How the Bruins’ Trent Frederic, a natural center, is blossoming at right wing - The Boston Globe
Frederic, playing lately with Taylor Hall on the left and Charlie Coyle in the middle, popped for a goal and an assist in Wednesday’s 4-0 whitewash of the Avalanche.
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TEMPE, Ariz. — Some thoughts and shots while waiting for the Bruins to play Friday night for the first time at Mullett Arena, the 5,000-seat music box disguised as an NHL rink for Gary Bettman’s nomadic Coyotes. Just how many years (40?) are these guys going to wander in the desert?
Watching Trent Frederic blossom into a legit NHL forward, as a right winger, is turning into yet another of the Bruins fun subplots in 2022-23.
“Freddy,” forever a center, was drafted prior to his freshman year at Wisconsin as a potential top-six pivot. He may one day get his chance in the middle with the Bruins, but it won’t be this season, and that’s fine. By coach Jim Montgomery’s eye, he has solidified a job on his off wing.
For a centerman, any wing is the off wing, of course, but it’s clear the 24-year-old son of a St. Louis roofer isn’t caught up in job description or positioning.
“Not really, I don’t,” a smiling Frederic said late Wednesday night when asked if he misses playing in the middle. “Honestly, wherever is fine with me. It’s hard to be a center in this league, and especially on this team, and I like to be down low in the D-zone sometimes, helping out. So, yeah, all good.”
Frederic is a vastly different, more confident player under Montgomery than he was under Bruce Cassidy, though it took some time. Remember, Frederic was a lineup scratch opening night in October, following a tepid training camp and preseason.
“Trent’s offensive pop is just blossoming,” noted Montgomery following the win in Denver. “I think slowly but surely, from the first game of the season, where he didn’t play, he’s gotten better and better. And I think his confidence has grown. I think what we’re seeing now is him getting close to his ceiling [of potential], and being on that off side has been a real benefit to him.”
On the right, said Montgomery, the 6-foot-3-inch Frederic “can make better plays to the middle” and can carry the puck back through the neutral zone and into the offensive end.
“And another thing is,” added a laughing Montgomery, “I didn’t know he had a one-timer!”
That big shot, off a feed from Hall, provided the 3-0 lead over the Avalanche at 6:24 of the third. Hall’s dish came from the left wing, with the left-shooting Frederic drifting from the right side into the middle. Boom. As his confidence has grown, Frederic is more shot-ready, eager and willing to put down the hammer.
“Monty’s put a lot of confidence in me, just kind of let me play,” said Frederic. “That relationship’s been really nice. And I’ve always had a lot of fun playing with [Coyle], he makes it really easy. And Hallsy is just an unbelievable player, so it’s been really nice.”
