(Photo Credit: Steve Babineau - Getty Images)
The Boston Bruins enter the 2024-2025 NHL season with an obvious opening at 2nd line right wing.
Much offseason chatter has centered around the idea of perhaps a young, talented player earning that spot out of training camp.
Georgii Merkulov (C), 23, led the 2023-2024 Providence Bruins in scoring last year recording 30G, 35A, 65PTS, in 67 GP.
Matt Poitras (C), 20, ideally penciled in as Boston's third-line center, could potentially slot in at top-6 wing to play along side elevated talent, while still learning the ropes at the NHL-level.
The most notable young option, is Boston's 2021 1st-round draft pick, Fabian Lysell (RW), 21. All eyes will be on Lysell , as many feel the time may be now for the highly skilled forward to finally make the main roster.
But, what about Trent Frederic?
What if in addition to youth and skill, Boston prefers a little more size and experience in their top-6?
Coming off a career high 18G, 22A, 40PTS , the 26-year old, 6'3", 220 lb, former 1st-round draft pick could potentially check off all of those boxes.
Frederic may not naturally possess an ELITE offensive skill-set, BUT, if he can continue* to improve his scoring ability, while providing physicality and defensive efficiency, he wouldn't be the first NHL player to be a strong top-6 forward, while lacking high-end finesse.
Milan Lucic, for example, was once one of the NHL's premier power-forwards during his first tenure in Boston. In that time, and as a first-liner, Lucic recorded 342PTS in 566 GP as a Bruin. That's an 82-game average of 50PTS (rounding up).
Now, the point here, isn't to directly compare Lucic, and Frederic. That's unfair to both players.
It's simply to illustrate, that one doesn't HAVE to be a 60+ point player to be a highly effective top-6 forward in the NHL - IF in addition to AT LEAST 50PTS, they simultaneously can provide STRONG elements of physicality, and defense.
If a top-6 forward doesn't offer physicality, or defensive awareness, then, yes, their point production should be MUCH higher. So high, in fact, it outweighs their deficiency's elsewhere.
Back to Frederic.
Based on his current NHL career-high of 40PTS, he doesn't quite meet the established, 50PT, offensive floor of a top-6 forward.
Does that mean that given the opportunity, he can't reach, or exceed that offensive floor?
No, not necessarily.
What's the NHL career-high in points scored for Lysell, Merkulov, Poitras, Justin Brazeau, or Morgan Geekie? It ranges from 0-39PTS.
In short? Less than Frederic's.
One of these players will earn a spot at 2nd line RW. Why shouldn't Frederic be the front-runner?
After accumulating just 5PTS in 59GP over his first 3 seasons, Frederic has dramatically increased his offensive output recording 18PTS, 31PTS, and 40PTS in his 3 most recent seasons.
Confidence can do wonders for a player, and Frederic has begun to find it in recent campaigns. Entering his prime years, there's no statistical reason to believe that, in an elevated role, he can't continue to improve his offensive game.
Additionally, Frederic has formed notable chemistry over the years with Charlie Coyle, now Boston's 2nd-line center behind Elias Lindholm.
This September, there will be no shortage of opportunity for a handful of younger players in training camp. And for all of the reasons above, it's very conceivable that Frederic earns the first at 2nd-line RW.
The coveted opening in Boston's top-6, may likely be a revolving door of trial and error. And ultimately, the team may decide to add externally around the trade deadline. But from September, through March, it's going to be an internal battle. Frederic, if earned the opportunity, will do all he can to keep it.
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