BOSTON -- Even though the Bruins made four more cuts on Wednesday, those players sent to Providence of the AHL could get another chance to play in one of the last two preseason games remaining in Boston.
“Possibility, yeah,” said Bruins coach Claude Julien.
Among those players that could be in the lineup Friday for the Bruins against the New York Islanders at Bridgeport, Conn., are forwards Justin Florek, Alex Khokhlachev and Ryan Spooner.
“The guys that are going to come up are probably guys that deserve another game,” Julien said.
Goaltender Jeremy Smith, who was also sent to Providence on Wednesday, cleared waivers and reported to P-Bruins camp.
Other notes:
* Bruins center Patrice Bergeron was given Thursday off from practice, but he was at the rink. Julien said it was “nothing major to report.”
* Bruins forward Gregory Campbell finally began skating on his own Thursday morning, after missing the majority of training camp with a mid-core injury. It’s unlikely he’ll be ready for the season opener on Oct. 8 against the Philadelphia Flyers at TD Garden.
* Bruins forward Reilly Smith and defenseman Torey Krug should see action in the final two preseason games on Friday and Saturday. Both players missed the first 11 days of training camp while waiting to sign their respective one-year bridge contracts with the Bruins worth $1.4 million each. Julien has been impressed with their progress.
“They’ve been pleasantly good,” Julien said, who admitted he was a “little worried” it would take Smith and Krug a while to catch up since they missed so much time. “They haven’t shown any signs of guys that are really lacking. Again, we haven’t seen them in a game situation and no doubt we want to see them play in these next two games and hopefully that’s the case and they get an opportunity to show how good of shape they’re in.”
