His high expectations for 2016-17 took a hit on the first day of training camp. This year’s start to the preseason is already different for Frank Vatrano, however.

Missing the first three months due to a foot injury, the former UMass-Amherst standout had to wait to build off the potential he showcased in both Providence and Boston in 2015-16. Upon returning to the lineup, Vatrano struggled to build from that 15-16 experience, especially leading up to the playoffs where he failed to light the lamp in his final 16 regular season contests.

Between his frequent trips from Boston to Providence to begin his pro career and his setback to start his second season, Vatrano enters Year 3 hoping to secure his spot in the Bruins lineup. That won’t be given, especially with the few veterans that want to hang onto their place along with the talented prospect pool looking to make a big splash.

Over the next few weeks, the Bruins will have a better idea on who stays in Boston, who reports to Providence and who will return to their junior squads to start the 2017-18 season. For Vatrano, getting through Day 1 was an accomplishment in and of itself.

“It’s my third year here, so I feel a lot more comfortable being here,” Vatrano said following the first session of Training Camp at Warrior Ice Arena on Friday. Obviously, I have a good relationship with the guys, the coaching staff and whatnot.” Vatrano said following the first session of Training Camp at Warrior Ice Arena on Friday.

“Obviously, I had a little bit of a hiccup on the road and had a bit of a setback not being able to skate until November. So now that I get to start off right away, it’s good to be with everyone and there’s no catching up.”

Vatrano’s two-year stint in the NHL has been pretty short. Eighty-three games to be exact. Though he’s only lit the lamp 18 times in that span, Vatrano got to showcase his offensive skillset patented by his quick snap shot.

Certainly, Vatrano likes to throw the puck on net as seen with his 215 shots on goal in his first two years. But there’s a certain emphasis in today’s NHL among forwards being a three-zone player. Being a good end-to-end player and finding consistency are both something that Vatrano wants to improve on.

“I think my overall game needs to get better and I think I need to be a complete 200-foot player, and I think I need to bring consistency night in and night out,” Vatrano said about his goals for the upcoming season. “Butch [Cassidy] always talked about bringing your A games and B games – obviously you need more A games every night, but if you don’t have that you have to bring your B game. So I think the thing for me is about bringing your two games every night and hopefully it’s my A game, but if not I need to bring my B game for sure.”

“Frank never played a lot of pro hockey,” head coach Bruce Cassidy said about Vatrano’s first two seasons. “So coming to the NHL from one year in the American [Hockey] League and sometime in Boston it was going to be a learning curve. That, mixed in with he was injured and chasing the game, you know, can present some problems. He was trying to catch up to the rest of the group or was chasing the rest of the group – at times that happened with Frank, but other times he was fine. He’s a young player that still has to learn the ins and outs of being a 200-foot player every night.”

In the final year of his entry-level contract, the only thing Vatrano wants to chase is a new contract. A solid, consistent season can only benefit the East Longmeadow-born winger.