BRUINS: Patrice Bergeron, Torey Krug and Noel Acciari limited as local training camp opens

With most of the Bruins’ projected 2018-19 roster training in China, a separate camp gets underway without Patrice Bergeron, Torey Krug and Noel Acciari, all of them still recovering from injuries sustained last season.

BOSTON -- Patrice Bergeron was in possession of a luxury item that many of his teammates wished they could have used on Thursday -- a full set of hockey equipment.

But like the Bruins who couldn’t practice on Thursday in Shenzhen, China, because their gear hadn’t cleared customs, Bergeron wasn’t going to dress out for the first day of training camp in Boston on Friday, either. The start to his 15th training camp will be delayed by back spasms, which likely stem from rehab he’s done to recover from offseason groin surgery.

“Sometimes it happens, I’ve been told,” said the 33-year-old center. “When people have dealt with groin and hip injuries, they’ve dealt with some back injuries as well.

“So a little bit of a setback, but otherwise I’m looking forward to being done and feeling good next week.”

Call it another hiccup to a unique training camp situation that sees a major portion of the Bruins’ anticipated 2018-19 lineup training (or trying) in China, as part of the NHL’s attempt to expand the league’s global reach, while a group of almost 40 works at Warrior Ice Arena under assistant coach Joe Sacco.

“It’s different, there’s no question,” Sacco said after his group underwent fitness testing on Thursday. “(But) we always know that come training camp, there’s always some adjustments you’re going to have to make, a couple hurdles here and there that you overcome.”

Sacco’s group, while lighter on established NHL players, has one advantage over the contingent head coach Bruce Cassidy took to China: Sacco can run players through two days of workouts before Sunday’s preseason game against the Capitals at TD Garden (1 p.m., NHL Network); Cassidy’s players get only one full practice before meeting the Flames in a Saturday matinee in China (2:30 a.m. locally, NHL Network).

“The guys who are over there are hopefully taking advantage of the opportunities overseas,” Sacco said. “It’s a little bit more of the same old thing for the guys who are here, but the good news … is that there’s two days, and then bang, we’re right into a game. Whether it’s Sunday or Tuesday (at Washington), there’s opportunity right away for those guys.”

Bergeron, who will stay off skates until his back stops acting up, won’t play either of those stateside games. Nor will defenseman Torey Krug (he fractured an ankle in Round 2 of last spring’s playoffs) or winger Noel Acciari (offseason sports hernia surgery), although they’re able to skate on their own. All three still plan to be ready for the Oct. 3 season opener at Washington, and hope they’ll get into one or more of the three preseason games scheduled from Sept. 24-29.

“I’m still shooting for the same schedule for the end of camp and the start of the season,” Bergeron said. “Nothing’s changed that way.”

“I’ll probably be skating on my own, still, for a little while,” Krug said, “slowly working (back) with the group, and eventually getting into a game, hopefully.

“I feel pretty good. It’s still a work in progress, but I’m getting closer and closer each day. Hopefully that puts me on the right track to be ready to go.”

While both goalies (starter Tuukka Rask, new backup Jaroslav Halak), five of the seven projected seven defensemen (all but Krug and captain Zdeno Chara) and a high percentage of the Bruins’ established wingers are in China, Sacco stressed to his group that there’s a chance to get noticed in his camp, too. Two preseason games against the Stanley Cup champion Capitals -- even though they won’t dress their full lineup, either -- will give the youngest players something close to big-league experience, while veteran tryout candidates Lee Stempniak and Daniel Winnik could benefit from the opportunity to skate with centers like veteran David Krejci or Sean Kuraly, who enters his second full NHL season.

“The message to the group was pretty simple,” Sacco said. “There’s guys in both groups that are competing for jobs. Regardless if you’re here or overseas, there’s an opportunity for you, so just like every training camp, go out and make the most of it.”