Opening statement
Entering his third year in the Bruins system, winger Yannick Riendeau undertakes two natural ambitions in ascending order of loftiness: To stave off injury and to become a regular in the AHL.
2010-11 Highlights (With Providence and Reading)
• Took at least one shot on goal in every AHL appearance.
• Enjoyed a 10-game point-scoring streak with Reading between Dec. 28 and Jan. 21, charging up 5-8-13 totals within that span.
• Went on a hot streak (Dec. 12-Feb. 4) that saw him score at least one point in 16 out of 19 appearances with Reading, notching a cumulative seven goals in 14 assists for 21 points.
• Made it through 17 consecutive games (Jan. 29-March 6) without taking a single penalty.
• Curtained the regular season with a 7-5-12 scoring log over the last 15 outings.
• Averaged a point per game in the Kelly Cup playoffs, charging up a total of five goals and three assists, including four strikes in the Royals’ final three games.
2010-11 Lowlights
• Saw action in six AHL games after appearing in 22 during the 2009-10 campaign. Suited up with the P-Bruins five times before mid-November and only once afterward.
• Received a 10-minute misconduct with 6:26 remaining in a 4-0 loss to the South Carolina Stingrays Dec. 9.
• Posted a minus-1 rating during a one-game call-up to Providence on Feb. 12.
• Was on the ice for all three opposing goals in the Royals’ 4-3 shootout loss to the Florida Everblades Jan. 21.
• Endured a 20-game cold spell between Jan. 22 and March 12, tuning the opponent’s mesh only twice and going on separate goal-less streaks of seven and six outings in that span.
2011-12 Outlook
On a slightly smaller scale, Riendeau has been learning the Zach Hamill lesson. He has lost a fair amount of footing on the Bruins prospects’ chart and regaining that at this point will be tougher than corking a busted sprinkler.
If only for cautionary purposes, one should bank on Riendeau making a couple of cameos with the P-Bruins, at best.
But should he pole-vault enough of his peers and spend the better part of the season in Providence, it will be an out-and-out credit to a solid summer of training and refinement.
