BOSTON — Matt Grzelcyk looked emotional as he tapped his heart and waved to the TD Garden crowd.
The former Bruins defensemen didn’t look all the different in Pittsburgh’s black and yellow after eight seasons in Boston’s black and gold. Friday marked his first game back in his home rink since joining the Penguins.
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The Bruins honored him with a tribute video at the first time out in the first period.
The Bruins‘ video editors have been busy. Grzelcyk follows recent returns by Linus Ullmark with the Ottawa Senators and Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen, Tuesday with the Vancouver Canucks.
Other than two years playing for the U.S. National Team Development Program, this is the first time Grzelcyk is calling somewhere home outside of Massachusetts.
The Charlestown native went to Boston University and spent the first eight seasons of his professional career with the Bruins. His father John works at TD Garden.
But he struggled last year after early injuries and had career lows in goals (two), assists (nine) and points in 63 games.
He signed a one-year contract with the Penguins as a free agent over the summer.
He has no goals and eight assists so far this season. Coach Mike Sullivan, who shares Massachusetts and Boston University roots with Grzelcyk put him on the ice to start his homecoming game.
