One of the most captivating things about the 2017-2018 Bruins was their youth. They meshed from the beginning. The amount of talented rookies that stormed the ice was overwhelming. But, who were these new guys? Could all of them be that good? Was there enough room for all of them?

The Beginning…

Bruins forward Anders Bjork started the season as a twenty year old rookie coming off a succesful college career at Notre Dame. It was time to make the dream a reality. In May of 2017, the Boston Bruins signed him to a three year entry level contract. The team was adding more and more talent to assist their seasoned players. You just hope that the talent translates well at a professional level. Early in the season, Bjork saw time on the first line. Bruce Cassidy saw enough potential in him to break up one of the best lines in hockey.

Bjork bounced around a bit but never found a real home. Unfortunately, there was never much consistency from him. What it really was was fellow rookie, Jake DeBrusk and Anders fighting for that left wing spot. The difference was that DeBrusk was producing. DeBrusk essentially won the fight.

Injuries & A Trip To Providence

Bjork had a few collisions that raised some eyebrows. In October, the Bruins fastest skater collided with goalie, Tuukka Rask. It didn’t stop there. Things seemed to shift after his collision with Toronto’s Matt Martin on November 11th. There was an undisclosed injury that kept Bjork off the ice for quite some time. He didn’t see a lot of ice time after his recovery. He wasn’t the same player after that hit. It was almost like a disconnect. A month following the injury, Bjork played in twelve games. In that twelve game stretch, he had one goal and two assists. It wasn’t enough.

2018 did not start off the best for the twenty year old. It was time to take a visit to the AHL. It wasn’t a demotion by any means. It was a chance for him to gain his bearings and a chance to help his transition. Continuing to scratch him wouldn’t have done him any good. There was an opportunity for him to prosper along side some amazing talent. There was no time table on his stint in Providence. Before being called up towards the end of January, Bjork had a total of two goals and two assists over a period of nine games.

A Not So Happy Ending

Bjork was called up to Boston on an emergency basis during the last week of January. Would we see the production that was almost expected of him? The time frame for that was cut short. A collision with Anaheim’s Francois Beauchemin ended his rookie year. On February 22, it was announced that Anders Bjork would go under shoulder surgery.

More Questions Than Answers

Recovery time is around six months. That would place Bjork at a late August, early September return. That is only an estimation. Why rush him back out there if he isn’t ready? It’s not worth the risk.

Dozens of “What If’s” can be brought to the table. It always happens with athletes coming off injuries. Bjork is young and healthy. It’s unlikely that there would be complications. What happens if he can’t find his footing for the second time? Is it worth trading him or do you give him another chance in the AHL? Only time will tell.

Like I said before, there was A LOT of young talent coming in. This isn’t little league, not everyone is going to see equal amount of playing time. It’s a big jump from college to the pros. Not everyone successfully makes the jump. Sometimes it takes a little bit before we see such a promising star break out. Anders Bjork has the make up of a true hockey star. Here’s to hoping he has a comeback year.