think Bjork is pretty much a lock (again barring a terrible camp). I have to imagine Boston promised him a top 6 role to start the year and see where it goes. The guys I have compete for the rest of the spots...

Vatrano
Kuarly
Acciari
JFK
Heinen
DeBrusk
Cehlarik
Schaller
Beleskey (if around)
Hayes (if around)
UFA's

It's going to be a fun and interesting camp to say the least. We have a ton of youth that starting to get infused into this team.

Whats your opinion on maybe
Marchand-Bergeron-Bjork
XXX-Krejci-Pastrnak
XXX-XXX-Backes or XXX-Backes-XXX
XXX-XXX-Nash

My reason for Bjork being on the 1st line is just like you said he was probably guaranteed top 6 going into camp, so either on Bergy's wing or krejci's wing

My reason for giving Backes his own line is strictly from the Ottawa series, when Backes was finally able to get his own line and be center he looked his best. He could provide great veteran leadership for the younger guys. Maybe a line like Vatrano-Backes-Heinen/Debrusk/Kuraly

Lol, OneMan definitely belongs in that category but not me. Thank you for the compliment though!

On JFK and Heinen, it's really going to be camp dependent (and also dependent on who is still here; Spooner being key here). JFK looked lost in that last game of the season, but I always like to remind myself that he was playing the top team in the East, hadn't played in a couple weeks (besides practices) and was playing center (the most important position for forwards). He got his "taste", now it's time to see how he develops over the off-season with some training. He'll definitely need to get stronger to be an option next year.

I think Heinen has a better chance to make the team b/c he's playing wing, which is more of an open position on the team. They have Marchand, Pastrnak, Backes (if he stays on RW), and that's pretty much it for locks. For centers, Bruins have Bergeron, Krejci, Spooner (like him there or not), and Nash/Acciari can both play center. If Moore isn't re-signed, I think Nash slides over to 4LC. Spooner, until moved, is still here and an option for 3rd line center once again. And I take Spooner over JFK right now, b/c Spooner has shown he is an NHL player.....JFK, still a "?"

Camp is going to be fun. We have all this competition going on, and we haven't even hit the draft yet. With trades and FA still ahead of us, it's so hard to really make this prediction. Bruins could go out and sign a veteran winger on the cheap, or trade for one, which would solidify one spot, and close up another for a prospect (creating further competition for whoever is left).

I mean you could, but I think Krejci plays best when he has a big psychical winger to compliment him. I wouldn't at all be surprised if Cassidy used the Bjork signing as an opportunity to move Backes down (big physical winger) to play w/ Krejci & Bjork. The one thing I like about the Psata/Bjork combo though is speed. Those two can flat out fly down the ice and could create some odd man rushes with their feet. We know Marchy/Bergy are tied at the hip. Krejci mans the 2nd line, so it's really a matter of how you want to use Backes/Pastrnak/Bjrok.

Some great comments there, thanks guys!

As you all have said, it should be a fun summer of watching how things unravel. I haven't looked forward to summer flying by I a long time!!!