Bruins Go on Win Streak after Break | The Skate Pod, Ep. 259

Bruins Go on Win Streak after Break | The Skate Pod, Ep. 259

Welcome to episode 259 of the skate podcast I’m Bry fle joined by Bridget PR and Scott mcclaflin our first episode of 2024 Bridget and Scott and it comes in a good time the Bruins are on a three-game winning streak after what was an ugly week plus of hockey leading up to

Christmas um you know the dating back to uh what was it the Sabres game uh 4-1 win over the Sabres we discussed that one 52 over the Devils 53 over the Red Wing So the offense is getting going and it seems like they’re getting contributions from up and down the

Lineup right now and they’re playing they’re playing with um some good energy and some some great right now post Christmas yeah they are and to me my opening shift is that one of the key developments has been the Martian coil de Brusque line getting hot um all three

Of those those players were scuffling a bit heading into the Christmas break Co and de brusk Had Each gone six games without a point marshand had I think it was one goal in seven games and no five on five points during that time um you know it seems like they kind of killed

Three birds with one stone putting them all together um I think individually they’re all playing better and there’s chemistry that hasn’t hasn’t always been there you know with Martian and Coyle in particular and we’ve talked about that I’ve talked about that before how there are times earlier this season that it just didn’t

Seem to be clicking with the two of them and you thought it should and maybe it could at some point but it really wasn’t and now it finally seems like they’re getting comfortable playing together and figuring out how to work off each other they’ve both talked about that you know

Saying like yeah sometimes it take you know some sometimes chemistry comes right away and it’s match made in heaven and sometimes you have to work at it and they’ve had to work at it and they have and seems to be there right now and um you know and debrusk has fit

There uh alongside them really well too so um that you know they they scored a A key goal in the New Jersey game um the goal that really launched the comeback after they’re down to nothing um Marian sets up de brusk and then another key goal against Detroit after Detroit comes

Back to tie it 22 it’s that line that ends up scoring early in the third period to give the Bruins the lead back and kind of write the ship yeah and my opening shift has to do with a different line that’s come together since you know things have been

Shuffled so my opening shift is about Trent Frederick who maybe had the nicest goal of his career uh in the Detroit game he his first of two goals um that he kind of just poked in Lifted top shelf um on the backand and we were we

Were talking about this a little bit ago like what’s Trent Frederick’s best goal of his career and I feel like I watched that I was like there he is that’s that one’s a good one he wanted the hat-trick he was going I don’t know if you guys uh

Saw it the way I did but I thought he was chasing down Zak’s shot into the empty net to try to tap it in at the end but he didn’t catch up to it um because I it looked like he trying to you know get one little touch hatrick uh would

Have been good for him but he’s been playing well um helping out a little bit at Center but mostly playing wing on that third line with now with Merkel off there yeah Frederick’s just seeming a lot more comfortable with the puck on his stick and he’s making things happen

Looking to make plays as opposed to just you know being a player out there which is you know you’re watching the real time development of a player obviously 17 goals last year and just building off at this year which is great um he just looks confident like he just looks so

Confident in that Detroit game yeah and that’s that’s what experience at the professional level does and you realize you can score goals with the NHL level and it’s amazing what happens and his skating yeah like I said the puck on his stick he’s just making things happen

He’s um using his size and he has those long strides powerful strides so um yeah Frederick I mean look I think a couple years ago not to dive too much into your opening uh take Bridget before we keep going but like I just remember a couple

Years ago like we were kind of losing Hope on on the player who was like 24 at the time he wasn’t like too too young um and now it’s like couple calendar calendar years later and he seems to be somebody who could put in 20 goals a

Year for this team um at least so that’s that’s that’s a great development uh I’m gonna I’m gonna piggy back off of Scott’s opening shift and focus on on debrusk and obviously he’s been a focal point of mine this year and we talked about him last episode uh as as a player

Who was on the up and um a lot of people would have said he’s been up all year except for the points but you know unfortunately it’s a results driven business and and when you’re paid to produce you have to do so and now that he’s doing that now he deserves um you

Know maybe maybe he’s getting rewarded but he he deserves the uh the attention the positive attention now as well and Scott mentioned the um the New Jersey game it’s like Jake de bruss scoring that goal granted it’s off of a hard for check from Brad Marian um who kind of

Starts the whole play uh and debrusk obviously finishes it but that’s a play where if he doesn’t finish that it’s potential that it’s possible the Bruns lose that game because you’re down two nothing and instead he he goes to the net hard wink wink that’s how he scores

