Trent Frederic was residing an excellent life final 12 months and he is aware of it.
For a lot of the season, he was skating on an unusually stacked third line with middle Charlie Coyle and former Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall on the left wing. The outcome, partially, was a career-high 17 targets for Frederic, who realized that within the opposition’s minds he was most likely the third concern on that line.
But Frederic doesn’t need that 17-goal line to signify his high-water mark.
“I feel like I can keep going up,” stated Frederic after the Bruins’ Sunday session. “I think I still have more to give and even looking at last year, I had a lot of chances. I mean everyone has looks that you should score on, but I think I could have actually done better than I did. There’s still a lot of room to improve. I want to keep getting better every year.”
Frederic has been paired for many of camp with middle Morgan Geekie whereas the left wing stays fluid. AJ Greer skated there on Sunday whereas Jesper Boqvist has seen time there as effectively.
Taking nothing away from whomever his linemates can be this 12 months, the actual fact of the matter is the B’s received’t be plugging a one-time MVP on the road. That means Frederic should be extra of a line-driver than he was final 12 months. And coach Jim Montgomery believes he has it in him.
“I think he’s got to do it with the pace and tenacity of staying on pucks and then really building his puck protection game,” stated Montgomery. “He’s become a real good complimentary player who’s real good as a (third forechecker) who does really good things on the forecheck as F2 and F3. But now we need him to not only make the plays we saw him make last year but actually hang on to pucks more often and put people on their heels with him driving the net.”
Frederic, who’s feeling extra settled now he’s just about stayed on the fitting wing all camp, is aware of he’s going to must grind much more for his targets this 12 months.
“Yeah, I want to have more of responsibility,” stated Frederic. “Those guys (Coyle and Hall) were more the guys that (the opposition) was focusing on more and I got to kind of hide in that situation… But then again, though I may not have been as successful when I wasn’t skating with them, I felt I made stuff happen when I played with other guys, too. Those guys definitely helped. I loved playing with Charlie, I loved playing with Taylor. They set me up for a lot easy ones that in the past I haven’t gotten. My first year, I had four goals and not one came easy… The whole team was making plays. It helps being on a good team.”
If Frederic cashes in on extra of his probabilities in tight across the internet, that will be a great way to maintain the purpose totals up.
“Around the net, I probably didn’t score as much as I should, like someone who plays like me could score,” stated Frederic. “You want to be someone who scores in different ways. I’m not going to be the guy like an (Alex) Ovechkin who sits on the right side. I mean, that would be cool, but that’s just not my case. So it’s just about finding different ways to score. Even last year looking back on it, the chances I had where I didn’t bear down and put it in… so I’m just focusing on that and different ways of shooting the puck I worked on this summer.”
And he stored engaged on his one-timer, a weapon in his arsenal that even shocked Montgomery when he flashed it final 12 months.
“Oh yeah, I always do,” stated a grinning Frederic about his one-timer summer time periods. “That’s not really work. That’s a fun thing to do.” …
Quick hits
Some gifted younger centerman have entered the league as wings till they have been deemed able to tackle the more difficult pivot place. Patrice Bergeron is one participant that involves thoughts. Asked if that could possibly be the case with Matt Poitras, Montgomery was fairly emphatic in saying he’s considered strictly as a centerman.
“They did that experiment down in rookie camp and everyone came back saying ‘This guy’s a center,’”stated Montgomery, including the unfamiliarity with the place made him play slower. “Centers are what we need. Not only for right now but, more important, in the future.”
Montgomery stated he appreciated Poitras second sport greater than his first one.
“He just keeps getting better and better, so that’s a good sign,” stated the coach. …
The B’s first group on the ice on Sunday consisted principally of gamers that undertaking to be on the opening night time roster and the second group was extra of the outsiders trying in. Both Poitras and Mason Lohrei have been within the second group. Montgomery stated he organized it that approach partially to see which gamers performed like they have been accepting their presumed destiny and which of them stored pushing.
“Some players did dig in and other players looked like they were thinking about things than competing,” stated Montgomery. …
The B’s launched Alex Chiasson from his tryout settlement. It appeared like a fait accompli after Chiasson whiffed on two consecutive net-front probabilities on the facility play on Friday.
“I don’t know that he came up short. A lot of guys are having really good camps. It’s coming down to numbers and we felt this would give him the best chance to catch on with someone,” stated Montgomery.
Frederic Brunet and Brett Harrison have been despatched to Providence whereas goalie Michael DiPietro was positioned on waivers for the aim of task. …
Jakub Lauko, banged up in Friday’s sport, skated on his personal previous to the 2 periods however Montgomery expects him again with the group on Monday.