Bruins Camp Journal Day Three: Nordstrom and Frederic Back With Team, Bergeron Still Missing

Boston Bruins forwards Joakim Nordstrom and Trent Frederic were back on the ice skating with their teammates at training camp Saturday. Unfortunately, alternate captain, Patrice Bergeron did not participate in team drills and a scrimmage though.

Nordstrom, who fractured his ankle in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, and Frederic (lower-body) had skated ahead of the first on-ice session at training camp Friday. The two depth forwards skated together on a line with Samuel Asselin in Group B.

It appears another offensively gifted and minded player has improved his 200-foot game thanks to playing with Bergeron and Brad Marchand.

Here’s the Day Three stories and the lineup for each group:

Nordstrom Happy To Be Back

“I felt good. It was fun to be back out there,” Nordstrom told the media Saturday. “It was step one for me today being back with the group. Hopefully, I wake up tomorrow and I’m still feeling good. It was difficult not being able to work out and prepare as you want, but it is what it is. I came back [to Boston] fairly early to do whatever I needed to do to be ready.”

Thanks to his speed and versatility, Nordtsrom became a valuable ‘Swiss Army” knife type player for Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy last season. He finished the regular season with just seven goals and five assists and then had three goals and five assists in 23 playoff games as the Bruins made it all the way to Game 7 of the Final before losing to the St. Louis Blues.

The Swedish forward knows his role as a bottom-six forward but believes he has more to offer offensively this season.

“I felt pretty good throughout the season,” he told reporters. “Toward the end, I had better production than earlier on, I played with the same players for a time there and I think confidence plays a role.”

Last season, Nordstrom, Chris Wagner, Sean Kuraly and Noel Acciari all played a key role on a fourth line that was able to eat up valuable minutes every night.

“I just think that we all play kind of similar [styles] and we made clear early on what kind of game plan we wanted and how we needed to play to be successful,” he said. “I don’t think we changed too much throughout the playoffs or at the end of the regular season. I thought we tried to just keep building on what we were doing well.”

Pasta Has Learned From The Best – One thing that has been noticeable early on here in camp is the tenacity and hustle by winger David Pastrnak when he doesn’t have the puck. Known for his offensive prowess and self-admittedly not as good in the defensive zone, Pastrnak has been breaking up plays and playing smart defensively.

Marchand joked that Pastrnak could be up for the Selke Trophy this season.

“He’s getting better every year,” said Marchand. “I think it really helps when you play with a guy like Bergy [who has won four Selke Trophies as the NHL’s best defensive forward] and you realize how defensively responsible you need to be an elite player and take the next step, and he’s doing that. I’m sure we’re talking about this because you guys have seen how incredible his stick’s been in camp so far…he’s a Selke candidate early here, so we’ll see how it goes.”

Roster –

Group A

Bjork-Coyle-Ritchie

Marchand-Studnicka-Senyshyn

Carey-Shen-Pastrnak

Cehlarik-Steen-Koppanen/Lantosi

D-PAIRINGS

Krug-Kampfer

Zboril-Breen

Vaakanainen-Petrovic/Zech

GOALIES

Rask Keyser Vladar

Group B

DeBrusk-Krejci-Kuhlman

Blidh-Kuraly-Backes

Fitzgerald-Gaunce-Heinen

Lauko-Lindholm-Wagner

Nordstrom-Frederic-Asselin

D-PAIRINGS

Chara-Andersson

Grzelcyk-Didier

Lauzon-Clifton

Sherman

GOALIES

Halak Lagace