Goals and he finishes and gets the Bruins on the board and they end up winning the game kind of running away with it and that’s the impact that you can have when you’re somebody who can do that and you do do that obviously not every game but with five points in his

Last three games he’s up to 16 points in the season and it’s started that number is starting to look better and better for him and if the Bruins the biggest reason I was upset with deus’s lack of production despite analytics saying that he was playing well regardless like if this

Team wants to be where they want to be um in the postseason as long as he’s on this roster he has to produce like a top six forward and he wasn’t and he’s starting to now and that’s really important for this team going forward yeah and we we talked to him

After the New Jersey game in the locker and he said you know really the whole team used the Christmas break as a chance to reset obviously coming off the four game losing streak but he also used it individually he said he kind just relaxed watched Christmas movies and

Like had a good time um and Harry Potter and and Har Potter he said his go Go Christmas yeah his goto Christmas moves were elf the Grinch and Harry Potter which I I’m with them like Harry Potter isn’t obviously te Christmas movies but it counts and there’s always a marathon

Every holiday anyways so um but yeah those are those are solid choices too those are solid I thought I thought he I thought he watched Harry Potter in the offseason that’s why he had the invisibility cloak on the whole time until Rec I’m Brian Brian Brian he had to I

Had to say I’m just kidding um but yeah obviously he did need he had to find some way to get going and so if Christmas break reset is is what it took then then that’s great and you know new Lin mates that I think he feels good

About playing with um you you just see he just you know obviously I’ve been on the side of like he’s still doing more good than bad and um to an extent I always thought the scoring would come but I I have said like he has to make it

Come and part part of that like you said Brian is him going to the net it’s that drive like to see yeah that lane was there but to see him see it take it and what I really loved about that goal he scored in the New Jersey

Game was he’s tapping his stick for the past from like banging his stick for Martian to get him that Puck and it was like you could tell like his eyes just lit up when he saw the path he had to the net and that’s exactly what you want

Like you want him being aggressive you want him wanting the puck in that situation wanting to make that drive to the net and it was clear that he did and if he’s if he’s going to play like that then he’s a huge asset to this team and

You just hope obviously that it that it continues uh oh Bridget you’re sorry um the chemistry I was saying that no none of you could hear um I was saying the chemistry also applies to uh coil with that line as well like I I noticed on

That that coil goal um in the Detroit game him and Marshon seemed to be on the same page a few times Coy almost scored earlier in the game as well and we’ve seen them each set each other up for some really good chances and and coils

Was in the slot but uh that one was set up by macavoy but um yeah you just notice like them finding seams and knowing where each other is on the ice a little bit more now after a few games together and I I I’ve thought that the chemistry has grown and and looked

Better yeah no Coy’s been really good I mean I forgive me for not having it in front of me but just obviously his his totals on the year but um yeah just I mean his his finishing is is very very important for them and obviously he hasn’t been a I

Wouldn’t call him a proven finisher in this league up until you know this year like he obviously has finished to his game but it wasn’t consistent and they needed him to be that for them this year and and uh yeah you’ve seen him just get body position in tight and have some

Nice finishes up top this year and um yeah just again like they needed him to step up this year and and coil’s been great like say what you want about the Bruins at given times this year he’s just he’s he’s been rock solid uh he had

A slow he did have a about a week or so of of I think Scott you mentioned last episode he had five games at a point but but yeah he’s just he’s just been really solid for them yeah he’s up to 13 goals 13 assists 26 points and 35 games uh

Third on the team in points tied for second in goals and on Pace to smash his career hiding goals his career hiding goals is 21 with the Bruins he’s never scored more than 16 like he could pass that in two weeks um you know not even halfway

Through the year so he’s on Pace you know for what high 20s maybe even push 30 goals like that’s that’s a if you told anyone going into the season that Charlie Coyle’s going to be on Pace to push 30 goals like that is a huge win I don’t think anyone would have expected

That kind of jump and um you know Montgomery talked this week about um Coy adopting more of a shoe first mentality and getting to scoring areas more and he pointed to those those two goals and I know they’re on the power play you know so that’s a little

Different like he does play that role on the power play but still it’s just that mindset of like being there and being ready to shoot and Mont said like you know how many times was he there last year like he he’s going there more and that’s why he’s scoring more and again

