When Jordan Caron made the Bruins out of training camp this season, he probably didn’t expect to be sent down to Providence and recalled five separate times before the halfway point of the regular season.

Yet for a number of reasons — most notably the emergence of Benoit Pouliot as a regular in the B’s lineup and Zach Hamill’s return to relevance — that’s the way it’s been for the former first-round pick, who had said prior to the season that his goal was to stay up with the B’s for the whole campaign. Caron’s made the trip to Providence and back far more often than he had expected, but he isn’t complaining.

“It’s not far. That makes it easier,” Caron said of all of the back and forth Thursday after being recalled once again. “I need to play games, and I can’t be sitting here a month without playing, so I think it’s pretty good for me to go down there and get some games.”

In 12 AHL games this season, Caron has two goals and seven assists for nine points. Coach Claude Julien said after the team’s optional skate Thursday that Caron needs to work on his offensive game, and that he can’t assume he’ll be the next guy called up whenever he’s sent down. Caron agreed.

“I need to keep improving and create stuff offensively,” Caron said. “That’s what I’ve been trying to do. When I go down there, it’s not just to play. I need to play well and keep getting better.”