Boston, MA—It’s only preseason game number one on the Boston Bruins’ schedule, but a few names stood out during the Bruins’ 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers on Sunday afternoon at TD Garden.
Chief among them was Boston’s third-round pick from the 2020 NHL Draft, Forward Trevor Kuntar. The 6′ winger skated on a line with Jaxon Nelson and Patrick Brown. All game, the trio made their presence known, playing with pace, physicality, and pluck, which resulted in Kuntar tying the game 2-2 during the second period.
“He’s a feisty, energetic winger who plays with a lot of edge. We like that,” said Boston coach Jim Montgomery. “He seems to always be around the puck, which hockey players tend to do.”
“That goal was a real smart play by that line,” Montgomery added. “[Patrick] Brown throws it to the net because [Jaxon] Nelson’s there, and a broken play goes right to Kuntar. He comes in and puts it in.”
“It felt great. It was the first time scoring in this building with the goal song, so it was pretty cool,” Kuntar said. “Obviously, I would have liked to win, but I really liked playing with my line, and it was a fun game.”
Even before Kuntar banged home a rebound in front of Rangers goalie Dylan Garand at 12:33, Kunter’s tenacity was drawing comparisons to one of the biggest names on the Bruins roster, Brad Marchand.
“He’s had such a great career,” said Kuntar. “He plays a little bit on the edge, and he can score, too; he is definitely someone I look up to. Obviously, he’s the captain and a great leader. He brings it every single day and competes. That’s something I want to do and bring to the organization, hopefully to Boston at some point.”
“Hopefully, I’ll catch eyes while playing my style of hockey,” said the Buffalo, NY native. “I have a unique style where I play on the edge, but also score too. When I come into games, I want to be the hardest worker on the ice. Not lose any battles, finish my checks, play hard, and be hard around the net.”
“It’s a huge part of my role,” said Kuntar when asked about pissing off guys on the other team. “It was something I grew into. I love to compete and play hard. I love to play with a little bit of edge. A lot of people don’t like it, but I’ve come to find the older I get, the more and more people don’t like it. So I enjoy it. Hopefully, I can get people off of their game while it gets me more into my game.”
Does it sound like anyone else has called Causeway Street home recently?
Kuntar knows he’s not trying to fill Marchand’s skates. He’s simply trying to get better and make an impact in any way.
“Whether I’m scoring, blocking a shot, or winning a battle, I think I can always affect the game positively,” said Kuntar. “I just try to have a positive impact on the game every day and keep it like that.”
The 23-year-old former Boston College Eagle knows that the path to the NHL isn’t always draft night to the Show. There’s lots of work in between, and he relishes the chance to improve along the way.
“Obviously, I want to make the team, but I’m just coming in and earning every day, not taking everything for granted, taking it day-by-day, and just playing my game,” said Kuntar.
He’s seen the Bruins use Providence players from time to time and that some, like Jonny Beecher and Matt Poitras, have stayed.
“Those guys are all great role models for me. It’s definitely something to keep striving for.”
