NHL Notebook: Bruins pass painful litmus test as they make case for contender status

To outsiders, Boston fans can be … what’s the word?

Spoiled? Pessimistic? Deranged?
Maybe “a bit much” is the apt describer.

Granted, a lot of that sentiment has been validated plenty of times over. 

After all, there’s not a lot of corners of the world where you see people combating the bitter chill of sub-zero weather in the morning with a Dunkin’ cold brew.

(Remember, folks – iced coffee season never takes a break.)

And when it comes to that prevailing sense of pessimism, some of it is a byproduct of being burned many times before. 

So perhaps that’s why there have been qualifiers at every turn when it comes to the Bruins’ resurgence since the turn to 2022. 

Wins over Buffalo, Detroit and New Jersey to open this recent run? Psssssh, a couple of wins over some tomato-can opponents.

Road wins over Tampa Bay and Washington? Alright, that’s better … BUT guys like Marchand and Pastrnak aren’t going to have as much ice to work with once the calendar flips to the spring and playoff hockey arrives.

We’ve seen this story play out countless times before.

As much as the “Have the Bruins found their next enforcer?” discourse has become more of a parody than a tangible storyline with each new season, the questions about the mettle of this Bruins roster and its ability to keep off the ropes during the heavyweight bout that is the Stanley Cup Playoffs has become a familiar worry.

Such a narrative was validated when the St. Louis Blues punched the Bruins in the mouth during the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, and that conversation only continued last year when the B’s warpath through the final months of the 2020-21 campaign was halted by a stingy, physical Islanders crew. 

But after a performance like the one put forth in Saturday’s OT win over the Predators — it sure seems like even the sternest critics of this roster can take a break for a day or two.

A lot can change between now and the end of April. But Boston’s play against a bruising Nashville team should offer hope that this ragtag crew of aging veterans and cast of UFA newcomers might have the fortitude necessary to hang in the ring by the time playoff hockey arrives.

Considering the circumstances, Saturday’s matinee matchup sure seemed like the kind of game that could go sideways for the Bruins.

Boston might have entered the afternoon tilt with seven wins in its last eight outings, but the Predators boasted a similarly impressive resume — winning 12 of their last 15 games since early December.

And even though the Preds’ top-six unit is littered with elite talent, a hallmark of John Hynes’ club has been their propensity to inflict welts and bash around their opponents over a steady rate.

Nashville might have entered the season as a team projected to toil in the unfavorable no man's land between contender and rebuilder — but these days, they certainly paint the picture of a team that could thrive in the postseason when every inch of ice is harder to gain.

The Bruins saw firsthand how punishing the Preds can be in their first meeting back on Dec. 2, with Filip Forsberg breaking Patrice Bergeron’s nose off of a high hit.

And with two of the B’s heftier forwards out of commission in Nick Foligno and Trent Frederic — coupled with a decimated D corps rolling out two Providence call-ups in Urho Vaakanainen and Tyler Lewington — the writing was on the wall that Saturday could have been a sobering example of Boston being stuffed into a proverbial locker. 

Through the first 35+ minutes of the contest, those fears were largely realized. Even though Boston built an early 2-0 lead, the Predators’ dogged forecheck and commitment to following through on every bone-crunching check started to pay off, culminating in a second period where the visitors knotted things up and routinely buried B’s skaters.

Again, where have we seen this script before?

But rather than rely solely on their reshuffled forward corps in search of a retort, the B’s opted for an even more encouraging response —simply punching right back.  

"You got to play 20 something (games) like that in the playoffs, typically,” Bruce Cassidy said after Boston’s eventual 4-3 overtime victory. “You can have an off night, but in general, that's kind of how it goes. So it's nice to see we come out of that game — matched them hit for hit and I think even had some of the better ones that I'm sure they're licking their wounds a little bit. … I guess as they'd describe it as a playoff-style game, and we responded well.”

The 2021-22 Bruins may not have the Hanson Brothers at their disposal when it comes to physical equalizers — especially with Frederic and Foligno on the shelf.

But instead of just turning to their checking unit in order to land counter-jabs against the Predators, the B’s — similar to their recent balanced scoring output — all pulled on the same rope to help deliver a few haymakers against the Preds.  

Charlie McAvoy — never one to shirk from a momentum-shifting check — dished out six hits over an arduous 27:44 of ice time. 

The Blidh-Nosek-Lazar line was as advertised (11 combined hits), but Oskar Steen added some snarl of his own with six hits on the third line. Taylor Hall — the eventual OT hero — isn’t getting paid $6 million per year to be a bruising power forward. But the fleet-footed winger routinely drove down low and engaged with Preds players throughout the afternoon.

And Brad Marchand — his already-broken nose plugged up with gauze after an elbow from Roman Josi — emptied Dante Fabbro’s lungs with a heavy check behind Nashville’s net in the third period.

A crisp transition play from Vaakanainen and a netfront drive by Hall helped Boston secure points in overtime — but beyond the final score and the standings, Boston’s ability to hang with one of the bigger bullies in the league should stand as the most encouraging takeaway from yet another W.