You can take that and apply that to De Brusque too it’s like if debrusk goes to those areas more he’s going to score more so very encouraging that you’re seeing you know both of them doing it you’re seeing marshan producing with them um and that you know I if those

Guys continue to click it just really goes a long way toward solidifying your top six because it’s like that’s at least one of your top two lines and you can lock that in and they can play in any situation they’ve been they’ve been great defensively all year that hasn’t

Been an issue it’s you know are they gonna score enough um they are right now and then you can kind of figure out the first line from there whether it’s you know whether it does ultimately stick with Zach on the wing and it’s either geeky or you know some rotation of

Centers before you settle on something or make a trade or whatever or if zaka goes back to Center and you figure out the wing there like at least you have this Martian coil to brusk line in in your pocket and something that you feel good about yeah when you

Said solidify the top six I’m thinking to myself and and when you were saying you know who would have guessed that Coyle would have the numbers that he has at this point in the season I was thinking who would have thought Morgan geeki would be centering the top line at

This point in the season and he that’s what he’s doing right now so um you know whether he stays there or not remains to be seen but he’s done a good job and and like we mentioned zaka going to the wing may not be their long-term

Plan but it I mean it works um especially if the plan is when ptra comes back just to slide him in between jvr and Frederick um and and you know send Merkel off back to Providence so that kind of feels like what the setup might be um when when World Juniors is

Over but uh a few things I want to talk about that line to get back to my first shift if you guys are ready to to switch subjects um so I want to bring up some of Frederick’s numbers actually so he has four points in the last four games

And I was just going through like some of his career like season stats and he’s also been getting more ice time on average than any of the previous Seasons uh so he’s averaging like about 13 15 of ice time per game um and he he was a plus4 in the Detroit

Game um he he was really uh buzzing and he had those two goals and um yeah he’s he’s looked really good recently and it it seems like we’re we’re seeing it coincide with a noticeable jump in confidence as well because I was thinking to myself several times during

The last two games that he’s kind of driving the speed of that line and now he’s I mean obviously jvr is the veteran on that line but you can can see Frederick taking ownership of like the pace and the confidence that he brings to that line so you see this like

Maturity in his attitude and and you also see the numbers going with it yeah and like obviously geeky got his uh his face caved in there a little bit by Ben sherat and you know Frederick scores the goal um and then immediately with shat s there before he doesn’t even

Celebrates scoring the goal which is the first goal of the game just immediately challenges Ben shirro and after the game he was asked about it and I guess earlier in the game they were they were talking and shro said something like you know you’re not good enough for my

Attention or something like that and so when Frederick scored he’s like am I good enough now and then proceeded to scor another goal I think using shro as a screen potentially um so yeah I just when Frederick’s when Frederick is emotionally and this goes for a lot of players but when Frederick is

Emotionally engaged he’s a every game he’s really effective in fact there’s a there’s there’s a stat out there and I don’t have it in front of me but I remember seeing it recently the Bruins have a ridiculously strong record like almost impeccable in games that Trent

Frederick scores a goal so I think that shows he’s an emotional leader for the team when he’s out there and he’s he’s on his aame yeah for sure I I I loved challenging sherat there that like At first I was like I assume sherat yelled on because that he collided into Alex

Lion which was was clearly like completely accidental it’s you know Lion’s well out of his crease and Frederick’s finishing his chance um line ended up being okay fortunately but yeah I assumed like shat yelled something then and Frederick just responded but it’s like it’s even better with the

Added context of like that had already been bubbling up earlier in the game um and also the fact that he said you not good enough for my time and then he scores twice and like just makes you look stupid it’s like Frederick won that one like you can trash talk but

Sometimes it backfires on you yeah it’s funny I was I probably I a couple weeks ago and in the locker room after practice one day and Frederick was someone asked him about like trash talk and he was like H there’s not really that much of it that goes on out there

And you know we we’re like referencing back to I think it was his rookie year or second year when he got into with PK suban and like that went viral with the miked up moments and stuff and you know Frederick but Frederick clearly is like someone who will engage with that and

Like kind of thrives off it when when the situation arises um but yeah he’s he’s been playing great Bridget to take you know those recent stats like to go even a little further he only had Frederick only had three points in the first 12 games this season now he has 15

In the last 23 like that’s that’s a legit middle six like pushing second line type production um he’s he’s now nine goals on the year with the the two on Sunday which puts him on Pace to surpass his career high from last year when he had 17 I know you know one of

