Bruins Notebook: What expectations are there for Trent Frederic on a likely revamped 4th line?

It remains to be seen what changes are in store for the Bruins’ fourth line in 2021-22. 

From a pure philosophical approach, the case could be made that Bruce Cassidy might need to tinker with how he deploys his checking unit in a game setting — weaning his fourth-liners away from a unsustainable dose of D-zone starts and daunting matchups that even the sturdiest forward trios would routinely falter in. 

(For reference, a line featuring both Sean Kuraly and Chris Wagner last season only had an offensive zone faceoff percentage of 19.23%. A Montreal fourth line with Corey Perry and Eric Staal had an O-zone faceoff percentage of 50.95%, while the Islanders’ “Identity Line” of Cal Clutterbuck, Casey Cizikas and Matt Martin had an O-zone faceoff percentage of 41.18%.)

But beyond any modifications as far as X’s and O’s are concerned, one thing is for certain is that  the personnel on Boston’s fourth line could look very, very different next year.

While Curtis Lazar will likely be the man in the middle, it sure seems like Sean Kuraly will head elsewhere on the open market as a UFA, while Chris Wagner (even with two years left on his current contract) is far from a lock as a starter after a trying 2021 campaign. 

Whether it be potential free-agent additions such as Jordan Martinook, Cizikas, Joel Armia, Matt Calvert and others — or youngsters within Boston’s pipeline looking to cut their teeth up in the NHL ranks — it’s just about a given that a Bruins checking line in need of a shakeup will receive just that in hopes of a rebound on the ice.

And one of the first players in line for an expanded role in that spot will almost certainly be Trent Frederic.

The 23-year-old forward — back in the fold after inking a two-year contract last week with an annual cap hit of $1.05 million — is coming off of a tale of two seasons, hitting the proverbial rookie wall after appearing to carve out a regular spot in Boston’s bottom-six lineup in the opening months of the 2021 season. 

Whether it be pestering the likes of P.K. Subban or dropping the gloves with Tom Wilson, Frederic seemed like the perfect compliment on that fourth line — adding the type of snarl that B’s fans had been clamoring for over the last few seasons. 

"I think it was a good year. I think I came out hot," Frederic said via Zoom on Wednesday. "I'm sure there's points where I wasn't as good of a player as I wanted to be and there's times where I played well. I thought overall it was a good season. It was a bummer we came up short, but overall, it was a good season."

But as the months carried on, Frederic’s game tailed off on the ice, with a bout with an illness unrelated to COVID putting him on the shelf for a few weeks. Ultimately, he never managed to get back on track, sitting out of all 11 of Boston’s postseason bouts against the Capitals and Islanders. 

While Frederic didn’t denote any expectations that the B’s top brass are placing on him in terms of a set role next season, it's pretty much a given that Boston is looking for a more consistent showing from Frederic in 2021-22 — especially given the likelihood of vacancies sprinkled through that line entering training camp. 

"I think I have a lot more to offer," Frederic said. "Obviously, I was disappointed that we didn't make it and that we're not playing right now. Obviously, I wanted to help out as well. But everything happens for a reason and sometimes it's out of your control and you just have to keep working hard and work for the next day."

Still, even if Frederic’s agitating ways and thump would seem to fall in line with what the B’s might be looking for on that checking unit, Frederic was cognizant of the fact that he’s going to need to round out his overall game and improve his skating, especially if Boston shifts that fourth line into more of a fast-paced, forechecking unit where perhaps another youngster like Cameron Hughes and Oskar Steen might be better suited. 

There is also the very real possibility that Frederic might get scooped up by the Kraken if left unprotected in the expansion draft, although one has to think that a cost-controlled defenseman like Jeremy Lauzon or Connor Clifton might still hold the most value there for the NHL’s 32nd team. 

