Bruins winger Danton Heinen comfortable with latest move

Danton Heinen, who has been shifted throughout the lineup more than any Bruin, joined late-season additions Charlie Coyle and Marcus Johansson on a new line to open the playoffs.

BOSTON -- Up. Down. Side to side and back again.

Danton Heinen has moved in all those directions more than any Bruin. From first-line right wing with Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron while David Pastrnak was recovering from thumb surgery to left wing on a makeshift third line with Karson Kuhlman and center-for-a-day Joakim Nordstrom in last Saturday’s nothing-to-gain regular-season finale against the Lightning, name a Bruins forward, and Heinen has probably been a linemate at some point this season.

“You can look at that however you want, I guess,” said Heinen, who has completed two NHL regular seasons and entered his second postseason. “Some people might say, ‘Well, he can’t find a spot,’ but I take pride in being versatile, trying to help out wherever I can.”

For Game 1 of the Bruins’ first-round playoff series against the Maple Leafs, Heinen landed at right wing on the third line, with Charlie Coyle at center and Marcus Johansson at left wing. It’s a line coach Bruce Cassidy formed with the idea that it could play well defensively against either of the Maple Leafs’ top two offensive lines, and also be capable of providing some offense.

Coyle and Johansson, both acquired in trades in late February, were linemates before Thursday night. Cassidy considered Heinen an appropriate complement.

“Trustworthy player,” Cassidy said. “(Heinen) still adds some secondary offense. He can contribute to both power play and penalty kill. I like him better on left wing, but he has played right wing with some level of success.”

Cassidy also values Heinen’s presence when he decides adjustments are needed. Heinen has spent significant parts of this season with Bergeron and also with No. 2 center Krejci, who had the untested Kuhlman (11 career NHL games) at right wing to start Game 1.

“What if Kuhlman has a tough time in his first game? Who goes up there?” the coach said. “Johansson or Heinen can go up there as a right on their off-side, and that would bump Kuhlman down (to third line right wing), but you’re still going to get some minutes out of him. And what if we move (David Pastrnak) down? (from Bergeron’s line to Krejci’s)? Well, Heinen’s played with Bergeron.

“So that’s one thought process with Danton. He can move around to different spots.”

Heinen has enough experience throughout the lineup to understand what’s required on each line.

“You have to adapt a little bit,” he said, “but I think you’ve got to stay within yourself. You can’t try to be someone you’re not. You just try to complement the guys you’re with the best you can.”

Channel surfing: Cassidy didn’t watch all five series openers played on Wednesday night, but he did switch between a couple.

“I certainly watched Columbus-Tampa, start to finish,” said Cassidy, whose team will face the winner of that series if they get past the Leafs. “(Watched) a bit of the Islanders (vs. Penguins).”

Cassidy was scouting, but his primary focus wasn’t on potential future opponents.

“I’m not looking at (teams) yet,” he said. “It’s more about style of play, and how the officials were calling the game.”

Cassidy’s Game 1 observations:

“Pace of the game, you knew would be up The physicality was up. I don’t think there were any surprises there, other than Tampa gave up a lead (the Lightning, ahead 3-0, lost 4-3). You don’t usually see that.”

Around the boards: Kuhlman, fellow rookie Connor Clifton, and third-year defenseman Brandon Carlo all made their NHL playoff debuts. That leaves journeyman defenseman Steven Kampfer as the only Bruin on the active roster who hasn’t made a postseason appearance. … David Backes, who has made 67 postseason appearances, joined Kampfer as a healthy scratch. … Zdeno Chara entered the series as the Bruins’ playoff games-played leader with 159, with Bergeron (112) and Krejci (108) also in triple figures. Patrick Marleau (184) is the most experienced playoff performer in the series; no other Leafs brought more than 50 career playoff games into the series.