Bruins Journal: Coyle knows what newcomers are going through

BOSTON — Charlie Coyle can relate.

Just like recently added teammates Ondrej Kase and Nick Ritchie, Coyle was a new face in the dressing room of an established team a little more than a year ago.

Coyle thinks he had it easier than Kase and Ritchie, though. The Weymouth, Mass., native at least had the good fortune to be traded to his hometown Bruins, while Kase and Ritchie had to hustle from the West Coast to the [...]

BOSTON — Charlie Coyle can relate.

Just like recently added teammates Ondrej Kase and Nick Ritchie, Coyle was a new face in the dressing room of an established team a little more than a year ago.

Coyle thinks he had it easier than Kase and Ritchie, though. The Weymouth, Mass., native at least had the good fortune to be traded to his hometown Bruins, while Kase and Ritchie had to hustle from the West Coast to the East, and try to find their bearings in a city they visited only once a season when they played for the Ducks.

"They come here, and all [Kase and Ritchie] know is the inside of this locker room, pretty much," said Coyle, whom the B’s obtained from the Wild on Feb. 20, 2019. "But once they’re outside, they’re in the unknown. I was at least at home outside. I had friends, family around."

That said, Coyle very much wanted to impress and fit in with his new teammates, and knows that Kase and Ritchie, acquired within the last week in separate trades, feel the same way.

"First, I wanted the team to like me, to trust that this trade [the Bruins gave up forward prospect Ryan Donato] was worth it, that they made the right move and could trust me, rely on me," Coyle said. "You want to play well right away."

Coyle, who marked his debut by scoring the Bruins’ lone shootout goal in a loss at St. Louis on Feb. 23, 2019, never played poorly throughout the remainder of last regular season but he struggled to score. He contributed only two goals and six points over 21 games before the playoffs, but his droughts were hidden a bit by the Bruins’ solid finish: They went 13-7-1 after he was acquired, a stretch that included six- and four-game win streaks.

"We were winning games, playing great, all that — I just couldn’t get stuff to fall for me personally," said Coyle, who put up nine goals and 16 points over 24 postseason games. "I knew playoffs were coming up, I knew I had to raise my game, and all of a sudden, things started coming.

"Sometimes it takes a little bit, and sometimes guys come in and they’re all over the score sheet. Sometimes you get lucky and find some chemistry with guys right away. You always hope that’s the case, of course. Hopefully, it’s the case with [Kase and Ritchie]."

Back in line

Kase and Ritchie, reunited as teammates when the Bruins added Ritchie three days after acquiring Kase, were reunited as line mates for Thursday night’s game against the Stars. Kase, injured at the time of last Friday’s trade, joined Ritchie, who was acquired for Danton Heinen on Monday and played the next night against the Flames, on a line centered by veteran David Krejci.

"What I’ve heard is they played together, and played well, with [Adam] Henrique in Anaheim, and had some success," coach Bruce Cassidy said. "Sometimes, having some familiarity right out of the gate’s not a bad thing."

Kase, the line’s right wing, had seven goals and 23 points in 49 games with the Ducks, the last appearance on Feb. 7. Ritchie, the left wing, was 8-11—19 over 42 games.

"It’s pretty nice for me," Kase said. "I know how [Ritchie] plays; he knows how I play. He’s a very strong guy [6 feet 2 inches, 230 pounds]. He can win so many battles, play the body. I think it helps me."

Cassidy also thought it would help Kase to start with Krejci, a fellow native of the Czech Republic.

"They should be able to communicate well," Cassidy said. "Because they’re from the same country doesn’t always mean there’ll be chemistry, but that’ll be an advantage. ... We’ll see how it goes. We’re not expecting instant chemistry. If we get it, that’s fantastic. If we don’t, we’ll just keep working on it."

Around the boards

Jake DeBrusk, who hadn’t scored a point in his last eight games, was dropped off Krejci’s line to skate with Coyle and Anders Bjork. … With Kase cleared to play, Karson Kuhlman was scratched for the first time since his recall from AHL Providence on Jan. 16. Kuhlman had only contributed one point (assist) in his last 10 games. ... The Bruins’ other healthy scratches were wingers Joakim Nordstrom and Anton Blidh, and defensemen John Moore and Connor Clifton.