Marshfield native Mike Sullivan, who is familiar with newer Bruins like Rick Nash and Charlie McAvoy, thinks the B's have made significant improvements.
BOSTON -- Mike Sullivan may have been raised just down the road, but he has also been around the block a time or two.
Sullivan, a native of Marshfield who spends off-seasons at the family home in Duxbury, is now known far and wide as the coach of the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins. Over a coaching career that began at AHL Providence in 2002-03, and included NHL stops with the hometown Bruins (head coach, 2003-04 through ‘05-06), Lightning, Rangers and Canucks before he landed in the Pens' organization in 2015-16, has been a few places and seen a few things.
At present, Sullivan sees the Bruins as a more formidable Cup challenger since they acquired winger Rick Nash from the Rangers on Sunday. Sullivan coached Nash with the Rangers in 2012-13, the last of Sullivan’s four years as an assistant and the first of Nash’s five-plus seasons there as a player.
“He’s as good a one-on-one player as there is in the game,” Sullivan said of the 6-foot-4, 211-pounder, whom he watched score 21 goals and 42 points over 44 games in lockout-shortened (44 games) 2012-13. “He’s hard to handle. He protects pucks extremely well, and he’s another one of those guys that can play at both ends of the rink. He kills penalties, he’s good defensively. (The Bruins) can use him in so many different ways.”
Through his long and continuing association with Boston University (and head coach David Quinn), where he played after earning Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic honors at Boston College High School, Sullivan also has a pretty good book on B’s rookie/BU product Charlie McAvoy.
“He’s one of the bright young defensemen in the league,” said Sullivan, who turned 50 on Tuesday. “He’s a good, solid two-way defenseman, and for a guy that’s as young as he is (20), to make the impact that he has on this team speaks volumes for how good a player he is.”
Have a seat: Rookie winger Danton Heinen, who had played every game since he was recalled after a four-game assignment to AHL Providence in late October, was a healthy scratch against the Penguins on Thursday night.
“We like him as a player. We trust him as a player. His defensive game is fine for a young guy,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “It’s just that a little bit lately … he’s not winning quite as many battles.
“So go upstairs, watch a game from up there. He’s probably going to learn something.”
Heinen, who leads the Bruins’ five-rookie contingent in goals (12), assists (27) and points (39), has put up just one point -- an assist -- in his past nine games.
“I think this will help Danton. I really do,” Cassidy said. “Hopefully he just takes a mental breather, goes up and watches a game through a left winger’s lens, and sees what’s available to him (on the ice).”
Veteran winger Brian Gionta, signed on Sunday through the end of the season, played his first game as a Bruin, in Heinen’s place.
Around the boards: Rookie defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, who hadn’t missed a game since a mid-November recall from AHL Providence, joined Heinen in the press box, giving Nick Holden a chance to play for the first time since he was acquired from the Rangers on Feb. 19. “We’re all nursing these nagging little injuries,” Cassidy said. “(Grzelcyk) has got one … so, good timing. Get Nick in, give (Grzelcyk) an extra day to rest, and then see where we’re at on Saturday.” The Bruins’ season-longest six game continues on Saturday, against the Canadiens … Veteran defenseman Adam McQuaid was a healthy scratch for the second consecutive game and for the third time in the past four. Cassidy said that with two extra defensemen and an extra forward, lineup changes may become more common. “We’re afforded that luxury,” the coach said. “We might be able to mix and match.”