Charlie Coyle doesn’t feel like the new kid on campus whenever he steps foot inside Warrior Ice Arena these days.
A full training camp under his belt — coupled with an extended playoff run last spring — will do that for you.
But it wasn’t so easy for the Weymouth native in the immediate aftermath of the trade that sent him from Minnesota to Boston back in February.
Tallying nine goals and 16 points during the postseason certainly goes a long way towards settling into a groove in a new environment, although the first couple of months were a different story.
Along with the challenges that come from learning the ins and outs of a new team, locker room and staff, Coyle also had to get adjusted to Bruce Cassidy’s system already set in place — starting with a zone defense that was a far cry from the structure that had become accustomed to with the Wild.
“He came from a man-to-man system last year,” Cassidy said of Coyle. “I remember the first game in St. Louis (on Feb. 23), he had his back to the puck a lot, where in our system, our centerman is always passing off and staying with his eyes on the puck and moving around a lot, ready to accept hand-offs. So that was a challenge for him.”
Getting a grasp on a new defensive system — while also looking to forge some chemistry with a slew of new linemates — was a major factor in Coyle’s slow start in Boston last winter. By the time the postseason rolled around, the forward was limited to two goals and six total points over 21 games regular-season games.
The Bruins' latest crop of newcomers may not be counted to drive a line like Coyle, but for a team looking to keep its offense afloat (or at the very least, balanced) amid an outbreak of injuries, Cassidy is going to need all hands on deck with key cogs like David Krejci still looking to get back up to speed.
But Coyle would be the first to tell you that hitting the ground running with a new team, especially on the offensive side of things, is easier said than done.
Tuesday's win over the Maple Leafs was a major step in the right direction for the Bruins, especially when it comes to secondary scoring — as UFA pickups in Brett Ritchie and Par Lindholm both lit the lamp in the final period of play to close out an eventual 4-2 victory over Boston's Original Six rival.
It was an encouraging sight for Ritchie and Lindholm, who have been thrust into spots as the club's second-line RW and third-line center, respectively, due to this recent rash of injuries.
Still, it hasn't exactly been a strong start for both forwards in the early going with their new team. In the 78:36 and 50:07 of 5v5 TOI in which Ritchie and Lindholm have skated so far this year, the Bruins have been outshot, 48-35, and 28-24, respectively.
But on Tuesday, Ritchie didn't look out of place on a makeshift second line next to Coyle and Jake DeBrusk. Along with tallying the game-winning goal, Ritchie was a force down low, using his 6-foot-4 frame to generate three individual high-danger scoring chances on the night.
On a Bruins roster that still ranks 19th in the NHL in terms of 5v5 high-danger scoring chances per 60 minutes (8.5), Ritchie's efforts of hounding the puck down low and waiting for Grade-A chances can go a long way toward getting some consistent scoring beyond Boston's dominant first line.
"I think it starts to weigh on guys a bit," Ritchie said of scoring slumps. "I think it's just human nature. You want to score, you want to contribute. I think you get worried if you're not getting chances to score. But if the chances are there, statistics show that they're going to go in. As long as the chances are there, I think it's something you can fall back on and stay positive."
Coyle echoed Ritchie's sentiments on Wednesday, noting that it can take time for a new player to settle into a role — even if a power forward like Ritchie isn't asked to stray too much from his bread and butter.
"I think, when you’re a new guy in a new system, sometimes it takes a little bit to get used to things. Sometimes you overthink it and you’re trying to do the right thing," Coyle said of Ritchie. "Not saying that he was doing a bad job at all, but even still trying to remember things and just let it come naturally. But you can tell he’s letting it set in a little bit and he’s just playing hockey out there.
"He knows where he’s supposed to be, positionally and all that. He’s getting rewarded for it, too. He’s a big force. Big guy — and he can create some space. It’s hard to contain a guy like that when he goes to the net. Just like that goal yesterday. So he’s doing great.”
Even if Lindholm's numbers in terms of shot share have left a bit to be desired, Cassidy has often tasked the pivot with some less-than-desirable defensive assignments, with just 25.93% of his faceoffs coming in the offensive zone — the third-lowest total on the B's.
The Bruins may not have the next coming of James Neal in Ritchie, nor are they exactly expecting the UFA pickup to generate such an offensive output. But as both Ritchie and Lindholm continue to get settled in with their new teammates, Boston is hoping that Tuesday's performance becomes much more of a common sight whenever the pair hops over onto the ice.
OTHER NOTES
With the Bruins having three days off before taking on the St. Louis Blues on Saturday, Boston kept things light on Wednesday, focusing more on skill drills with the team's skating and skills coach, Kim Brandvold. Boston did receive some good news on the injury front, as Krejci skated with Kevan Miller and John Moore before practice got underway. Joakim Nordstrom practiced in full on Wednesday, and should be cleared to return to game action on Saturday.
While Krejci's return to the ice was encouraging, Cassidy expressed some caution when it comes to his second-line center's status for Saturday night. Krejci has yet to play since Oct. 14 due to an upper-body injury.
"He'd certainly have to get through a contact practice," Cassidy said of Krejci. "It's a day off, but there's injured guys, he may skate tomorrow. That's up to the medical team. Friday, if he gets through an injured practice then we'd have to make a decision, yes. ... He's been out a little bit with a couple of lingering injuries. We would probably err on the side of caution there, make sure he's close to 100 percent and not force him in at 80 or something like that."
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