"It hurts to win. And by that I mean you got to take hits, give hits. You got to block shots. There's a lot of little things that go into it,” Cassidy said. “That's the way I look at that physicality part. Why does it end up like that? I think Nashville has changed a little in their personnel and is trending that way to play that type of game. So I think when our team gets drawn into those games, we're fine with it. … I think it's a style of play that we relish playing.”

Of course, this wouldn’t be a Boston-centered sports column without, you guessed it, a qualifier.

It’s one thing to bury an opponent in the dog days of January — and another to do it night in and night out in May and June. This team still needs an upgrade or two.

And that thinking does hold some weight. But considering all we’ve heard from players, coaches and front-office personnel in terms of this closing window, it’s to be expected that the Bruins will continue to peruse for more help on the roster — be it on the blue line, down the middle or elsewhere across the lineup.

But even before the Bruins retrofit their roster and brace for the postseason, it’s clear that the personnel in the B’s room are feeling good about where their game is heading. 

“We know what we have to do,” Hall said. “You see our team has confidence playing a skill game like we did against Tampa and Washington and then a game like today  — you don't know how physical some games are going to be and you got to be ready for anything.”

When asked about how much “fun” the B’s coaching staff was having during this recent run, Cassidy was quick to reference a lesson he learned as a player in the IHL — set down by a promising young coach at the time named Darryl Sutter.

“Fun” is often the byproduct of plenty of other arduous steps that must be taken beforehand. But when the proper steps are taken, you’ve got a situation like the one playing out right now. 

Yes, Boston fans can be a sour crew. The events that transpired over in Orchard Park on Saturday night certainly didn’t help.

But upon peeling back those layers of pessimism, one will find perhaps the most pertinent trait of all: Passion.

And for those fans desperately looking for something to get wired up about this spring, a win like Saturday's had to represent a breath of fresh air.

Time to have some fun. 

“A coach of mine I remember years ago — I was on a good hockey team,” Cassidy said. "And he walked in and we ended up winning a championship in the old (IHL) ...  He wrote on the board one day. We were going well, but we got away from it. 'Work. Win. Have Fun.'

“And you put them in that order. And he basically came in one day. We'd lost and he said, 'Don't mess up the order. That's the way it goes. That's the way it needs to work.' And he was right. And I believe that translates to this group right now. They're a hard-working team that's found our identity again — they're winning and obviously then you have fun. So it's a nice combination."

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Domi an option for Boston?

While a lot of trade whispers surrounding the Bruins at this juncture of the season have revolved around Coyotes power forward Lawson Crouse — Elliotte Friedman tossed an interesting nugget into his latest 32 Thoughts column this week.

“As Boston welcomes back Tuukka Rask, wonder if Max Domi makes any sense for the Bruins,” Friedman wrote.

That’s it. Granted, it’s just a small toss-in in Friedman’s extensive column, but if an insider as plugged in as Friedman figured it was worth mentioning — it means there’s gotta be at least a few embers smoldering beneath all this smoke.  

And all things considered, a Domi swap could make some sense for the Bruins — especially if it involves another asset that could desperately use a change of scenery in Jake DeBrusk.

While Domi, 26, may not be the player that notched 72 points with the Canadiens back in 2018-19, he’s still likely better than what he’s shown so far over 1 1/2 seasons in Columbus. 

After averaging 50 points per season over his first five years in the league (his lowest scoring total being 38 points in 59 games in 2016-17), Domi has only recorded 40 points in Columbus since 2020 — a span of 79 games. 

Domi has managed to bounce back a bit this season with 16 points over 25 games, with the Winnipeg native making the switch from pivot to left wing as of late. 

A pending UFA, the rebuilding Blue Jackets could deal Domi before the deadline, and acquiring another young winger in DeBrusk with at least a bit more team control as an RFA could be a route that they take. 

If the Bruins are focusing on more of a straight swap for DeBrusk as opposed to packaging him in a larger deal, you can’t go wrong with either Crouse or Domi as a third-line upgrade (even if you might need to add in a sweetener in such a deal). 

While Domi might offer a bit more scoring pop on the third line, I think Crouse still serves as a more intriguing asset — given his age (24), power-forward attributes and an underrated offensive skillset (18 points in 34 games this season). 

Marchand takes All-Star snub in stride

Bruce Cassidy was blunt when asked if he was surprised that Brad Marchand didn’t make his way onto the 2022 Atlantic Division All-Star roster.

“I am. I really am.”

Marchand — one of many either star talents or breakout candidates that somehow didn’t find their names etched onto the four All-Star rosters — certainly makes a compelling argument on the ice. 

After all, Marchand is leading the B’s in goals (20), assists (23) and points (43) — and is operating at a 100+ point pace once again over an 82-game span. Add in his PK prowess, and the 33-year-old’s standing as one of the best — if not the top — left wing in the game has not been challenged. 

So what gives then?

“If it becomes a popularity contest, there’s people out there that really appreciate Brad’s game and there’s some that don't,” Cassidy said. “So I’m willing to bet if the players picked it, he’d be right there.”

