ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) – The wait is over and the NHL dream begins for Elmira’s Johnny Beecher.

Monday, NHL hockey teams were required to submit finalized rosters for the start of the 2023-24 season in preparation of opening night. Beecher was selected to the final roster for the Boston Bruins after a solid preseason camp for the franchise.

With the regular season beginning Wednesday night for Boston as they play host to the Chicago Blackhawks, Beecher is being tabbed as a fourth-line center. A fourth-liner is considered a hard-working, physical player with big time potential in the valuable minutes they are given to contribute on the ice.

Beecher, 22, will likely make his NHL debut Wednesday night against the Blackhawks. In the preseason, Beecher scored a goal and recorded an assist in four games. Beecher also had eight hits and a total of 60 minutes and 30 seconds on the ice.

The 2019 NHL first-round selection (30th overall) by the Bruins played the last two seasons for the team’s AHL affiliate in Providence. Prior, Beecher played for The University of Michigan for the Wolverines where he was a member of the NCAA Frozen Four Team in 2022. Beecher was also a member of the 2020 All-Big Ten Freshman Team at Michigan.

Johnny signed a three-year NHL entry-level deal with the Bruins in May of 2022. Beecher becomes the first professional athlete to come out of the Elmira region to compete in one of the four major sports leagues (NHL, NFL, NBA, MLB) since Spencer Van-Etten grad Jeff Foote played for the New Orleans Hornets (now Pelicans) in the NBA back in 2012.

18 Sports will have more on Beecher’s progress in the game and on the season. The Bruins host the Blackhawks Wednesday night at 7:30 pm with game being televised on TNT from the TD Garden.

The official 2023-24 Boston Bruins roster can be found here: https://www.nhl.com/bruins/roster

(Photo Courtesy: Boston Bruins Instagram – @nhlbruins)