Is Trent Frederic ready for a larger role on the 2023-24 Bruins?

By There’s a reason why players like Trent Frederic are valued in today’s NHL. While hockey now emphasizes speed and skill, Frederic’s game harkens back to the snarl that was once commonplace. The pugnacious forward has the prickly disposition (and right hook) needed to dole out punishment on the ice.

But the 25-year-old is not cut from the same cloth as the fourth-line goons or pure scrappers of yesteryear. Trent Frederic drops Lane Pederson to the ice with one punch. Frederic’s growth as a two-way contributor during the 2022-23 season played a key role in Boston’s depth-scoring deluge.

Along with his physical play, he added a career-high 17 goals and 31 points. His even-strength defensive metrics at 5v5 play ranked in the 94th percentile across the NHL (per JFreshHockey), with Boston outscoring opponents, 47-23, during Frederic’s 884:43 of 5v5 ice time. Trent Frederic, signed 2x$2.

3M by BOS, is a physical winger with a strong track record of chance suppression and a bit of upside as a shooter as well in a bottom six role. Once viewed as a promising fourth-line grinder searching for some semblance of an identity on Boston’s depth chart, Frederic thrived in Jim Montgomery’s system last spring as a third-line stalwart. Now, the Bruins are hoping that the St.

Louis native has yet another major leap forward in store for 2023-24. “I mean, you can’t really replace those guys,” Frederic said via Zoom when asked of the departures of key cogs like Patrice Bergeron. “They’re great humans and obviously they’re great hockey players.

But hopefully, I can kind of get more responsibility on this team. And, you know, it’s gonna be hard to replace them, but do the best that I can. ” The Bruins are in desperate need of more responsible contributors up front, given the vacancies sprinkled across Boston’s first three lines.

Last year’s third-line grouping of Charlie Coyle, Taylor Hall, and Frederic was a luxury on a deep roster. But with Coyle likely slotted into a top-six role following Bergeron’s retirement, it remains to be seen where exactly Frederic slots in. Even though Frederic has primarily cut his teeth at the NHL level while playing on the wing, he’s a natural center by trade.

And with Coyle likely bumped up, Frederic could be handed the keys to the 3C position. “I guess everything will kind of play out at camp,” Frederic said of his expected position. “I don’t mind playing center or wing.

I think last year, I played pretty much all three — left wing, center and right. So I’m comfortable playing all three now. I actually really liked right wing last year.

Kind of my first time doing that and I really liked it. So just kind of wherever I find a fit, try to do it best there. ” Even though Frederic’s versatility down the middle is welcomed on a reshuffled Bruins lineup, keeping him at right wing might be the best way to maximize his potential moving forward.

After all, the Bruins do have another potential third-line center in place in Morgan Geekie, . And even though Frederic is a natural center, his struggles with faceoffs (43. 9% success rate) over his NHL career do raise some concern.

At right wing, Frederic looked like a natural fit. Be it winning puck battles along the boards, clearing space at the netfront, or causing havoc on the forecheck, Frederic regularly did the little things down low that often paid dividends for his two other linemates in Hall and Coyle. Two-goal game for Trent Frederic.

It’s tough to argue with the results. During the 649:43 of 5v5 ice time where Coyle and Frederic skated together, the Bruins outscored teams, 35-18, and held a 154-116 edge in high-danger scoring chances. As for the 420:24 of 5v5 reps when Coyle skated without Frederic? Boston only outscored opponents, 16-14, and saw opponents hold a 94-75 advantage in high-danger scoring chances.

If Coyle is due for a top-six role, stapling Frederic to his hip may not be an outlandish move, especially if both players are further lifted by the presence of an elite playmaker like Brad Marchand on their line. The offensive firepower of a Marchand-Coyle-Frederic line may not compare to Boston’s previous top line of Marchand-Bergeron-DeBrusk capable of negating opponents in the D-zone. The subsequent domino effect of penciling Frederic in at 1RW could also yield positive returns.

Pushing a potential 30-goal scorer in Jake DeBrusk back to his natural spot at left wing next to Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak will add more scoring punch to Boston’s top scoring line, while also pushing James van Riemsdyk to the third line next to Geekie. Of course, such a configuration only becomes a realistic scenario for Montgomery and the Bruins if Frederic is up to the task. Fresh off of signing a new two-year contract ($2.

3 million annual cap hit), Frederic will need to prove that his 17-goal campaign is a sign of things to come, and not an unsustainable surge in his shooting luck (14. 2% in 2022-23). With more minutes and responsibilities on the horizon, Frederic will look to carve out a role as part of the next wave of Bruins talent in the post-Bergeron era.

“It’s gonna be hard to replace Bergy and the guys that have left this summer,” Frederic said, adding: “But we still have a really good group of guys. ” Stay up to date on all the latest news from Boston. com Be civil.

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