The questions we kind of wondered about was like what is Trent Frederick’s production gonna look like if he’s not on a third line that has Charlie Coyle and Taylor Hall which you know was as strong of a third line as you can get really in the NHL um he’s continued to

Produce after a little bit of a slow start he’s he’s right back there and he’s doing you know on these last couple games doing online with you know a rookie Center playing his first two games Ben rdik on his on the left wing on in one of the games Danton Heinen the

Second like that’s that’s not a Charlie Coyle Taylor Hall line that’s a line that he has to help drive and he is and not for nothing he’s also like the only tough guy on the team right now well I guess you could throw Loco in there but

But not for nothing like the team we’ve we mentioned there was about like a full week where we were talking about how the Bruins needed to you know potentially even add physicality by making a move at the deadline and Frederick is once Luchi obviously um got arrested and hasn’t

Been back with the team Frederick kind of has been in lco at times as well like has fought but those two are the only guys that really stand up um for the team so to see him putting up the numbers and being um you know willing to

Also fight for his teammates and himself uh and be physical it’s it’s a big season I so far this year has been great for Trent Frederick yeah it’s you know as as time goes on it’s um it it is it’s unfortunate from a hockey perspective that that um you know Luchi got into

Trouble off the ice and obviously you know it makes sense why he’s not around the team anymore um but because like the breu stuff is still at his locker and it’s been say that again his stuff is still at his locker and it’s been there the whole

Time um you know when when people say a team lacks toughness I think it’s easy to think right away to like body checking and and fights and whatnot there’s definitely a lot more to being a tough team to play against than just that there’s uh there’s just backchecking four checking uh going hard

To the net like there’s a million ways to be a tough team outside of fighting but it definitely feels like if Lich was there you know the the Bruins aren’t overly uh tough team as it as it pertains to fighting and extracurricular um but if Lich was on

The team and you can throw Lich out there and Frederick out there um as primary uh primary guys to fight if need be and then you can have support supporting characters after them they actually would be a pretty tough team um obviously Lich isn’t there so Frederick

Has to um wear that more for the team and and yeah he he’s he’s he’s just been a good player for him and he’s when you watch the Bruins in person I know you two are fortunate enough to watch him just about every game at home but for

Listeners if you’re if you’re lucky enough to get to a game at any point like Frederick in person you don’t realize how much space he covers um I don’t know if TV does it justice like his his strides are very long and he’s a he’s a big body that when he’s on his

Game he covers ice pretty quick and he caves in guys and and plays the body and it’s um you gain an appreciation for for his his play out there when you see him live and in person more so than other players yeah and he has he has

Definitely improved over the years as a defensive player to the point where he’s he’s one of their most reliable forwards defensively um and that kind of ties into like the space covered because that’s what a lot when you know a couple games recently where he shifts to center

It’s kind of seamless because he already does a lot of that work as a wing like even you watch these last two games where he’s on a line where melov is the center but it’s Frederick who came back deep in the defensive Zone and basically played the center position defensively

Quite a bit like you would see merela like higher out in the zone covering a point and that’s that’s just Frederick’s experience and you know if he’s the first guy back he’s going to take that role and not you know some every forward has to if they’re the first guy back

They have to take that role to start in the defensive Zone but then usually you’re looking for the switch once the actual Center gets back and I think with Frederick you see him just take on that role until the Puck’s out of the zone and like he’s not looking for merkulov

To switch with him and uh and he goes out to the point like he’ll just do that work because it’s it is like second nature to him now he’s gotten so so good and so reliable at it yeah and it it does like you you can

See how he like I said he kind of took ownership of the line and that’s kind of just an example of him kind of making the decisions and and um you know defensively offensively he also transitioned the puck himself for that second goal like he he’s been decent at

Just caring through the neutral zone as well so we’ve kind of touched on all like pretty much every aspect of his game that has been going well for him recently um and in particular in the last two games against New Jersey and Detroit I do want to talk about melov

Though um because he got his call up he got two games with the Bruins um backtack Knights and you know the time on Ice in the first game he got 15 minutes but he only got eight and a half minutes in the second game on New Year’s

Eve against Detroit and and I know he was not getting a lot of time on ice in the third period of of that uh game against New Jersey at home but um what have you thought of him and the usage uh he hasn’t got he didn’t get a chance to

To show himself all that much um getting you know kind of kind of fewer opportunities maybe than he would have hoped I I liked his game so far I I think that there’s an adjustment obviously and I think he’s trying to learn on the Fly he’s you know

