Boston Bruins Prospect Trent Frederic's Breakout 2016-17 Season

Boston Bruins Prospect Trent Frederic is Proving Critics Wrong With a Breakout 2016-17 Season at Wisconsin

When the Boston Bruins drafted Trent Frederic in the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, there was criticism. This isn’t uncommon with teams at the draft – it’s impossible to please everybody. Still – it seemed like Frederic was destined to be a player designated for the bottom-six; a questionable move, given the first-round pick used to draft him. What Frederic’s done since being drafted, however, has been a testament to his ability to quiet the noise and work hard.

When playing in a sports market like Boston, those traits are important. There will always be noise. The city of Boston has become accustomed to winning and excellence personified. The New England Patriots have won five championships since 2001. The Boston Red Sox have won three since 2004. The Boston Celtics won their first since 1986 in 2008 with their own “big three,” and the Bruins won their first since 1972 in 2011. As such, fans expect to see wins at this point – it isn’t an option, and it’s something teams and players know they have to deal with.

It’s not really a secret that the Bruins went through a phase where drafting first round players proved difficult. From Matt Lashoff to Zach Hamill, Joe Colborne and Jordan Caron – the Bruins had some noticeable misses from 2005-2009. In fact, the entirety of the 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009 drafts look poor outside of the selection of Vladimir Sobotka. This played a big role in the criticism that Frederic received early on.

For Frederic, it’s important to keep his head down and work to prove he was worthy of a first-round draft choice. While many may have touted him as the next Jordan Caron, he’s been working hard to prove that he has a legitimate NHL future. So what has he done since being drafted?

Breakout Season at the University of Wisconsin

In his draft year, Frederic posted just four goals and 14 points in 23 games with the U.S. National U-18 Team. This wasn’t an off-year for the 6-foot-2, 203-pound forward – it was his best year to date. In 34 games with the U.S. National U-17 Team in 2014-15, Frederic posted three goals and four points. He also posted one assist in one game with the U-18 team later that same year.

After being drafted, Frederic took his talents to the University of Wisconsin. In 22 games, Frederic has posted an impressive 14 goals and 30 points. The 19-year-old center has taken a significant step forward in his development – one that Wisconsin coach Tony Granato has taken note of.

“For an 18-year-old kid, he’s just a remarkable hockey player,” Granato said a few weeks ago. “He’s a competitor. He wants to get better — he’s hungry to get better. He’s a sponge for absorbing information on what he needs to do.”

Get better he has, too. Not just on the scoresheet, but in other aspects that don’t necessarily show up in the boxscore. Frederic is manning the team’s top line, and as such, he’s a key part of the team. He plays in high-leverage face-off positions, defensive-zone starts, penalty killing situation as well as power play minute. Frederic may or may not become a first line NHL player one day, but he’s working hard to at least show that he’s capable should the opportunity arise in the future.

Next: Trent Frederic Will Not Be Pigeon Holed

The Bruins took Frederic and expected him to play a bottom-six role. While he still may end up in that role one day, there’s no denying he’s opened some eyes and proved doubters wrong. For Frederic, this journey is just beginning – he won’t be pigeon-holed into a role if he knows he can do more. Still, Frederic is the type of player who will do what is asked of him on the team – just another admirable trait by the college standout Bruins prospect.

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