The 2018-19 season hasn’t exactly gone accordingly to plan for Bruins winger Danton Heinen, but the second-year pro hasn’t had to go very far to seek guidance for his slow start.
Opening the season with just five points in his first 26 games, Heinen has found his spot in the lineup juggled from top-six reps to fourth-line checking shifts, but one source of consistency has usually been a veteran to defer to out on the ice.
Whether it be skating on the wing next to David Krejci (136:00 TOI), or joining a lineup with David Backes on the wing (36:00 TOI), there’s been only a choice number of tilts in which Heinen has been considered the “elder statesman” up front for the B’s.
Such isn’t the case now, not that Heinen is complaining about it.
Heinen’s latest assortment of linemates, with Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson at the pivot and Ryan Donato on the wing, has an average age of just over 22, but have been Bruce Cassidy’s go-to option over the last two tilts — which have resulted in four points for the club.
Boston’s new-look third line might be lacking in years, but the 23-year-old Heinen and Co. aren’t using inexperience as a crutch for a miscue or defensive lapse.
On the contrary, they’re running with it. And the results are starting to show.
Boston’s high-powered triumvirate of David Krejci, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak did most of the heavy lifting during Tuesday’s 4-3 win over the Coyotes, lighting the lamp three times and compiling nine points in the span of just 4:50 seconds.
But what opened the floodgates for Boston’s offensive surge was Heinen’s second tally in his last three games.
Rushing along the boards — after retrieving a new stick from assistant equipment manager Matt Falconer — Heinen became the recipient of a beautiful backhand saucer feed from Forsbacka Karlsson, with the winger tapping the puck past Yotes goalie Darcy Kuemper to put Boston on the board.
The entire play — whether it be Donato winning a puck battle along the boards, Forsbacka Karlsson capitalizing on a developing Grade-A look or Heinen going to the blue paint — was an encouraging step forward for a line that has seen its fair share of scratches, and even a few trips to the AHL.
“I think you’ve just got to play smart and play simple,” Donato, who spent 10 games down in Providence earlier this season, said. “I think we know that we haven’t learned every aspect of the game and just doing the things that we’re coached to do, and we know that it will pay off if we do it. Sometimes there’s things that don’t go your way, but there’s learning lessons that come with that and we’re just going to take it step-by-step each try.”
There are still missteps to be addressed with this young line — as evidenced by the final possession stats from Tuesday’s contest.
Even with a goal and a number of solid shifts as the game progressed, the Coyotes still managed to get their chances against the JFK line — with Arizona holding a 10-3 edge in scoring chances in five-on-five play during the 11:37 TOI in which both Donato and Heinen were out on the ice.
The learning curve that comes with rolling out such a young line has been prevalent at times for Cassidy and his staff. But even with a few bumps in the road, Boston’s bench boss was encouraged by the line’s effort of bouncing back when a puck didn’t go their way.
“Well, they get equal amounts of vocal encouragement from the coach, so that’s the one thing,” Cassidy said. “They’re all young, so they’re all going to get it, and they’re all going to get the teaching that comes with it after. ... They have to learn on the fly a little bit. Danton did it last year, JFK now, Ryan a little more now.”
As expected, the JFK line hears plenty of good and bad barked at them from the bench throughout the course of a game, both from coaches and veterans alike.
But during a shift, being out with a pair of fellow first- or second-year players does bring a different dynamic for Heinen, as opposed to his regular reps with a veteran usually in tow.
"It’s different for sure,” Heinen said. “It kind of goes on all of us to maybe speak up a little more than we’re used to. I know when we play with a guy like Backes, he’s been around for so long. It’s easy to listen and try to take in what he’s saying and learn from him.
“When you’re on a younger line, you kind of have to do it as a group and I think it’s gotten better these last couple of games where we’re communicating a little more with different things. I think it comes down to winning battles, if you’re winning battles, you have the puck and making plays.”
Maybe it’s just keeping things simple. Or perhaps playing with teammates just a few months apart in age helps this group grip the stick just a little less.
Whatever the cause may be, it’s apparent that all three are feeling much more relaxed at the NHL level as of late, and the talent is starting to shine through.
“Heinen has a great shot, good hands, he has a good vision too and JFK can always find you and always is playing smart,” Donato said. “So, for a guy like me, it’s nice to play with those guys. It’s a good college hockey line.”
