BOSTON — Bringing Sean Kuraly back to Boston had more to do than just him being a familiar face.
“The energy, comment and professionalism, familiarity with our locker room and what we’re trying to accomplish organizationally, I think Sean has come back and fit in seamlessly,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said Monday.
The Bruins signed Kuraly to a two-year deal this summer after he spent the last four seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The forward spent his first five NHL seasons in Boston and was a popular bottom-six forward.
Kuraly brought what he learned about leadership from Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, David Krejci, David Backes and Brad Marchand to Columbus, and is looking forward to bringing a veteran presence to a locker room with a lot of new faces and young players.
“He’s excited about the opportunity and the role that he has,” Sweeney said. “He knows he’s going to get D-zone started. He knows he has to win his faceoffs. He was critical of himself the other night because he didn’t do the job he’s expected of himself. That’s pride and, as I referenced, professionalism and knowing what a coach is asking you to go out and do.”
Sweeney credited Kuraly’s “infectious personality” that helps draw players to him.
“He’s got energy about him that drags people in rather than sort of being a quiet do your job mentality. He’s got both,” Sweeney said. “And he’s going to be a big part of our penalty killing situations again, late in games, protecting leads. … Still going to be part of the forecheck side of things because the skating really hasn’t dropped. So we’re excited to have Sean back. He fits in really well.”
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