Marchand has been no stranger to roasting the NHL and speaking his mind over the last few weeks, but he opted to take the diplomatic route when it came to his thoughts on the All-Star snub — opting to prop up Boston’s lone All-Star representative in Patrice Bergeron — rather than bemoan his fortunes. 

“I'm not bothered at all,” Marchand said. “It's a nice event to go to — some years. It depends I guess on where it is, but Vegas is obviously a good spot. But Bergy, he's been our best player for — it's been 18 years now. He's the best two-way player in the league, and he's the backbone to our team. So I'm not surprised at all that he's there and he deserves to be. And he's earned that right

“And I'm very happy for him. So that's how it goes when the league format is the way it is. There are guys that probably deserve to be there. You look at (Nazem) Kadri — I don't think he's on the list. He's, what, third or fourth in the league in scoring? So that's how it goes when they have the system the way it is, when they need to incorporate every team.”

Plenty of local ties, former Bruins featured on Team USA Olympics roster

NHL players may not be heading to Beijing in a couple of weeks, but the new Team USA men’s roster for the 2022 Winter Games will feature plenty of local products — and a few former B’s skaters. 

Here is the full roster:

FORWARDS  

Nick Abruzzese, Harvard, NCAA (TOR) 

Ken Agostino, Torpedo, KHL 

Matty Beniers, Michigan, NCAA (SEA) 

Brendan Brisson, Michigan, NCAA (VGK)  

Noah Cates, Minnesota-Duluth, NCAA (PHI) 

Sean Farrell, Harvard, NCAA (MTL) 

Sam Hentges, St. Cloud State, NCAA (MIN)  

Matthew Knies, Minnesota, NCAA (TOR) 

Marc McLaughlin, Boston College NCAA 

Ben Meyers, Minnesota, NCAA 

Andy Miele, Torpedo, KHL 

Brian O'Neill, Jokerit, KHL 

Nick Shore, Novosibirsk, KHL 

Nathan Smith, Minnesota State, NCAA (WPG)   

DEFENSE 

Brian Cooper, IK Oskarshamn, SHL 

Brock Faber, Minnesota, NCAA (LAK) 

Drew Helleson, Boston College, NCAA (COL) 

Steven Kampfer, Ak Bars Kazan, KHL 

Aaron Ness, Providence, AHL

Nick Perbix, St. Cloud State, NCAA (TBL) 

Jake Sanderson, North Dakota, NCAA (OTT) 

David Warsofsky, Ingolstadt, DEL  

GOALTENDERS 

Drew Commesso, Boston University, NCAA (CHI) 

Strauss Mann, Skelleftea, SHL 

Pat Nagle, Lehigh Valley, AHL

Of that 25-man roster, three are former Bruins, one is a current P-Bruin (Aaron Ness), five are Massachusetts natives and another four players are currently playing college hockey within the Commonwealth.

Steven Kampfer headlines the list of former B’s players, with the playmaking defenseman logging 113 games with Boston over five seasons before making the jump over to the KHL. Former BU Terrier and Marshfield product David Warsofsky played 10 games with Boston from 2013-15, while Yale alum Ken Agostino played five games with the Bruins during the 2017-18 campaign.

Hingham native Matt Beniers — drafted second overall in the 2021 NHL Draft by Seattle — headlines a large group of collegiate talent heading overseas.  

Other forwards with local ties include BC senior captain and Billerica native Marc McLaughlin (who will be a sought-after college UFA after this season), Harvard freshman and Hopkinton’s own Sean Farrell and fellow Crimson forward Nick Abruzzese.

Norwell native and current BU netminder Drew Commesso will slot into Team USA’s goalie rotation. 

As for Team USA’s group-stage schedule:

Thursday, Feb. 10 vs. China, 8:10 a.m. ET
Friday, Feb. 11 vs. Canada, 11:10 p.m. ET
Sunday, Feb. 13 vs. Germany, 8:10 a.m. ET

Marchand’s Worst Injury?

The gash in Brad Marchand’s nose — butterflied by way of a Nic Dowd high-stick infraction — might make even the most hardened individuals squeamish, but Marchand would be the first to tell you that it could have been a lot worse.

After all, it could have connected with his eyes — or shattered his entire maw.

Ugly optics aside, Marchand was no worse for wear during last Monday’s win over the Capitals — returning to the game just minutes later and recording a pair of points during a single 5-on-3 sequence.

As for the most painful injury of his career, Marchand recalled another unfortunate ailment suffered at the hands of the Capitals. 

And once again, it could have been a whole lot worse. 

“I don't know if I'm gonna remember all of them,” Marchand said of his most painful moments. "There was the one time we were playing Washington. We were on the penalty kill and the draw went directly to (Alex Ovechkin).

“I stepped out and he took a one-timer right on my foot and I hobbled to the bench. I was yelling for the trainer. 'It’s broken! It's broken! It's 100% broken.' And my whole foot just went numb. And I thought it was at the time. I don't think I missed a shift. I got back. And I mean, it hurt — but I think I just must have hit a nerve or something. But then guys gave it to me for that one for a while.”