Everything he does at the AHL level he has to do that much quicker at the NHL level um that said watching him against New Jersey in person and then obviously on TV against the Red Wings he definitely doesn’t seem to lack confidence um and

And he and you can see you can see his hockey IQ is is is there um so obviously he didn’t score he he hit the post against Detroit and um you know I’d like to see him get a continued look here and I think that with confidence like he

He’ll he’ll he’ll get some points for this team um if he gets a longer look um so Scott feel free to jump in there and you know I think as far as like the usage goes in the third period I don’t I don’t love it I think if you’re at the

NHL level like yeah I don’t I don’t know I don’t want to drag on too long about that I don’t love it I I I think it’s it could be a little bit um much at times to just like take players out of the rotation completely

For a period I don’t I don’t love it but um I’ve liked him so far yeah he had another good chance against Detroit 2 which actually ended up being his first NHL shot and goal because he didn’t have any in the New Jersey game but um Li made a good block

Of save on him and it was I think it was Frederick who set him up and he had like a ton of time and you could tell like his his past first instincts kicked in he sort of like looked around and then realized like I’m all on in front I have

To shoot and um it was a good hard shot just a good save so I think that’ll start to come more naturally more of a shooter mentality um you see that with you know he is he’s always had a really good shot I remember talking to um coach

Roic at at Ohio State about him when the Brun signed him and he’s like yeah he has a really good shot I think he scored on like 25% of his shots in college which is obviously not sustainable but he was like I wish he used it more he’s

Always looking to pass and that’s been something that’s you know continued to develop and has certainly has in Providence where he’s become a go-to goal scorer so uh if that if he can kind of get in that mindset the NHL level too that’s gonna be huge for him um as for

Not one other thing I noticed is like he seems to always be in the right spot like I thought his Puck support was really good he seemed to be where his teammates needed it and and expected him to be um as far as not playing the third

Period it’s similar to what we’ve talked about with Matt padra right like it’s the same sort of conversation and I I’m on the side of like I don’t really have an issue with it I just think coaches at all levels you know often times shorten the bench and one goal games leading or

Trailing and if you’re if you’re leading you go with your nine best defensive forwards that you trust the most and if you’re trailing you go with your nine best offensive forwards that you you trust to to go and create offense um again like if if we’re talking about

This down the stretch in March and April and whether it’s padra merkulov beer whoever which by the way like beer wasn’t out there in the third period Sunday either um I I would be a little more concerned about it because they’d be like geez they’ve had all season to

Kind of grow that trust and and learn what they have to learn in these situations and either they haven’t or Montgomery still doesn’t trust them like I would have an issue with it then right now I you know his first two NHL games I I just don’t like I think he’s still

Learning a ton it’s still extremely valuable for him to be up here and um you know you gota the Bruins aren’t aren’t secure in the standings like they’re still trying to win every game and get every point that they can so um if if Shing the

Bench is part of that then I don’t I just don’t have a big issue with it I want to bring up two other stats too that he had in that Detroit game he had so he had 11 shifts total and his faceof percentage was 16% um so that part faceoffs have been a

Struggle in both games for him for sure yeah that that’s definitely something that that you noticed out there and obviously there’s a learning curve going from playing guys in the AHL uh to some of the craftier centers in the NHL uh a difference in timing so that’s to be

Expected and Matt ptra had trouble with it too adjusting as well um his face off percentage at times has has been similar but yeah 16% was was not very good I know they took they put Frederick in to take draws at at certain points as well

Um and yeah so just to bring those two things up and I don’t know if you what you guys think about um you know how much longer of a look is he going to get I I mean I would say at least until patra’s back um which you know could be

By the by the time ptra flies back and then the Bruns are going on the west coast like to me that’s probably at least you’re looking at at least another week um so you know whatever that comes out to three three four more games and

You kind of see where he is from there if he’s playing really well and he’s earned a spot in the lineup then you keep going with them and if it’s if it’s going to be like this where it’s okay only played eight nine 10 minutes and there’s stuff they still want them to

Work on and they’re seeing some flaws or whatever then then you send them back and you and you say here’s the bull list of things we want you to work on and I think that’s fine but I’m you know I’m definitely excited to see what he does over the next few games

Though yeah I mean uh speaking of Matt potra by the way the uh a s of relief I mean he he literally gets now onus on the player for turning that quick but that was a very dangerous uh result um against Germany where he got hit from

