🎙️ Maria is joined by friend-of-the-pod Maribeth (“Doctor of Devs”) to break down the differences between Development Camp and Rookie Camp, what the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo revealed, and which young players might actually push for jobs in Boston or Providence.

🚨 Camp 101

* Development Camp = summer “hockey school” with drills, invites, and NCAA/junior players

* Rookie Camp = September tryout; more scrimmages and games, fewer NCAA/European kids

* Prospects Challenge = real competition vs. other teams’ rookies; separation between AHL/ECHL/NHL tracks

📈 Standouts

* Fraser Minton – head and shoulders above the group; natural center with hockey sense & leadership flashes

* Dalton Bancroft – net-front presence, solid two-way game, paired well with Minton

* Riley Duran – local kid, PK ace in Providence, wore an “A” in Buffalo

* Dans Locmelis – fire, speed, confidence (even caught Sid Crosby’s eye at Worlds); natural center to watch

* Brett Harrison – playmaker vibes, wearing an “A,” maybe finally ready to break through

* Jake Schmaltz – fast, poised, sharp in his own end; another Providence candidate

* Ty Gallagher – BU/Colorado College D-man; QB’d the PP, scored at the Challenge, training camp invite

📉 Questions & Concerns

* Loke Johansson – big body, physical, but turnover-prone; still raw at 19

* Some forwards/invites left little impression → depth filler at best

🧠 Bigger Picture

* Culture check: Game 1 looked worryingly like the “big club” (chances but no finish, sagging late). Game 2? Totally different—multiple scorers, energy, closing plays.

* Bruins need to pick a lane: either keep blocking kids with vets or finally give them a shot at NHL ice. Rookie Camp proved there are options.

* Marco Sturm’s development background may be the bridge to get prospects real opportunities.

💬 Quotes & Chaos

* “Game 1 felt a little too much like the Bruins we just watched.”

* “Is this culture trickling down? I hope not.”

* “Minton and Locmelis — those two are ready to push for jobs.”

🔮 What’s Next

* Preseason begins Sept. 21 → early games will be heavy with rookies and bubble players

* Training camp invites (Minton, Bancroft, Duran, Locmelis, Gallagher) get their first real tests vs. NHLers

* October schedule is brutal — we’ll know fast if youth infusion helps or hurts

🐝 Next week: Preseason storylines, who’s lining up where, and whether Sturm’s “scoring by committee” plan makes any sense.

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