Former UND All-American and Hobey Baker Memorial Finalist Zane McIntyre is currently attending the Boston Bruins Development Camp. McIntyre explained his decision to forego his senior season and sign an entry-level contract with the Boston Bruins.
Boston fans will be happy to know that McIntyre is all in and happy to be a member of the Bruins. As a fan of the Bruins, this makes me happy as well.
“There was an option, I guess a CBA loophole that was brought to my attention after I made the decision to go pro, in a sense,” McIntyre said Tuesday on the first day of Bruins development camp. “So, in a sense, I was notified of that, but deep down I knew I wanted to be a Bruin.
“There’s just something you can’t really put your finger on with this organization where there’s a lot of similarities where I’ve grown up with a hard-nosed mentality, you earn everything you get. I don’t know if it’s the city or the culture that we have here. It’s something pretty special and I felt really comfortable with the organization here as well, and my position.”
McIntyre will face plenty of competition within the B’s organization. Tuukka Rask is the starter at the NHL level and a former Vezina Trophy-winning goalie. Rask is signed long-term, too. Boston also has 2012 first-round pick Malcolm Subban and 26-year-old Jeremy Smith, who both played well for the AHL’s Providence Bruins last season.
The competition doesn’t faze McIntyre, though, and he knows it’s going to be a challenge wherever he plays. (NESN.COM)
Anyone that’s been around McIntyre for any amount of time knows that he’s a competitor. Sounds like he hasn’t changed one bit after becoming a professional. McIntyre is going into the Bruins training camp with the intention of challenging for the Bruins backup position.
“Absolutely,” McIntyre said when asked if he wants a shot at competing for the backup job in Boston. “As a hockey player, you’re super competitive in any position. We’re going to try our best to be the best, whether it’s on ice working, off the ice doing stuff as well. I’m going to put by best foot forward in every situation I can to maybe get that spot that’s ahead of me.”
McIntyre has no experience in the NHL or AHL, but the two guys he will compete against for the B’s backup job, Malcolm Subban and Jeremy Smith, also have very little experience. Subban has played just one game in the NHL, and Smith has yet to make his debut.
“Obviously, there’s no pro experience and stuff, but at the same time, you’re play is going to dictate what happens,” McIntyre said. “I’ll probably learn that maybe sooner than later with pro hockey. You play well, you’re going to keep playing. If not, you’re going to find the rubber for a bit.
“I just got to learn to control what I can control, and put my best foot forward whether that’s in a situation at the (NHL) level or whether that’s in the AHL. Wherever you go there’s going to be competition, so I know that and understand that.” (NESN.COM)
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