Behind to the boards like you know neck first and it’s like um you know that that’s obviously that that goes far beyond um anything Bruns Le were talking about somebody’s Health in life at that point but again like just back to like what I was talking about a few weeks ago

About just like like if he’s like like yes there’s there’s risk in Bruin’s practice and Bruin’s games but like I it’s to go play for Canada and you know have unnecessary risk to get hurt like I mean that that could have ended really badly for for Matt ptra personally and

Obviously that would that would affect the Bruins lineup so uh bullet Dodge there um how have how has he been playing for for Canada down of world juniors and where does the tournament stand right now well so Canada lost two nothing to Sweden and Padre had a tough play on the

First goal where Puck comes up the board sees the forward there trying to get it out and kind of just softly chips it right into the defenseman pitching down the boards and Sweden scores like a second later I I know I think it was a shot that Canon goalie should have saved

Um and if you get that save then no one’s talking about ptra play but uh the whole Canadian team got shut down in that game Sweden’s Sweden’s really good although than they Sweden did get lit up by Finland surprisingly um and then the Germany game another game where just

Canada overall was underwhelming but they end up getting the win and Patra got an assist on on what ended up being the winning goal um it was on the power play and he had a chance on the bumper just a golden opportunity he got robbed but the rebound went right to uh I’m

Forgetting which teammate it was but Buri the rebound so you know overall he’s not dominating which I think obviously everyone’s hope would have been like he goes over and dominates and he’s you know one of the very best players in the tournament um I think

It’s been a little up and down but you know you you make your name in in The Knockout round and now they’re at The Knockout round that starts Tuesday uh Canada’s playing czechia in the quarterfinals so um you know he’s still he’s still playing that second line role

So they’re still relying on him um but yeah I think I think you would have wished for a little more but I don’t think he’s been bad by any means I just think it’s been some ups and then some some quiet games yeah and and he said before he

Left for the tournament that he pretty much had never played for or met most of the guys on the team so like it’s obviously chemistry doesn’t happen overnight and for a center that can be pretty important especially him as a playmaking center we always talk about

Him um you know how good a passer he is so and also on that goal that uh you’re talking about where Patrick tries to chip it up the boards and doesn’t get it out I felt like the broadcast and and everyone really put a lot of blame on

Him for that when it was clearly not only his fault um and I was just thinking like well the p i mean the pass could have just been a clear out of the Zone um you know the goalie could have made the stop they kept putting the

Camera on ptra like it was 100% his fault I was like was like H I feel like we’re putting a lot of blame on him here when this could have been this there was like three guys that could have definitely made a play and he’s he’s

Learning what it means to play for Team Canada when you do any anything wrong the entire country turns on you oh my God they’re brutal to Norway those Canadian broadcasters were freaking brutal they’re like Norway doesn’t belong in this tournament I’m like okay they’re they’re really just just crabing

On them hard yeah no Bridget you’re right though the broadcast it was like some SNL skit like literally every like two seconds it would just go back to poo like he hasn’t he’s like just skating to the bench still like nothing’s changed um yeah I mean look Scott you mentioned

It’s all about the metal rounds and that’s fair but um I mean I think it’s a little bit more than just the metal rounds I think I think you have to look at the entire tournament how one plays but uh I think you know short of him

Maybe scoring a Golden Goal or having a couple of key moments um if it’s more or less this for him the rest of the way out even if Canada wins gold and he’s more just kind of along for the ride and not really showcasing or stepping up or

If he’s not one of the best players on Team Canada in general then I think the Bruins have to kind of look at it and say h probably probably didn’t get uh enough juice out of the squeeze here um because if if you’re sending him there

To World Juniors and he’s just kind of along for the ride and doesn’t really dominate then I don’t really know what the point of it not that they could have predicted that I’m just saying you know they’ll probably they’ll be a little disappointed probably I I think it’s valuable regardless though because like

Even even if he isn’t even if he doesn’t dominate at any point and it’s it just continues to be like a little bit inconsistent I think that’s a valuable experience for him to be like hey here’s how tough it gets in in Big Time games

On on a world stage like it’s going to be even tougher than this in the staning Cup playoffs so like here you’ve seen now you know how you have to raise your compete level and and raise your game and hopefully you know if it ends in disappointment he would come back and be

