“Terrific speed,’’ said general manager Peter Chiarelli. “He pushes the puck at that speed. He’s always attacking with speed. That’s one of his assets. A tremendous asset.’’
Seguin wowed Chiarelli, coach Claude Julien, and the rest of the Bruins staff on Wednesday with back-to-back, top-shelf, backhand goals during a shootout drill. Yesterday, Seguin lined up between No. 32 overall pick Jared Knight — the first two products of the Phil Kessel trade, the gift that keeps on giving (the Maple Leafs will also fork over their 2011 first-round selection) — and Jordan Caron, the Bruins’ 2009 first-rounder.
Based on Seguin’s all-around game, Knight’s offensive bent, and Caron’s brawn, it could be a first- or second-line unit in the NHL in future seasons.
“The stuff that he has, you don’t find,’’ Chiarelli said of Seguin. “All the things that he has in his whole package, there’s not many players that have that.’’
Throughout the week, as the second-youngest player in camp, Seguin has been trying to remain modest as he works to gain the respect of his teammates and bosses. The Bruins have not guaranteed Seguin a big-league spot. Like the rest of the campers, Seguin has yet to earn the right to wear his preferred NHL number (No. 19). If Seguin doesn’t make the Bruins, he must be returned to his junior team in the Ontario Hockey League for 2010-11.
“My goal is to come into these camps, make an impression, work my hardest, earn a spot, and be an impact player my rookie year,’’ Seguin said. “Obviously, if that doesn’t work out, I’ll be disappointed. But it’s just adversity. I have to face it head-on and keep improving in the OHL.’’
The puck prodigy, after all, has experienced setbacks. Last winter, for the first time in his career, Seguin was cut from a team, when he didn’t make the Canadian world junior roster. A motivated Seguin returned to Plymouth and won back-to-back OHL Player of the Month honors.
