In the summer, the signing of Frank Vatrano to his home-state NHL team went almost unnoticed outside New England. The 21-year-old from UMass-Amherst had given some hint of talent last year in the NCAA with 18 goals in 13 games, but even he would probably have admitted that this first season would be one that would see him working hard in the AHL in hopes of a step up, but mainly focused on a solid season of development.
Indeed, there were few who even saw him as having a sniff of the Bruins roster this season. After all, this was simply not a player with the kind of explosive pedigree that would see them make waves in the big leagues.