Good has been on the Boston Bruins’ radar since he graduated from the OHL
( Photo: Adam Dietrich )
When the varsity men’s hockey team opened training camp at Carleton’s Ice House Sept. 11, defenseman Brad Good had a leg up on his teammates.
Not that the team captain needed any sort of advantage.
For most of the players vying for a spot on the Ravens squad, Sept. 11 was the first time all summer they had stepped foot on the ice in a competitive environment. Good, on the other hand, had just finished participating in a National Hockey League (NHL) rookie camp with the Boston Bruins.
Not only was the third-year Ravens veteran able to don an NHL jersey at the Bruins rookie camp and tournament, he was able to do so in his hometown. This year, the Bruins set up camp in Kitchener, Ont.
“It was great; you can’t ask for much of a better situation,” said Good of his experience with the Bruins. “All of my family and friends were able to get out to a couple of games. And just the fact that I got asked to an NHL camp – that’s an honour and an experience in itself.”
Good was one of eight free agent invitees at the weeklong rookie camp. The camp opened with a series of off-ice conditioning tests, which were followed by two practices and the four-team rookie tournament. Though Good was not invited to the main camp, the Bruins brass was happy with his performance.
“[He’s] a very good kid that competed hard and was very physically fit,” said Bruins scout Dean Malkoc, on behalf of the Boston Bruins organization. “[He doesn’t have] the quickest feet but he didn’t embarrass himself by any means. He had a good camp and will go back to school and we will follow up on him through the year. We really liked his character.”
This was Good’s first on-ice experience with the Bruins, but he has been on the team’s radar for three years. According to Carleton Ravens head coach Fred Parker, the Bruins expressed interest in Good after he graduated from the Ontario Hockey League with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
Wayne Smith, the Ontario-based director of amateur scouting for the Boston Bruins, had been keeping an eye on Good during his first two seasons with the Ravens and finally made the call after last season. Parker said he was not the least bit surprised.
“He’s a big, solid, steady defenseman,” said Parker. “He’s very physical and deserves it. He’s been working hard, and it paid off finally.”
Good and the Bruins played a total of three games in the four-team tournament. The team came up short against the Pittsburgh Penguins rookies, but proved victorious over the young guns on the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs. And while he didn’t put up any points in the tournament, Good was still able to get his name on the score sheet; in the tournament opener against the Leafs, Good dropped the gloves with American Hockey League forward Stefano Giliati.
“The Leafs were considered the home team for the tournament [because] the majority of the fans in Southern Ontario are Leafs fans,” said Good, who admitted he too was a Leafs fan growing up. “There was some rough play, and we ended up winning in overtime. Just roughing it up, and playing against those guys [was] probably the highlight of the week.”
Good said he realizes he still has a long way to go to reach his ultimate goal of playing in the NHL, but he remains appreciative of the opportunity he received nonetheless.
“It was a great experience and great to get my foot in the door.”