Despite small sample size, Oskar Steen is looking like a difference maker in Bruins’ bottom-6 unit

When it comes to sizing up Oskar Steen, Brad Marchand can find plenty of similarities between himself and the ascending rookie winger. 

“I think we're both really, really good looking guys,” Marchand quipped after Boston’s 5-2 win over the Lightning on Saturday.

Jokes aside, the eye test doesn’t lie when comparing Marchand’s M.O. in the offensive zone to Steen’s.

Neither winger presents the most imposing physical profile (5-foot-9), but each uses their stature to their advantage when fending off skaters — utilizing their stocky frame and lower center of gravity to both shield the puck and create havoc on the forecheck.

“He’s able to get those big, sturdy legs of his and butt to protect it,” Bruce Cassidy said of Steen's puck protection. “For his lack of height, he’s able to get low and win pucks that way, similar to Marshy. And he’s competitive in those areas. He’s not bailing. He’s willing to take a hit if he has to. He does a good job of establishing position. Usually, that has something to do with his first step. Hockey IQ as well. Smart player.”

Both adhere to a similar brand hockey, but, of course, you’re playing a dangerous game when it comes to weighing Steen’s play and production against arguably the top left wing in the game in Marchand. 

Steen’s ceiling may not be that of a legit top-six weapon, at least not yet. But over the short sample size that Steen has logged up in the NHL ranks this season, one thing is for certain — the 23-year-old winger is looking like far more than just a plug-and-play depth piece on this roster.

 And when you measure Steen’s production against the offensive totals accrued by other rookies across the league — there’s an awful lot to like about what the Swedish product can offer this B’s forward corps. 

Through seven games up with Boston this season, Steen has already accrued five points (one goal, four assists) — with his latest contribution coming in Saturday’s win over the Bolts.

Breaking into the O-zone in the second period, Steen forced Tampa defenseman Cal Foote to cough up a puck — corralling the biscuit in the slot while fighting off a pair of Lightning skaters. With Brayden Point skating in, Steen dished a pass over to Anton Blidh, who beat Andrei Vasilevskiy clean to give Boston a 4-0 lead at the time. 

"He's starting to recognize that time and space out there,” Cassidy said of Steen’s growing confidence. “You can see his hands are coming around — those little small-area plays and getting a shot off. Not rushing it but also knowing at this level that you do have to get it off quicker. So he's finding that rhythm a little bit. And the goal — the assist is just a matter of him winning a puck. Again, establishing position, using his feet, body to create some separation and Blidher is going to the net better. Pain and simple.”

Considering Steen’s production both overseas in Sweden and down in Providence this year (10 goals and 10 assists in 16 games), the consensus was that the 2016 sixth-round pick might provide a bit more of a scoring pop than other recent call-ups or depth pieces like a Blidh or Karson Kuhlman.

But few expected Steen to be putting himself on track for a 60-point campaign over an 82-game pace. 

Yes, it’s a small sample size. But among the 491 NHL forwards that have logged at least 50 minutes of 5v5 ice time this season, it’s Steen that’s currently pacing the pack in points per 60 minutes with a rate of 4.91.

Of course, it’s to be expected that Steen is going to come down to earth a bit when it comes to offensive production. But if there’s one thing that’s working in Steen’s favor, it’s that the rookie forward is racking up these points despite some pretty limited reps. 

Yes, other rookies across the league such as Seth Jarvis, Trevor Zegras and Lucas Raymond boast higher draft pedigrees and more consistent scoring totals over a longer stretch of games in 2021-22.

But they’ve also been handed a lot more reps in the process, most in top-six opportunities. 

Trevor Zegras? 17:05 average time on ice this season.
Raymond? 17:33 ATOI.
Jarvis? 13:50 ATOI. 

Steen? Just an average of 10:18 of ice time per game.

And in every game in which Steen has logged at least 10+ minutes of reps, he’s recorded a point. Also, if you’re keeping track, the Bruins are 5-0-0 in those games when Steen gets 10+ minutes of ice time.  When Steen is logging under 10 minutes a game? Boston is 0-1-1.

Now, this column isn’t my way to suddenly vouch for Steen’s late entry into a Calder Trophy race. Nor am I saying that Steen suddenly deserves to leapfrog a guy like Craig Smith on the depth chart and start earning top-six minutes. 

But if there’s anything to draw from Steen’s short time up in the NHL ranks so far this season, it’s that the Bruins — for the first time in a long time — have a youngster in place that’s deserving of an entrenched role in Boston’s bottom-six grouping. 

And even with guys like Jake DeBrusk and Tomas Nosek poised to return from COVID protocol in the next few days, Steen sure seems like a lock to keep logging reps next to Charlie Coyle on that third line.

The second coming of Marchand? I think not — and that’s not fair at all to Steen to make such a comparison. 

But make no mistake, Steen is playing like a true impact winger on Boston’s third line — and is playing a key part in Boston’s secondary-scoring resurgence since the new year. 

And if more reps are heading his way next to Coyle and Co.? I wouldn’t bet against Steen continuing to etch his name on the scoresheet.

(Already, Steen is making a sizable impact on Boston's 5v5 scoring when he's on the ice. That's a pretty impressive spike in terms of expected goals and shot volume, considering that almost all of Steen's reps have come on the third and fourth line.)

“I love Steener's game,” Marchand said. “He's a really competitive guy. … He's not scared to go into the corners, he's not scared to go to the front of the net. He gets in on forechecks, he competes and battles with bigger guys and not only does he go in there, but he comes out with the puck and I think that's the big thing at this level. You have to be able to win a lot of those 1-on-1 battles and he's doing that. He's competing hard every single time he's on the ice and he has the ability to make plays. 

“He's dominated the American League for a little while now. And you see right now when he's in a scoring position, or he gets the puck in that area, he's making some great plays. He did it again tonight. I think he might be a point-a-game (player) since he's been here. So he's been great for us. And that's what you need. You need guys that are continually coming up on their entry-level deals and producing and helping the team win and it's great to see that he's doing that.”