Danton Heinen was forced to wait a while, but the Bruins finally rewarded his patience with a one-year deal worth $775,000 on Monday.
The deal was announced at 5 p.m., but there were some obvious signs a deal was in the works at the morning skate at Warrior Ice Arena. Heinen took the first shift as the fourth line left wing in the morning skate with John Beecher and Oskar Steen and, at the end of the skate, he was awarded with the center stretch to stick taps all around.
Heinen had been with the B’s on a tryout agreement since the start of training camp but, because of some salary cap constraints, the club had not been able to sign him. That appears to be changing, and a Heinen addition should give coach Jim Montgomery a player he could plug in throughout the lineup.
“His versatility is really important, he can play both wings adeptly as well and he understands whatever line he’s put on, what the expectation is of the role he’s going to play,” said Montgomery, who coached Heinen at the University of Denver.
This is would be Heinen’s second go-round with the B’s, who drafted him in the fourth round (116th overall) in 2014. He played 220 games with the B’s and was part of the B’s run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2019 before the B’s traded him the next season to Anaheim at the deadline for Nick Ritchie. He played with the Ducks and then the Penguins, posting a career-high 18 goals with Pittsburgh two years ago. But with so many teams facing a cap crunch last summer, he found himself without a contract.
Montgomery has liked the way Heinen has kept himself sharp as he skated in limbo.
“I’ve been really impressed because when we do practice and there are opportunities for him to make plays or penalty kill, he’s been very noticeable,” said Montgomery. “He’s making a lot of plays, a lot of smart plays. He’s got really soft hands. It doesn’t matter who he’s gone with. And he’s got more energy that other people, to be fair, because they’re playing. His practices are his games right now.”
Heinen, meanwhile, has seemed very much like a member of the team. He was on the west coast road trip and was at the Centennial Gala at the Copley Plaza earlier this season.
“It’s been a little different, but everyone’s been great with me and it’s been fun to be here and be a part of it and watch these guys win games. It’s a little different, but everyone’s been great,” said the 28-year-old Heinen. “It’s a great group and a group you want to be a part of.”
While there’s been some uncertainty with his situation, Heinen credits the organization for keeping him in the loop.
“There’s a lot of moving parts and a lot up in the air, but they’ve been great communicating with me and the staff’s been working with me and the trainers and stuff keeping me ready, so that’s just my mindset the whole time. Just be ready,” said Heinen.
Neck guard debate
Since the tragic death of American hockey player Adam Johnson, who was accidentally cut in the neck with a skate blade by an opposing player on Saturday while playing in the British pro league, the debate surrounding neck guards has resurfaced.
On Sunday, several Providence Bruins players chose to wear the extra protection though no players at the Boston morning skate elected to do the same.
Montgomery has firsthand experience with both a similar tragedy, as well as neck guards and he understands why some players won’t wear them.
“It is awful and it’s tragic. A kid I played with back in Montreal, Jamie Lechner, I think was the first player to pass because of the same thing. I wasn’t playing with him at the time. He had graduated to midget hockey and I was still second-year bantam at the time. But just hearing the stories, it’s very similar. A skate accidentally hits someone in the right place, and it was horrific. I remember going to his funeral and how hard it was on all of us at such a young age. And then Adam Johnson, I coached against him in college (when Johnson was at Minnesota-Duluth) … you just feel awful,” said Montgomery.
“We went to the neck guards right away in Quebec and I think after that season, all of Canada adopted it. It is hard to get used to it, and I think it’s a personal choice if you want to do it. As soon as I got out of Quebec and got into college hockey, I took it off. Just because I felt it restrained me from breathing the way I wanted to or, whatever, it’s a nuisance getting a little rug burn (on the neck). I think it’s a personal choice. It’s obviously something that could help you but the thing is, the (guard) moves up and down and maybe it’s not protecting you where you need to be protected anyways. And if you’re going to put it firmly there, then that’s going to really start to restrict your breathing as your playing. It’s tragic, it’s horrific when it’s happened I think three or four times in the last 30 years, maybe 40 years, but I think it’s a people choice.”
South Yorkshire police have opened an inquiry into the incident.
Boston’s Jakob Lauko is out of the lineup after he suffered a close call with a skate blade when, in Chicago, a Blackhawks’ skate blade came up and hit him under the face shield near the eye. Fortunately the eye was not damaged but he did suffer fractures to the orbital bone.
Loose pucks
After 19-year-old Matt Poitras has been the target of a couple of questionable hits, Montgomery decided to put a little extra protection on his line in the form of Trent Frederic.
“I think teams know that Poitras is a good player and they’re trying to test him. I don’t think they’ll test him as much with Freddy on his line,” said Montgomery, who would later shift Poitras to a line with Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak in the B’s 3-2 overtime win.
Frederic played with Poitras a little bit in preseason and was looking forward to it again.
Monday’s game was Poitras’ ninth and final one before the B’s had to decide whether to keep him and burn a year on his entry level deal or send him back to junior. The former option seemed like the better bet, though Montgomery wasn’t showing his hand after the game.
“I’ve been told I’ve been too effusive with my compliments towards him,” said Montgomery with a laugh. “We’ll have a decision (Tuesday).”
Captain Brad Marchand went to bat for the kid.
“He’s definitely made the best case possible for himself. He’s a heck of a player. He’s going to have a very long career. He does all the right things on and off the ice to be a good pro and it’s very impressive to see at his age,” said Marchand. “And he’s a great kid. He’s a lot of fun to have around, always happy. I mean, how can you not be, being 19 and in the NHL. But he’s so much fun to watch with how poised he is with the puck, the confidence he has at his age and the way he can see the game already. His future is very bright. We’re very lucky to have him in the organization. He’s definitely made a great case.”…
The B’s have an optional practice on Tuesday, and Brandon Carlo (5:32 of shorthanded time) and Derek Forbort (5:01) should be first in line to take that option. Hampus Lindholm (28:06 total minutes) should be right behind them.
