Boston Bruins: Cassidy Moving Frederic and Bjork Around?
By Scott Roche
Over the first four games of the 2021 season, Boston Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy has spent much of the time mixing and matching his lines. Trying to find chemistry, Cassidy has moved just about everyone around in the top nine, leaving the fourth line of Trent Frederic, Sean Kuraly, and Chris Wagner mostly intact.
The fourth line has been providing some life into the team while providing the Bruins with some of the better scoring opportunities in the early going, despite not finding the back of the net.
One of the young players that has impressed early in the season is Frederic. Earning a roster spot out of training camp, the 29th pick in the first round of the 2016 Entry Draft has brought his physical style to this season and has even got under the skin of New Jersey Devils veteran defensemen P.K. Subban. In last Saturday’s 2-1 overtime loss to the Devils, Frederic drew a third-period penalty on Subban, who appeared to have enough of the 22-year-old.
It now appears that Cassidy is trying to send a message to one of his young players and Frederic might be the one benefitting from it with a promotion.
Frederic bumped up to the third line in Friday’s practice.
Anders Bjork has played on each of the Bruins’ top three lines in the first four games of the season. He was even elevated to the first line right wing with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, which failed to yield any results.
As the Bruins practice at Warrior Ice Arena unfolded, Cassidy moved Frederic up to the third line with Charlie Coyle and Craig Smith, while Bjork was sent down to the fourth line with Kuraly and Wagner.
Frederic has been one of the most consistent Bruins players this season early on. Granted it’s been on the fourth line, but the youngster has earned the opportunity to be moved up for a slumping Bjork.
Last season with the Providence Bruins, Frederic scored eight goals and had 24 assists in 59 American Hockey League games. The previous season in 55 games with the P-Bruins, he had 14 goals and 11 assists.
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Frederic, who is in his third pro season, could have the opportunity tonight to play alongside Coyle and Smith on the third line against the Philadelphia Flyers. If can he continue to play the way he did with Kuraly and Wagner, then once David Pastrnak, Bjork, who is in his fourth pro season, could find himself as the odd man out.