Training Camp Notebook: McAvoy Coming Back Stronger with New Perspective

BOSTON – On-ice sessions officially began for the Boston Bruins during training camp on Thursday at Warrior Ice Arena.

Head coach Marco Sturm guided the two groups through the early learning stages of his vision for the team.

“We had a really good pace, I thought. Tempo was good,” Sturm said. “Both groups, they worked – that’s exactly what we’re trying to do here on day one. Today we focused a little bit on breakouts, entries and forecheck.”

Here is what else you need to know from the opening sessions of training camp:

Charlie McAvoy coming back stronger, with new perspective

Charlie McAvoy was confronted with adversity from all angles last season. Following a rocky first half from the Bruins, the defenseman’s year was cut short at 50 games due to an upper-body injury.

It was the most space he had had away from the game in a while, and McAvoy worked to find the positives in the situation.

“This summer was just different. I had more time. At first, I saw it as bad, you don’t want to have that time, but then I kind of saw it as a silver lining that I got to work on a lot of things that I hadn’t been able to,” McAvoy said. “And off the ice was just great, not having anything setting me back – [no] health concerns at all. It was a great summer, and I can’t wait to see how it shows up on the ice.”

It also allowed McAvoy to get used to his new role as dad; he and his wife, Kiley, welcomed their son, Rhys, in January. McAvoy is already thinking about seeing Rhys on the glass at TD Garden during pregame skates, he said.

“Grandparents were coming in and out a ton. They don’t really care about me anymore — they just want to see the baby. It’s been amazing,” McAvoy said. “I just have a whole new sense of gratitude and perspective. What a blessing he is in my life.”

McAvoy will have an important voice as one of the alternate captains on this year’s Bruins team. He said it is going to be “a good collaboration” between the leadership group and Sturm to make sure Boston is ready to go on opening night.

“Our expectations in this locker room don’t change. As long as we are still the Boston Bruins, that will never change,” McAvoy said. “We understand that, and we take a lot of pride in that. Within these walls, we have a lot of belief in what we can achieve if we can come together and put our best foot forward.”

Matěj Blümel looking to change his fate in Boston

It was not a hard choice for Matěj Blümel to choose the Bruins during this summer’s free agency.

On top of seeing an opportunity to make an impact on an NHL roster, having fellow Czech countrymen David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha on the team was “for sure” a bonus. Blümel said he has known Pastrnak for around six years and stayed with Zacha for a week in Boston to get to know the city.

“It is really nice because during the year you have ups and downs, and especially when you’re in your downs, you want to have some Czech players around to lift you up, pick you up and help you a little bit,” Blümel said.

Blümel, who signed a one-year deal with the Bruins in July, is one of the new faces pushing for a roster spot out of camp. The 25-year-old feels like Boston could be the place where he takes the next step in his career after dominating in the American Hockey League with the Texas Stars last season. Blümel logged 72 points (39 goals, 33 assists) in 67 games.

“I had been in Dallas for three years, and I feel like I had been doing everything I could to earn a spot on the team. Didn’t go my way. That’s sometimes how it goes,” Blümel said. “Me and my agents were just looking for a team where I fit in and feel like I have the best chance to get into the NHL and earn a spot on the team.”

Sturm was the head coach for the Ontario Reign in the AHL for three seasons before arriving in Boston, and faced Blümel on the other side.

“He was one of those guys that we had to make sure we covered this guy because he’s such a good shooter and scorer,” Sturm said. “Especially on the power play – where Leon Draisaitl hangs out – he has that spot. He was so dangerous.”

Blümel’s scoring ability is the obvious upside of his game, but the forward wants to show that he can be an effective two-way player during Bruins training camp and beyond.

“I’ve always liked to score, I’ve always liked to play on offense. But the last three years in the AHL, I had a great coaching group, and they helped me to be better on both sides of the rink,” Blümel said. “I think it looks like I really like offense and to score goals, but I also can help on the other side of the ice and that is what I am coming here with. Whatever role I get, I’ll take it.”

Sean Kuraly reflects on growth since last stint with Bruins

Sean Kuraly returns to Boston as a different player and person than he was during his five seasons with the team from 2016 to 2021. For one, he is a veteran in the room now. Kuraly also has more experience to lean on as he helps the Bruins form their identity this season.

The 32-year-old forward was with the Columbus Blue Jackets for four years before inking his two-year contract with Boston in July.

“The biggest thing for me professionally is I’ve seen a different side of this league. I was on some teams that weren’t as successful as the teams I was on here, and I think you seem to learn a lot on teams like that also,” Kuraly said.

“Being a part of losing and the other side of it teaches you some patience and some things that, fortunately, I didn’t learn when I was here – we did so much winning. But I think to be a complete player and learn as much as you can, it’s part of career growth.”

While combinations will change throughout training camp and into the regular season, Kuraly skated alongside Michael Eyssimont and Mark Kastelic on day one. He said Sturm preached speed, simplicity and straight lines to the group throughout the day.

“It’s awesome. It has been exciting,” Kuraly said. “It feels a little bit different. You are familiar [with] your surroundings, but some new faces, also some familiar faces. It’s been just a fresh, exciting kind of feel for me.”

Morgan Geekie embracing elevated role

After posting a career year of 57 points (33 goals, 24 assists) in 77 games, Morgan Geekie cemented his spot in Boston for the next six years with his contract extension in June. He said it has made things a bit easier for him coming into camp this time around.

“I think anyone would say it’s a huge weight off your shoulders – anytime you can secure a long-term contract like that,” Geekie said. “This is the place I want to be. It is something I’m super excited to be part of.”

Geekie has become a top-six stalwart for the Bruins and is poised to carry similar responsibility this season. The forward found chemistry with Elias Lindholm in the latter half of last year, and the duo skated together – with Viktor Arvidsson on the line, too – on Thursday.

“We get along off the ice, too, so I think that attributes to a lot. We have a great group in here, we had a lot of good new additions,” Geekie said. “I think for me and Lindy, I think we just kind of fed off each other towards the end of the year, and we’re looking to build off that come game one.”