BOSTON — Maybe Trent Frederic will score more goals than the Bruins thought when they drafted him with the 29th pick of the first round in 2016. That night, director of amateur scouting Keith Gretzky admitted that the Bruins didn’t expect Frederic to become a top-two-line player, but they liked the physical play of 6-foot-3, 215-pound native of St. Louis.
On Friday, however, Frederic scored four goals in Team USA’s 9-3 victory over the Czech Republic in the bronze medal game of the 2018 World Junior Championship in Buffalo.
Frederic had only one goal and no assists in the first six games for Team USA, but he’s been productive in his first two years for the University of Wisconsin. In 21 games this year, he’s had 8 goals and 8 assists for 16 points. Last year for the Badgers, he collected 15 goals and 18 assists in 30 games.
“The original line,” Cassidy said, “was, ‘Oh, we’ve got ourselves a checking 200-foot center, big body. So what does that mean about his hands and offensive acumen?' ”
Later, Cassidy liked what he saw of Frederic’s hands in camp.
“He’s a big body and he’s surly so I imagine that will be his role,” Cassidy said. “If he can pitch in offensively, we’ve really got something.”
Heinen breaks out
Danton Heinen has opened a lot of eyes by contributing 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points in 34 games, especially after he didn’t collect any points in eight games for Boston last season.
“He’s a smart guy,” Cassidy said. “I don’t think he had problems with discipline or routes or system last year. He’s a guy that we expected to produce some level of offense and now that he has the puck more and winning them, he’s doing it.”
Cassidy credited Heinen with playing more on his forehand and less on his backhand and as a result he’s turning over the puck less often.
“You tend to make stronger plays on your forehand,” Cassidy said.
Heinen is also playing more to his strengths this season.
“His pace is what it is,” Cassidy said. “It’s pretty good. He’s not a blazer like Spoons (Ryan Spooner) and Marchy (Brad Marchand), but he keeps up, and good enough feet, very good hands, great brain has allowed him to keep up with the pace."
Goalie swap
Cassidy said he had planned to start Tuukka Rask Thursday against Florida and Sunday at Pittsburgh and even though Thursday’s game was postponed by snow, he decided to stick with Rask against the Penguins and start Anton Khudobin Saturday vs. Carolina. ... The Bruins departed immediately after Saturday night's game for a Sunday evening visit to Pittsburgh, after which their bye week began. The B's won't practice or play between Monday and Thursday, and are free to take team transportation or get themselves to Montreal for a late-afternoon practice next Friday at Montreal. Next Saturday's game against the Canadiens, the first meeting between the teams since current Habs coach Claude Julien was fired by the B's last Feb. 7, will also be the first of three games between the teams in the space of a week. The Bruins host the Canadiens on Jan. 17, then go back to Montreal for another game on Jan. 20. ... Defenseman Paul Postma was scratched for the 11th consecutive game. Winger Frank Vatrano didn't dress for the sixth game in a row, and for the 11th time in the Bruins' last 12.