When we think back to the 1980s and 1990s and what that meant for hockey, we think of some all-time greats. Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Mark Messier all come to mind. Goals were being produced at a ridiculous rate by some of the NHL’s elite talent. But this was also the golden age of the enforcer. When a guy like Tie Domi or Dale Hunter comes skating at you with a murderous look in his eyes, it means trouble. The Boston Bruins are a team that has kept that role around when other NHL franchises have forgotten it. The next great Bruins bully could be on the team already in rookie Trent Frederic.
Trent Frederic Embracing Enforcer Role
The Bruins have had some impressive grinders in the last 20 years. Players like Shawn Thornton and Adam McQuaid come to mind. Frederic is poised to become the next iteration for Boston. He plays a hard-nosed game and will do whatever it takes to win. Trent Frederic is putting himself in an enforcer-style role but brings some offensive upside as well.
The First Fight
Everyone remembers the first time they did something. It is a memorable moment in their own history. Trent Frederic has to remember his first fight, coming in 2019 at TD Garden against Brandon Tanev. The youngster came to play and showed an NHL veteran that he would not back down. Frederic manhandled Tanev in the scrap and displayed his skill set for all to see. Tanev never stood a chance. With the way Frederic handled the fight, fans may want to check out betting.com to see what his boxing odds look like.
Fighting for More than Pride
Every team needs grit. We saw that when the Tampa Bay Lightning added that element to a talented roster, they were able to win a Stanley Cup. The Bruins have all the grit they could possibly need. Frederic is showing the front office that anyone who steps in front of him is going down. Hard. Over the course of 20 games with the Bruins this season, Frederic has delivered 33 crushing checks. Some say that the game is all about speed and skill now. When you insert a physical presence who can skate just as fast as you, those same people will be unable to deny a shift in momentum.
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Enhancing a Bitter Rivalry
Over the course of the past few seasons, the Washington Capitals have seemingly had the Bruins number. They have known what buttons to push in the right way to beat this team. As a result, the box score has looked one-sided at times. But no matter what, the games seem to turn out gritty. Tom Wilson has earned himself a role as the Capitals bully. Frederic tried to introduce Wilson to his fists. While the fight did not go nearly as well as Frederic’s first, it put his heart on display.
In more recent days, the rivalry has grown. Frederic was seen engaged with Caps star Alex Ovechkin on multiple occasions throughout a contest on March 3rd. Those little hits here and there were clearly getting to Washington’s captain. He saw a pest wearing black and gold swirling around him all night long. Frederic did everything he could to get inside his head and rattle him. It paid off. Ovechkin speared Frederic in the groin late in the third period. He was fined for the incident a day later. If anything is certain from Frederic’s annoying physical play, it’s that he has been taking lessons on how to be a pest from teammate Brad Marchand.
A Bright Future Lies Ahead for Trent Frederic
Trent Frederic’s name was not one that many people had pencilled into the lineup on opening night. Since then, he has become a regular. His ability to be a nuisance to his opponents has earned him a spot in the lineup. The coaching staff has seen the work he has put into his game and given him a regular role. There have been some great Bruins enforcers throughout the storied history of the franchise. Frederic could go down as the next great on-ice bully if he continues to play at such a high level. He has endeared himself to the entire Boston Bruins fanbase in a mere 37 career NHL games.
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