Need a scouting report on Charlie Coyle? Ask the Bruins forward who's known him for over a decade

LAS VEGAS — When asked about Boston’s latest addition in Charlie Coyle, Bruce Cassidy pretty much relayed what many of us have to come to know about the East Weymouth native since the B’s brought him aboard Wednesday afternoon. Versatile. Big frame. Local kid.

Always more focused on what he has with his current club than potential trade targets across the league, that’s about where Cassidy’s scouting report on Coyle starts and ends.

“He can go behind Bergy and Krech at center,” Cassidy said. “I think that’s his —listen, I don’t know the player as well as some in the organization.”

Based on what Don Sweeney and various scouts have seen out of the 26-year-old forward, it was apparently enough to justify pulling the trigger on a deal — even if it meant giving up a promising young player like Ryan Donato. Boston has kept tabs on Coyle for most of the season, especially with numerous failed auditions at the vacant spot at third-line center. But, according to Chris Wagner, the connections between Coyle and the Bruins have carried over for much longer than just this season.

“It’s pretty cool and I know there’s been a lot of talk about it the last couple years for him, so it’s probably a relief to have it finally happen,” Wagner said after Wednesday’s shootout win over the Golden Knights. “I’m pumped, because it makes our team that much better. I think the world of him. Great player, two-way player. Hard, heavy, skilled.”

If there’s anyone in the B’s locker room capable of offering a scouting report on Boston’s latest pickup, it’d have to be Wagner. Certainly makes sense, considering the Walpole product has a history with Coyle that stretches back to their early teenage years.



“He can skate well. He’s a workhorse in the gym too,” Wagner said of Coyle. “I’ve worked out with him for probably the last 14 summers or something like that. I know him pretty well.”

For all of their time together, both Wagner and Coyle only played one season on the same team, back in 2009-10 while with the South Shore Kings.

Wagner remembers that Coyle — a year away from beginning his collegiate career at Boston University — was plenty raw when he joined the Kings, but drew a significant crowd with every game he suited up in due to his standing as a potential first-round pick in the 2010 NHL Draft. (He went 28th overall to the Sharks).

“We had a really good team then,” Wagner said. “He was young. He was probably the reason I got drafted, to be honest, because everyone came to watch him. It was my second year of eligibility. Thankful for having him then and now.”

Even in his first season in the EJHL, Coyle didn’t look out of place — tallying 21 goals and posting 63 total points over 42 games as the Kings’ second-line center. The first-line center?

“He played below me, I had more points than him,” Wagner said with a smile. “We were put on the power play a lot, that won’t be happening this year. Just nice to have a guy that you know. I know he’s going to work hard and he’ll fit in right away.”

Sure enough, Wagner set a new EJHL record in his second year with the Kings, notching 83 points in just 44 games played — a mark that stood until now-Rangers forward Jimmy Vesey posted 91 points over 45 games two seasons later. The extra scouts did Wagner some good, as he was drafted in the fifth round of the 2010 NHL Draft by the Ducks.

Like many, Wagner was surprised to see the news regarding a trade develop so quickly, as he was put on alert during a group text — featuring a couple of Coyle’s buddies from Weymouth. It won’t take very long for Coyle to have his homecoming moment, as Boston only has one game left in its extended road trip before heading back to TD Garden for a tilt with the Sharks on Tuesday.

For as much as hometown guys like Wagner and Matt Grzelcyk have thrived while playing in Boston, the added pressure can make things pretty risky — with Dorchester’s own Jimmy Hayes failing to stick after just two seasons with Boston.

Could Coyle be another player to worry about upon his return to Boston after seven seasons in Minnesota? Wagner doesn’t think so, with the fact that Coyle is set to hit the ground running with Boston playing a big part in his reasoning.

“He’s a pretty timid kid. Humble. So he won’t have a problem with that,” Wagner said. “Maybe it’s better in the middle of the season. You don’t have that much time to think about it. You’re just playing right away. I kind of, by the end of the summer, I was like, let’s get this thing going.’ Then the China trip, preseason, like, oh man. I was just telling him, it will probably set in on Tuesday when we play at home. Get a nice couple days on the road with the guys to get acclimated. It will be good.

“At least he doesn’t have to listen to trade rumors all the time. And then we’re on a pretty good roll, so I bet he's excited to join that. It’s an exciting, exciting time to be around, playoffs coming up, home stretch here in March. So yeah, I think he’s going to be pumped with all of that.”

For as thrilled as Coyle has to be to get back to the Commonwealth and join a Bruins team poised to make some noise, Wagner is equally excited — not just for his friend, but for the message sent by the team to add another talented player for the final stretch of the regular season.

“I think the message is we’re in this for the long haul,” Wagner said. “I think we're proven we can play with anybody. Getting Pasta back eventually will be huge, too. We’re pretty deep. Everyone is talking about Tampa and Toronto, but that's fine with us. Keep talking about them, we'll slide under the radar.”