Going into the 2014-2015 season one of the Boston Bruins biggest holes was the first line right wing across from center David Krejci. They had lost Jarome Iginla, who signed a three year deal with the Colorado Avalanche, and didn’t make any acquisitions to fill that hole.
Going into the year with David Krejci out, it seemed like most of the Bruins lines were going to lack scoring. Aside from the line of Carl Soderberg, Loui Eriksson, and Chris Kelly, many of the lines did not produce. Reilly Smith, Brad Marchand, and Patrice Bergeron had their flashes, but the top line that consisted of Milan Lucic and Matt Fraser struggled to find rhythm.
“He [Patrice Bergeron] just said that was a sick play,” Griffith said, referencing his highlight reel between-the-legs goal last night. “He’s one of the guys that talks to me all the time and he’s making me more confident in the room. Bergy was one of the first to congratulate me. It’s always pretty cool when a guy like that says something to you like that. He’s a great guy.”
Krejci has been back since, but last night against the Devils he missed yet another game with his bothersome and lingering hip injury. Seth Griffith, who has played on the first line since he was recalled from Providence, has been nothing but productive no matter who he has played with.
The forward has six points in his 12 career NHL games since he was called up, four of them being goals, and two of them highlight reel goals at that. Griffith gave the Bruins a 3-2 lead last night and they never looked back as he scored between his legs with two Devils defenders trailing him.
The 21 year old Wallaceburg, Ontario, native was a fifth round pick in 2012 and a long shot to make it as an NHLer. However, his scoring ability has helped him become one of the Bruins best scoring presence in his very short time in the league.
Last season in Providence, Griffith scored 50 points, 20 of them being goals in his first year in the American Hockey League. He played his junior hockey with the London Knights after graduating from Jr B in 2009. In his Jr A career, Griffith had 231 points in a little over three full seasons.
