Back At It Again, Bjork Aims For Return To Boston

It's not too often that a third-year pro is considered an unknown, but after back-to-back seasons cut short due to shoulder surgeries that's exactly what the Boston Bruins have in 23-year-old forward Anders Bjork. He had only appeared in 72 games in his time with Bruins organization entering this season.

Having underwent a successful left shoulder arthroscopy and labral repair on February 20, 2018, Bjork completed the six-month expected rehabilitation and was back in the NHL with Boston to begin the 2018-19 season. Upon recording just a goal and two assists in 20 NHL contests, Bjork was reassigned to AHL Providence in late November. A month later, he played his final game of the season on December 30th in Hershey - again injuring his left shoulder and requiring a second season-ending surgery in January.

Fast forward to this past Sunday, and Bjork and the Providence Bruins were finishing up a two-game weekend road trip through Pennsylvania in Hershey against their Atlantic Division foe, the Bears.

After a goal and an assist performance in the PBruins season opener Saturday against Lehigh Valley, Bjork was held off the scoresheet Sunday - though his team prevailed with a 2-1 overtime win to improve the AHL Bruins to a 2-0-0 start on the young season.

Still, head coach Jay Leach likes what he has seen from Bjork through two games.

"I've been pretty impressed with him. He's clearly playing with a purpose," Leach said after Sunday's win. "He's playing with some passion. He wants to get pucks to the net. He wants the puck. He's competing on pucks, and he's skating," Leach added about Bjork, noting that he came into camp after having a great offseason.

For Bjork, he's just eager to get back to playing again and getting into a regular routine.

"It's been tough. It's hard not to play, from a mental standpoint obviously," Bjork told Inside AHL Hockey Sunday. "It's hard to get back into it and have confidence when you haven't played in awhile."

Through all of the mental challenges, Bjork has tried to embrace the positives.

"It was a good learning experience - learning how to rehab, I had never done that before really," Bjork said of the two surgeries. "I think, too, it's helpful to learn that confidence in knowing if you do get injured you can come back and be fine."

This second rehab from shoulder surgery, Bjork - with some suggestion from the Bruins management - actually re-enrolled at the University of Notre Dame and took classes on campus in an experience that Bjork said helped him keep his mind off just his injury/rehab and to focus on something else a little bit.

"I think they wanted me to stay busy and work on not letting it get to me mentally," Bjork recalled of his conversations with the Bruins leading up to his decision to take sign up for some classes. "It was good for me, helped me form good habits and be a grown up and take care of business while also doing my rehab," he said, adding he's now very close to finishing his degree.

Bjork was one of the final cuts from Boston's NHL training camp this fall, a testament to how hard he's worked away from the rink getting back into  shape with his conditioning, etc.

"It's hard to tell where you're going to be coming off an injury, but I was pleased with how my body has felt. I saw some areas I could improve on and get better. Overall, it was good," Bjork said, adding that, "Their message to me was to get your complete game back, your scoring touch, so that's what I'm trying to do while I'm down here."

Saturday night in the PBruins season opener in Lehigh Valley, Bjork tallied the team's first goal of the season - getting open inside the left-wing circle off of an offensive zone face-off play. His shot was partially blocked by a defender in front, but the puck changed directions and eluded Phantoms' goaltender J-F Berube.

"It feels good. Even to get rewarded like that," Bjork recalled of his first goal of the season. "It was a lucky one, but you can see areas I need to work on - finishing plays. But, yeah it's been a good two games. We have a great group here. A lot of hard working guys. So I'm just trying to be one of them, and keep competing."