Like wow okay now I know like I have to get to another level like I went over there thinking you know probably feeling pretty good about myself I’m the one with the most NHL experience and and it didn’t go the way I wanted so like that’s something to learn on learn you

Know about himself from and you know not the worst thing in the world to have again if it ends in disappointment he could still win gold and be a hero but if it ends in disappointment like I’d rather that first disappointment for him on a big stage come in World Juniors and

The Stanley Cup Playoffs so I I still think there’s value there and just having this learning experience in general so um you know and i’ Al again like I would also point out so much of Team Canada is first round picks like in terms of pure

Talent prior to a month month or two ago you would have said like most of that lineup has more pure talent than Matt poter does it’s a credit to it’s a credit to him that he’s put himself on that radar and put himself in the NHL

But it’s not again like this is still his age class it’s not like he’s you know two years two three years older than everyone and has been playing at a higher level for years like he was like he was just on these guys level last

Season so yeah and he jumped I mean he obviously jumped past what the Bruins were expecting and and you know on the world stage two he gets um you know he gets on that highest level with those other uh first round guys like you’re talking about also uh if you’re watching

I keep the sun is once again coming into my face like if we record at this time I just end up with like the sun in my eyes so it’s coming it’s like slowly coming but um do you guys want to talk about the defense at all because Mason Laura

Who’s another um you know pleasant surprise for the Bruins in how many games he’s played how he’s done on the ice um the laui McAvoy pair which at times when when Scott and I were on the ninth floor for that home game against the Devils I leaned over to Scott and I

Said I think Laura is the better defenseman on that pair today um and I I thought he’s looked well I couldn’t agree more every game that he plays he just seems to be more and more comfortable and it’s not even so much like the transition game or

Whatnot because you know it’s not like every game he plays it’s it’s not like the latest game that he plays is the best game he’s had in transition or whatever but like just from a comfortability standpoint um you know uh take taking hits receiving hits um being physically engaged in the dirty

Areas I think that’s that’s improved since uh he first came up against Toronto whatever it was 20 games ago so I mean obviously injuries are always a thing and I think that because of injuries he’ll always have an opportunity to be with the Bruins pretty

Much all year if they really want him to be but regardless of injuries I think he should be on on the Bruins at this point anyway we kind of touched on that last week um I just think he’s been really good and and it’s uh he’s continuing to

Learn each game and that’s all you can really ask for he’s played 18 games at this point I don’t know if you guys thought like he would continue to you know first of all he got he got sent down but he really wasn’t back in Providence very long it was maybe like

Two weeks or so um and then he came right back I think it was I think it wasn’t even like two full weeks it was like a week and a half yeah yeah so I mean he he does continue to look more and more comfortable and and um playing

With makoy obviously viously is I it’s a good spot for him and at times he’s looked I mean we talked about how makoy has been down a little bit um but lorai looked really good on that pair and I I really kind of thought he looked better

Than makoy in that New Jersey game um but and the the Bruins really uh dodged a bullet that makavo injury in that game was just a stinger where he crashed into lenus allmark it looked bad at first um but he comes back and he plays against

Detroit and he’s fine so it’s just like a you know a stinger that lasts however long and then it goes away and um yeah that could have been really bad but they got grizzli back um against New Jersey too yeah and with grizzli coming back

Like I I think lorai is not just making a push to stay in the lineup but to stay in a top four role and that you know Grizzle came back he played in the third pairing Saturday um got a game off Sunday because Mony said he was feeling

Feeling a little sore after that first game back I don’t know if they were planning on playing him the second night of a back toback anyways he might have satad even if he wasn’t feeling sore um but yeah like that if Lura can stick in

The top four you know I don’t want to force it if he’s not ready but he’s playing right now like like he’s ready like he might be able to handle that role um and if he does that that looks so much better because like his upside

As we’ve talked about is is higher than grizzli like no matter what you think of grizzli Laura in part because of his size his skating his offensive ability like it’s higher than what Matt Grizzly can can give you in a top four rle so if

If he is making that jump and he’s gonna stick like that it makes your Decor so much stronger because now you can either go grizzli shaton Kirk on the third pair or if there’s games you want a little more size he back there you put we spoon

In who I think has been playing pretty well too so it it just makes you deeper gives you more options and however you know right now it’s Lori makoy and they they’ve kept lindle and Carlo together I could also see at some point maybe you give lindol McAvoy sometime Lura Carlo

