There are many urgent points and wishes dealing with the Bruins this offseason, a listing that might very properly develop if Patrice Bergeron decides to retire.
But no matter that momentous choice, the B’s must determine a strategy to get between the dots on a extra common foundation when the playoff time comes. Inside ice is normally the spot the place targets are scored when the climate will get heat (with the notable exception of the 132-footer allowed by Edmonton Oiler goalie Mike Smith on Tuesday).
Having a real energy ahead, one within the mould of Cam Neely, could be one strategy to get into the exhausting areas. But that commodity is tough to search out, which the B’s crew president readily acknowledged in his end-of-season press convention final week.
But do the B’s have a facsimile of that prototype of their midst already? What about Trent Frederic?
No, nobody is anticipating Frederic to instantly develop into a first-line 50-goal scoring All Star. But there was some affordable hope that he might present greater than he was in a position to within the B’s seven-game first spherical loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. In reality, it was Frederic’s success on a 3rd line constructed within the second half of the season that partially made GM Don Sweeney consider including a ahead on the deadline wasn’t crucial. At the time of the deadline, that third line with Charlie Coyle and Craig Smith was buzzing alongside as a bodily, puck possession tone-setter for the B’s.
But that line was nowhere to be discovered within the postseason. That’s not all on Frederic. Coyle scored two of the B’s greatest targets within the sequence, however they had been on particular groups (the Game 3 shorthanded purpose, the Game 6 power-play purpose). Craig Smith produced a troubling 0-0-0 in seven video games.
Frederic, in the meantime, was scratched for Games 3, 4 and 5 after taking a penalty early within the second interval of Game 2 earlier than being reinserted for Games 6 and seven. He was within the midst of the series-deciding play when, with the B’s trailing 2-1 in Game 7, he hit the submit on what might have been the game-tying shot. Seconds later, nevertheless, in a protection mix-up Teuvo Teravainen’s go went via him to Max Domi for what turned out to be the game-winning – and series-winning – purpose.
Not the ending he wished for a season through which Frederic made some strides from the brawler he gave the impression to be final 12 months. Moving ahead, the query is what precisely is his id? For Bruce Cassidy, nonetheless ready to definitively hear that he’ll be again behind the bench, it must be multi-faceted. And the maturation course of is ongoing.
“For Freddy in particular, you have more than one attribute. You’re not just an agitator, you’re not just a physical presence, you’re not just a bigger body. You have to play hockey most of the time and contribute as a third line guy,” mentioned Cassidy final week. “That means getting pucks off the wall, meaning contributing offensively. That means going to the web. I don’t suppose he makes use of his shot sufficient. We’ve been attempting to get Freddy to try this extra, having confidence in it. He desires to defer to the fellows who’re older on this line. He has to study that. No totally different than any younger man. But there are occasions in a sport, if there’s an enormous hit and we will reply instantly, I feel Freddy’s nonetheless going via that studying curve.
“I think some guys just get it automatically, some guys just get it right away. Other times it’s ‘hey, (stay) disciplined, take a number and make sure we’re hard on their skill’. That’s what we’ve always talked about. If there’s a chance to be physical against their skill, that usually gets their attention very quickly, more than chasing a guy around the ice, so let’s try to respond that way.. Unless you think it’s a dirty hit and you’ve got to right away. That’s fine. That’s your call. Some times there’s a split second (decision that has to be made), and that’s where Freddy’s still sorting through it.”
Just how a lot of an offensive producer remains to be to be decided, however the thinks it may be greater than what he’s completed to this point. He was near a point-a-game producer in school at Wisconsin (65 factors in 66 video games) whereas his high-water AHL mark was 8-24-32 in 59 video games in 2019-20. This season, Frederic had 8-10-18 totals in 60 video games.
“I’d like to score more goals from shots,” mentioned the 24-year-old 2016 first spherical choose. “I felt like I got off a lot of shots that didn’t go in that maybe have in the past. I could work on my deception of that and shooting as I’m skating.”
But much more than scoring, he simply desires his contributions to matter.
“What I’d like to do more is just have impactful games,” mentioned Frederic. “There were a lot of games, even in this playoffs, where I felt like I didn’t have an impact on the game. It’s not all about scoring. Some of my best games I didn’t have a goal or an assist, but that’s what I want to do more.”
So would the Bruins.
Source: www.bostonherald.com