Matt Grzelcyk expected back for Game 4 and, yes, that's very important

The Boston Bruins need Matt Grzelcyk in the lineup for Game 4.

It’s imperative the rookie defenseman is on the ice against the Toronto Maple Leafs Thursday night at Air Canada Centre. His presence could mean the difference between the Bruins gaining a 3-1 series lead, or the Maple Leafs tying it at two games apiece.

Yes, Grzelcyk is that important in this series. It was evident when he missed Game 3 with a lower-body injury. Fortunately for the Bruins, he practiced Wednesday, and is likely to return for Game 4. He has the capabilities to shut down the Maple Leafs potent forecheck, especially against a high-flying fourth line that includes Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson.

“He’s got the foot speed to match that part of the game when they take off,” said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. “We’ve been a pretty good transition team all year, and can strike on turnovers, or punted pucks if they’re not structured, so he adds to that. He’s a guy who can get it up in a hurry and doesn’t always have to go D to D. He usually delivers a good pass, so that was part of the game we missed the other night. Nick (Holden) was fine, but that’s Grizz’s strength.

“He’s defended very well for a young guy in the league that’s 175 pounds. He’s done a real good job of figuring out how to defend, so we missed him the other night.”



During the regular season, Grzelcyk played 61 games and recorded three goals and 12 assists for 15 points, including an impressive plus-21. Cassidy gave Grzelcyk an opportunity to play, and he took full advantage of it, earning his ice time. He’s been so valuable there’s no way he was coming out of the lineup in the playoffs, especially against a team like the Maple Leafs.

“It’s tough,” he said of missing Game 3. “You never want to sit out a game and watch. It sucks. You never want to be on the sidelines.”

Since this is his first taste of Stanley Cup playoff hockey, it took him a few shifts to get used to the speed and intensity in Game 1. He made a couple of mistakes, but he quickly made the necessary adjustments and played well in the first two games of this series.

“It was awesome,” he said. “There’s a little more jump in your step, and you have to be ready to play hard hockey at this time of the year. It’s been a good series so far, so hopefully we can stick to our game plan and not lose focus on anything else.”

Grzelcyk has the ability to defend in front well and has always had good stick positioning while closing off passing and shooting lanes. When he has the puck, his quick, tape-to-tape passes allow the Bruins a successful breakout more times than not. His agility, speed and ability to break up plays in the neutral zone have been off the charts this season, and his continued success in these areas is critical for the Bruins.

He learned quickly how ramped up everything is when you’re playing hockey in the spring.

“It’s a different kind of intensity,” he said. “You’re playing for your life.”

Having a quick, puck-moving defenseman also keeps pressure off goalie Tuukka Rask.

“He’s been a big part of our D-core,” Rask said. “He’s creating offense, making plays, skating the puck up the ice. Like other young guys on our team, probably people didn’t expect them to have breakthrough seasons like a lot of them have had. We always knew he was capable of playing a lot of minutes and making plays. It’s just a matter of confidence. Sometimes, when you have the opportunity, you’ve got to hold onto it. And he sure has.”

Fellow rookie Jake DeBrusk, who’s also had an impact in this series, knew Grzelcyk could compete at this level when the two were developing their pro game last season in Providence.

“You don’t know how your game is going to translate in the NHL, myself included, and it’s been very exciting to see,” DeBrusk said. “He’s surprised a lot of people this year. It didn’t surprise me as much -- he’s a very good player for us. He’s quick with the puck and quick with making decisions. He can lose guys on breakouts pretty easy, and that’s pretty special.”

The Maple Leafs exposed Boston’s defense at times in Game 3, so having Grzelcyk back in the lineup could be the difference in Game 4.