We’ve seen in the past but regardless like your decco just on paper and on the ice looks better if Mason Laur keeps playing like this yeah and and we’re talking as if like Derek forer’s not available because he still doesn’t look like he’s very close to returning so that injury has been

Long term and it looks like it’s going to continue so um what did you guys think of the grizzli shaton Kirk pair Terrier magic yeah Terrier magic y I mean sh you know just uh got his 100th goal I think in NHL and then got his

101 um a period later but yeah I mean it’s kind of what it’s kind of it’s it’s kind of an ideal third pair like a guy who can move the puck well actually they both can but I don’t even I was going to say one guy’s got a veteran presence but

Grizz’s been around too um I like them I don’t want to I know we have to kind of get going soon but yeah I I’ve liked what I’ve seen definitely I think I think they’re both where they should be I think they’re slotted where they should be on this

Team yep I I agree I don’t really have much to add there it’s like I said like just the the and both those guys can defend too like I know you look at grizzli Shaden Kirk and you think like Puck moving defenseman but you know grizzli in general has been solid

Defensively and if he’s getting third pairing matchups instead of first pairing matchups like I absolutely think he can handle that one one final question for the two of you uh approaching the Midway Point here you know you look at a team like the devils and they’re you’re you’re wondering why

They’re not where they they should be roster wise and then you look at goal tending right um VTech van has uh a 3.35 goals against average and a 883 save percentage um so clearly not great you look at the Bruins lenus allmark is far ahead of that right um allmark is 282

Goals against average 916 save percentage but when you compare him to Jeremy Swan 2.2 goals against average and a 928 save percentage um the records are pretty similar although Swan had no runs support um and some of his recent losses what’s your guys’s assessment of the goalies at this point um it seems

Like San has pulled ahead does that change your um perception of maybe future usage with the two of them or is it just too early to tell that’s it’s still half a season plus to go here I I still I mean I think lenus alark still is I wouldn’t say he’s like

Swan’s one the job or anything like that Lena alark has come up with some incredible saves and sometimes they’re just like there’s stops that most goalies can’t make and if not for that you know the Bruins because I they always feel like they come at really

Important times too um and I don’t know I feel like omark is still playing so well that the rotation just stays in my mind they’re not you know they’re still one a one B they’re still most likely just going one and then the other and and rotating pretty evenly I I’ve liked

How both of them played um it’s not surprising but hmar comes up with these crazy saves too that that just are so impressive that you can’t really even though the stats are a little bit worse in San like th those are things that you you can’t see

There yeah I I was just trying to quickly look something up but I I agree that I’m not changing anything right now like the rotation continues to work and you know if there if there’s a stretch here and there where someone’s a little dinked up and you ride one of them for

Two three four straight starts like that’s fine um I don’t need to be you know a strict rotation every month between now and April but that they’re both playing you know alark is still clearly like top 10 to 12 in the league even if he’s slightly

Behind swayan so no no real reason in my mind to get away from from splitting time it it works for both of them I think it helps both of them um but yeah and San certainly is having a better season no question about it and I

Don’t know if he’s gonna you know he’s probably in the VZ a conversation um minutes wise he’s going to be like so far behind your that rempco or car huk that I the only way you win it really splitting stars is if you do what allmar did last year which

Is you know go what at like 41 and four or whatever and lead the league and save percentage in goals against average so I I don’t think sw’s going to do that so we probably isn’t winning the VZ but he’s in that conversation right now for sure yeah I know they spent Christmas

Together did yeah swming was Santa Claus yeah yes he was um and it it’s funny because I I got into this argument with with I think it was Jones last year like they can’t really be friends right like they’re not actually friends like no they’re they’re legitimately like family

Uh they can spend holidays together and whatnot but oh yeah no their relationship is very very unique very uh very authentic for sure okay um well we got to get going here um it seems like the Bruins have played the Blue Jackets a lot the last the last month they got

Them again tomorrow night at 7 pm um so we’ll look forward to watching that and Bridget and Scott if there’s anything else before we sign off here nope I’m good happy New Year everyone yeah happy New Year oh and the pwl started today so was watching that

Before we hopped on here and reminder that Bridget got the call for the first bossing game Wednesday night yes I do on nesson so tune in all right well everybody keep um keep popping that Advil and that liquid IV and enjoy your your 2024 thanks for listening we’ll talk to you very soon

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Discussing the Bruins’ three-game win streak after break, the increased chemistry of the Marchand-Coyle-DeBrusk line and Trent Frederic’s increasing confidence.

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