If Frederic can replicate most of what he offered through the first two months of the 2021 season, the Bruins will likely be encouraged — but the fact of the matter is that if Boston’s fourth line is going to rebound and tilt ice back in its favor, they’re going to need a whole lot more from the winger than just serving as the proverbial fly in the ointment. 

"Obviously, I have to come in next year and prove my worth, just getting in the lineup and then just like any year, lines get shuffled…Game 1 or Game 2, or Game 52 could be completely different," said Frederic. "So, I guess we'll just have to see. I don't know exactly, either. That's what I'm striving towards. I've got a lot of work to become that. I think I have the ability to become it and I think I will, but obviously I have some work to do for that."

McAvoy, Marchand finish top 5 in voting for Norris, Hart 

No Bruins took home any major hardware during the NHL’s virtual awards ceremony on Tuesday night — but both Charlie McAvoy and Brad Marchand found themselves in pretty esteemed company during voting for both the Norris Trophy (best defenseman) and the Hart Trophy (league MVP). 

After finishing 10th in the Norris Trophy voting for the 2019-20 season, McAvoy leapfrogged up to a fifth-place finish for the 2021 season with 125 points — placing behind Carolina’s Dougie Hamilton (239 points), Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman (433), Colorado’s Cale Makar (655) and the winner in New York’s Adam Fox (743). 

And while McAvoy likely wasn’t going to leapfrog a player like Fox or Makar in the eyes of most voters this season, you very well could make the case that McAvoy warranted a top-three finish this year — as he finished in at least the 95th percentile of all NHL defensemen in terms of even-strength offense, even-strength defense, penalty kill and primary assists per 60 minutes of play.

He may have come up just short of a true finalist nod in 2021, but methinks McAvoy is going to find himself in the top three sooner rather than later — and likely stay in said spot for a long, long time. 

As for Marchand, the B’s top left winger finished in fifth place in Hart Trophy voting with 134 points, trailing Sidney Crosby (223 points), Colorado’s Nathan McKinnon (313 points), Toronto’s Auston Matthews (600) and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid (1,000).

McDavid (who captured 100 out of 100 first-place votes) became just the second NHLer to win the Hart by a unanimous vote — joining a fellow Edmonton Oiler who wasn’t too shabby back in 1981-82 — so this race was pretty much decided a long, long time ago. 

But even though Marchand and plenty of other top players found themselves on the outside looking in at the race for the Hart, the B’s top left winger did secure an impressive accolade for himself elsewhere — as he was named to the NHL’s First All-Star Team for the 2021 season.

This stands as the second time in Marchand’s career that he has been selected as the league’s top left wing — as he was first place in that spot during the 2016-17 season. Marchand earned Second All-Star Team honors for both the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons. 

A well-deserved honor for a player in Marchand who, against most conventional thinking (and to the chagrin of other teams across the league), does seem to get better and better with each passing season. 

Maine Mariners announced as Bruins' new ECHL affiliate 

Another arm of the Bruins’ minor-league system is now back in the fold up in New England, as the Maine Mariners announced on Wednesday that it will become the ECHL affiliate of the Bruins — putting both of Boston’s farm systems within a few hours of one another in Providence (AHL) and Portland. 

The Mariners will replace the Atlanta Gladiators — who served as Boston’s ECHL affiliate since 2015. Prior to this upcoming season, the Mariners were previously affiliated with the Rangers after joining the ECHL in 2018. 

Boston has plenty of history with Portland — as a previous iteration of the Mariners served as the Bruins’ AHL club from 1987-1992 before the franchise headed south and became the Providence Bruins. 

“We are extremely excited to be affiliated with the Bruins organization and we’re proud to solidify the Boston-Portland connection with all three of Maine’s professional sports franchises,” said Mariners President Danny Briere. “We can’t wait to bring live hockey action back to Portland this fall, and we know that Mariners fans will be thrilled to watch players from the Bruins organization playing right here in Maine.”

The Mariners, who play at Portland’s Cross Insurance Arena, voluntarily suspended their 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.