BOSTON — It’s a good bet that Patrice Bergeron’s job is fairly safe. Same goes for Zdeno Chara, Tuukka Rask and a few more core players.

But GM Don Sweeney has let it be known that, when the puck drops at 10 a.m. Friday morning for the official beginning of Bruins’ training camp, these next 20 days are about competition.

To say everyone has a clean slate is a bit of an exaggeration. But, make no mistake, jobs are available.

“The message is about opportunity,” said Sweeney after the team went through its physical testing on Thursday. “The expectations are there for guys to step forward and grab a hold of something. You’re not going to be given anything. You’re going to have a hard time pushing a veteran or an established player out of the National Hockey League. Look at the number of players who are accepting tryouts across the league. Those guys want that job.”

A week ago, Sweeney was less than pleased when several of the first-year players flunked their fitness testing prior to the rookie tournament in Buffalo.

That was not the case on Thursday with the vets.

“It was really positive today to watch our group come in here eager,” said Sweeney. “The new guys must have talked shop with (strength and conditioning coach John Whitesides) regular because they were not caught off guard. And true to their fashion, our core group was very dialed in to lead that charge.”

BLACKHAWKS: Speaking publicly for the first time since he became the subject of a sexual assault investigation, Patrick Kane said he has done nothing wrong and expects to be exonerated.

Kane is accused of assaulting a woman in her 20s in August at his offseason home outside Buffalo, New York, a person familiar with the investigation told The Associated Press.

Kane has not been charged, but the investigation has shadowed the Stanley Cup champions for weeks.

PANTHERS: Left wing Jonathan Huberdeau’s holdout ended before it started, and Florida’s leading scorer is back just in time for training camp.

The Panthers signed Huberdeau to a two-year, $6.5 million deal, one day before the team’s first on-ice session of camp.

TRADE: Toronto acquired forward Michael Grabner in a six-player trade with the New York Islanders.

The Maple Leafs gave up forwards Taylor Beck and Carter Verhaeghe, defensemen Matt Finn and Tom Nilsson and goaltender Christopher Gibson.

DUCKS: Defenseman Clayton Stoner has been charged with illegally shooting a grizzly bear in British Columbia.

He is to appear in court in Vancouver on Oct. 9.