BOSTON — The energy inside Warrior Ice Arena was kicked up a notch on Wednesday with the return of Brad Marchand as the Bruins captain shed his red non-contact jersey for a regular practice sweater.
“The first day you really felt it, and it just continues,” coach Jim Montgomery said after practice. “It’s amazing how much energy and competitiveness he adds to practice all by himself.”
Marchand underwent three offseason surgeries and is working his way back to full health. He’s hopeful to play in some preseason games before Boston’s Oct. 8 opener on the road against the Florida Panthers. The 36-year-old skated with Charlie Coyle and Morgan Geekie, the latter of which said having Marchand back provided a jolt to the team.
“He got into it with a few guys, and the competition level is a lot higher,” Geekie said. “It seems like every shift is your last shift out there with him. So he brings it every day and you see that and that’s why he’s been around so long and why he’s the leader he is. Everyone feeds off that, and for me especially, it’s lots of fun to play with a guy like that.”
For Marchand, he was just excited to be back on the ice without restrictions.
“I just love being out there,” he said. “One of the biggest things about of our group is we’re competitive in practice and tempos are usually high. Especially in battle drills and the compete drills. That’s where you want to show up. And there’s always times in practice where maybe you’re a little sore or tired and you’re just trying to be clean in your reps, but in the compete drills, that’s where we all want to step up. … But I think we’re all excited out there and looking forward to the season.”
New defenseman stands out — Nikita Zadorov was all over the ice during Wednesday’s practice. The new Bruins defenseman will bring size and physicality to the already-big blue line and should also contribute offensively. He’s already made quite the impression on Marchand.
“Hate him,” the Bruins captain joked Wednesday when asked what he’s thought of Zadorov thus far. “He’s amazing. He’s an absolute animal. He can do it all. He has offensive abilities. He’s big, he’s mean, he doesn’t care. He’s a predator out there and I absolutely love it. I played against him and I hated it. He’s always yapping, keeping things light, keeping guys on their toes, so (an) incredible addition to the group. I think he’s fitting great. So, really happy to have him here.”
Montgomery confirmed that Zadorov will make his preseason debut on Thursday against the New York Rangers and is expected to be paired with Charlie McAvoy. And while he’s excited to showcase his offensive ability, his priority is defense.
“I’m not a Cale Makar, super-super-high-IQ and high-skill offensive defenseman, but I know my strengths and I can also chip in offensively,” he said. “There’s always a time and place for specific plays. My physical game is not going to go away, that’s why I’m in the league and that’s why people pay me money. That’s why they signed me. So, that’s my goal, is defense first.
“Obviously physically it’s a little bit easier for a guy my size to be physical and try to close plays and intimidate players and piss them off,” Zadorov added. “It’s my role, and I’m embracing it and I’m enjoying it.”
Forward looking to making another jump — Geekie impressed in his first season with the Bruins last year with 17 goals and 22 assists — both career highs. The forward is looking to take another step in his game this season. And while it’s unclear if he’ll play with Marchand throughout the regular season, getting the reps is something he knows will help him down the line.
“I’m not taking it for granted, for sure. I think it’s fun, it’s good competition and everybody’s working for a spot, but I’m just trying to come in every day and work and get a little bit better,” Geekie said. “And whoever that’s going to be with, that’s not my decision. I’m just here to play and do the best I can.
“… I think I’ve got a lot more to offer than what I showed even, so it’s fun to keep growing as a player and just try to get better every day.”
Prospects still need to do more — Fabian Lysell and Georgii Merkoluv had much better performances in Tuesday’s preseason win against the Washington Capitals than they did Sunday. It was an encouraging sign, but Marchand knows one game doesn’t guarantee a spot for them in the lineup.
“For those guys to make the team, you’ve got to push guys out that are on term and big deals and stuff like that. … It’s a good step, but they need to continue to grow and be better,” he said. “Not just making plays, but being clean with the puck and not turning it over and stuff like that. They’re very skilled players, but there’s a lot more to it than just making a couple plays.
“They played better than the first game and they need to continue to grow and elevate, and I hope they can. We need young guys to push and continue to push the pace and allow guys to not get comfortable on this team,” Marchand added. “… Again, you can’t be happy with one game or a couple plays. You’ve got to do it not just through camp, but through the entire season, so they’ve got a long way to go.”
Lysell and Merkoluv each had a point in the 4-2 win and looked more comfortable. Lysell was assertive and drew a penalty that eventually led to his power-play goal.
Regulars expected in the lineup Thursday — Montgomery said more veterans will begin to be inserted into the lineup for preseason games. David Pastrnak is expected to play Thursday, and McAvoy and Zadorov will make their debuts.
McAvoy and Zadorov are expected to be paired with one another in what will be the first look at the Bruins’ potential top defensive pairing.
Positive health updates — A day after scoring a goal and having a strong game, Justin Brazeau was absent from practice. Montgomery said it was just a maintenance day for the forward. Max Jones and Elias Lindholm also didn’t practice.
“We have some guys as this camp’s gone on getting little tweaks and pretty much everybody that you could ask for right now. There’s nothing serious,” Montgomery said. “It’s just a little bit of time and we’re being a little bit cautious. We hope to get a couple of guys back hopefully by Saturday, but next week everybody that hasn’t been part of practice will be back for sure.”
That’s good news regarding Lindholm, who’s been dealing with an undisclosed injury that’s kept him off the ice since last week. The new Bruins center wasn’t expected to return this week, but it sounds as if he’s heading in the right direction in terms of his health.
