Bruins winger Danton Heinen shoots for a promotion

Danton Heinen, who established himself as a third-line wing as a rookie last season, is taking a swing at a job within the Bruins’ Top 6 in training camp.

BOSTON - Danton Heinen grabbed a foothold in the NHL last season by learning to play responsible, dependable two-way hockey.

 He intends to do the same thing in the Bruins’ training camp this year, but that doesn’t mean Heinen plans to play it safe. There’s an attractive job opening within the top two lines, and Heinen wants to win it.

 “For sure, I want to be a Top 6 guy in this league,” said the 23-year-old winger. “Whether it’s sooner or later, I believe I can do that.”

 The Bruins believe it, too. Heinen may have established himself as a third-line left wing as a rookie last season, but he’s among a group competing to play right wing on one of Boston’s top two lines to start 2018-19. David Pastrnak has one spot covered, whether with the Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron left wing-center tandem (all three reached 30 goals last season), or with the Jake DeBrusk-David Krejci duo.

 “If I get the opportunity to play on one of those lines, I’d love that, and try to take advantage of it,” said Heinen, who appears in line to get such a chance when the B’s host the Capitals on Sunday at TD Garden (1 p.m., NHL Network).

 Assistant coach Joe Sacco, who’s running training camp at Warrior Ice Arena while head coach Bruce Cassidy directs the group training in China, had Heinen at right wing with Krejci, with first-year pro Cameron Hughes at left wing.

 “(Heinen) looks good out there,” Sacco said. “He looks strong, he looks more confident, and from watching him (on Friday), he seems like he’s ready to take the next step.”

 Heinen took a huge step last season, his second as a pro. He spent a significant portion of October at AHL Providence, where he’d scored 14 goals and 44 points as a rookie in 2016-17, but once promoted to Boston on Oct. 26, he left the lineup only once - a DNP on March 1 against Pittsburgh. (He’d contributed only one assist over his previous nine games.)

 Heinen was the most productive of the five rookies who held full-time jobs with the B’s, his 47 points ranking ninth among all first-year NHLers and his 31 assists placing sixth. The B’s don’t seem too bothered that he finished on a low note: Cassidy scratched him three times in the playoffs.

 “He had a good season,” Sacco said. “He responded well. He chipped in with some offense; he was a reliable player for us defensively.”

 Most contributions were even-strength points tallied with Rick Nash and David Backes, but Heinen, a left-hand shot, saw occasional duty at right wing with Bergeron or Krejci. It may not be his strong side, but Heinen doesn’t think skating on the off-wing weakens his game, and he’d like more opportunities to play on the right.

 “Being able to play on either side gives you more options,” he said. “You can fill in different areas. I saw that last year: Guys got hurt, so sometimes I was playing on the left and sometimes on the right.

 “That’s something I want to be really good at -- playing both sides.”

 The best position currently open is on the right side, and the Bruins want Heinen to go for it.

 “He’s got a good opportunity to compete for those types of spots,” Sacco said, “and I think we look at it like there’s more for him to give. We believe that. That’ll fall on Danton’s shoulders -- how he responds to his games in the preseason, how he fits in if he plays with Krejci or with Bergeron (currently off skates because of back spasms) at some point.”

 “I believe I can play on the right side at a high level in this league,” Heinen said. “I’m going to keep working hard, playing my game, and I believe I can be there.”