BOSTON – Trent Frederic is in a position to play from forward.
After a coaching camp that didn’t pass as easily as he would have favored, the 24-year-old is aiming to higher assert himself as he makes his season debut on Saturday night time within the Bruins’ house opener in opposition to the Arizona Coyotes.
“Just to win puck battles, be hard to play against, don’t play so conservative, I guess…felt like I was chasing a little bit [during the preseason]. Try to get away from that,” mentioned Frederic, who’s getting the decision with Jake DeBrusk sidelined via an upper-body harm suffered within the season opener in opposition to Washington on Wednesday night time.
Coach Jim Montgomery is in search of a an identical way, announcing that he instructed the strong winger to use his 6-foot-3, 214-pound body to “go hunting” when he hits the ice because the third-line left wing along Charlie Coyle and A.J. Greer.
“For a lot of players when they’re thinking too much, you try and give them one or two things to think about,” mentioned Montgomery. “And for him, I just told him to hunt and hit, go hunting out there. That kind of mindset gets you on your toes and gets your feet moving and usually impacts the game. And he’s had his best practices here, the last three practices in a row. So, I’m excited to see how he goes out and hunts for hits tonight.”
Frederic is hoping that his familiarity with Coyle – with whom he spent maximum of final season – will assist him ease proper again into the lineup.
“I’m used to playing with Chuck, we’re good friends. He makes it easy,” mentioned Frederic. “He’s a good communicator and he’s a great player. He’s easy to play with and fun to play with.”
With Frederic coming into the lineup, Greer will shift over to play the best wing, whilst Craig Smith will bump up to play along Taylor Hall and Patrice Bergeron.
Video: Frederic talks forward of house opener at TD Garden
Wait, There’s More
- Jeremy Swayman will make the beginning between the pipes.
- Montgomery mentioned that with 3 video games in 4 nights bobbing up, it is most likely that Jack Studnicka will make his season debut sooner or later all through that reach. “Well, there is a plan,” mentioned Montgomery. “It’s always going to be dependent on how the guys are playing in the lineup. If guys are playing well, it’s hard to make changes, but we do have three and four nights coming up, so I expect him to get in a game.”
- The Coyotes are in the course of a six-game highway shuttle to open up the 2022-23 marketing campaign. Arizona dropped its season opener, 6-2, on Thursday night time in Pittsburgh. Former Bruins winger Nick Ritchie scored each objectives for the Coyotes within the loss.
Video: Montgomery talks forward of Bruins house opener
Saturday’s Projected Lineup
FORWARDS
Taylor Hall – Patrice Bergeron – Craig Smith
Pavel Zacha – David Krejci – David Pastrnak
Trent Frederic – Charlie Coyle – A.J. Greer
Nick Foligno – Tomas Nosek – Jakub Lauko
DEFENSEMEN
Hampus Lindholm – Brandon Carlo
Derek Forbort – Connor Clifton
Jakub Zboril – Mike Reilly
GOALIES
Jeremy Swayman
Linus Ullmark