Montgomery’s Message To Frederic: ‘Time To Hunt’

One of the challenges Boston Bruins Frederic has faced early in his career has been when to reel it in when it comes to physical play. In his first two seasons, Frederic’s tenacious, hit anything in sight style of play has both helped and hurt him and his Bruins teammates, and also resulted in the 6-foot-3, 214-pound winger spending some unwanted time watching from the press box as a healthy scratch.

With winger Jake DeBrusk out with a upper-body injury tonight against the Arizona Coyotes, Frederic will draw in and make his 2022-23 season debut. New Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery has had one message for 24-year-old Bruins winger Trent Frederic since the beginning of training camp and throughout the preseason to try and help Frederic play his game and utilize his size and intensity.

“For a lot of players when they’re thinking too much, you try and give them one or two things to think about and for him I just told him to hunt and hit,” Montgomery told the media following an optional skate for the Boston Bruins ahead of their 2022-23 home opener at TD Garden Saturday night (7:09 PM ET, NESN, 98.5 The Sports Hub). “Go hunting out there. That kind of mindset gets you on your toes and gets your feet moving and usually impact the game. He’s had his best practices here in the last three practices so I’m excited to see how it translates into the game.”

Montgomery will have Trent Frederic on a line centered by Charlie Coyle and another player that can bring the noise physically, A.J. Greer. Here’s how the rest roster should look tonight when the Boston Bruins take to TD Garden ice against the Coyotes.

Pavel Zacha-David Krejci-David Pastrnak

Taylor Hall-Patrice Bergeron-Craig Smith

Trent Frederic-Charlie Coyle- A.J. Greer

Nick Foligno-Tomas Nosek-Jakub Lauko

Hampus Lindholm-Brandon Carlo

Derek Forbort-Connor Clifton

Jeremy Swayman

Linus Ullmark