Button back in Boston
Ryan Button’s hometown of Edmonton is abuzz with hockey talk these days as the Oilers make way for 18-year-old Taylor Hall, the top pick in the NHL draft last June.
Button, though, is in Boston this week, camping out with fellow Bruins’ prospects at a rookie camp that includes this year’s second-overall selection, Tyler Seguin.
While his Raiders’ teammates get ready to face off against the Swift Current Broncos in WHL pre-season play Thursday night in Prince Albert, Button and the Bruins are preparing for Wednesday and Thursday games against the New York Islanders’ rookies.
“It’s going to be pretty exciting, because it’s in Boston, so it’ll be my first game at the (TD) Banknorth (Garden),” Button said. “And with Seguin in the lineup, they’ll probably sell it out. It should be pretty cool.”
Button, a 19-year-old defenceman going into his fourth season with Prince Albert, got a taste of the Seguin show in July during the Bruins’ development camp. Extra seats were added to accommodate fans wanting a glimpse of Seguin on the ice.
“The last day was just mayhem,” Button said. “Fans were chanting his name when he was doing shootouts.
“Boston is definitely a sports town. You’ve got the Red Sox (and) the Patriots — these are all teams that win. And the Bruins have been a winning team in the past. It’s a sports city and they definitely love their Bruins. It’ll be pretty exciting to play there.”
Of course, Button’s long-term goal is to play in Boston on a full-time basis. But while Seguin is on the fast track, Button has had a bumpy ride since the Bruins drafted him in the third round in 2009. Early last season with the Raiders, he struggled with his draft status and his play suffered.
“I came back (to Prince Albert) and I was almost too full of myself,” he said. “I thought I was the best thing in the world and tried to do way too much on the ice — that was my problem.
“Now, this year, I’m another year older and another year mature, and I know that I just have to play my game.
“Just because I’m a third-round pick doesn’t mean I have to do everything and win the game by myself. I have to play a lot simpler. Just make that simple pass, because that’s what got me drafted. I feel a lot more comfortable this year. I think I’m going to have a really good year with P.A., and the team is going to be very good.”
Button’s growing pains might have been partly attributable to his environment. For the second straight year, he’s the lone Raider attending an NHL training camp, so he hasn’t necessarily been able to compare notes with like-minded players.
“It plays a big part, absolutely, knowing that I’m the only one,” he said.
“It was never about me, but I was just trying to do everything by myself, just because I thought I had to. I just need to relax, have fun and play hockey, and help the team win. That’s my main goal.”
After a few extended meetings with Raiders coach and general manager Bruno Campese last winter, Button regained his form in the latter part of the season. His maturation continues this season, during which Button is expected to be a leader with a young Prince Albert team that has considerable experience on the blue-line.
“Realistically, there’s still a lot of work to be done before I play at that (pro) level,” said Button, six-foot-one and about 185 pounds.
“The (Raider) coaches have all told me that I need to get better at that (defensive) aspect of the game, if I want to go to the next level. Boston has told me the same thing. I’m not the biggest guy, but I’m not the smallest guy.
“My strong suit is my skating and my footwork, so I’m starting to use that more to my advantage in the corners, making sure I’m in good position. And, obviously, being a little bit more physical against those bigger guys will help me even more.”
Button had six goals and 33 points in 67 games last season with the Raiders, who believe he’s poised to reach 60-plus points this winter.
“To his credit, I think he has matured a great deal through this whole process,” Campese said of Button.
“There’s a guy that could explode (offensively this season). I think he’s going to be excellent.”
Button left Prince Albert last Saturday and reported to Boston’s rookie camp with appreciably more confidence than a year ago.
“My level of comfort is so much greater this year, just knowing 50 to 75 per cent of the guys going in,” he said. “Hopefully, it’ll just make me more comfortable going into main camp.”
Boston’s first exhibition game is Sept. 22 against the Canadiens at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
“My goal is to play in that game,” Button said. “I think it would be really cool to get to experience that rivalry for the first time.”
The Bell Centre brings back special memories for Button. It’s where he was drafted in June 2009.
