The 2017-2018 season ended in disappointing fashion for the Boston Bruins. They surprised many finishing second in the Eastern Conference, just one point behind Tampa Bay. The talented young nucleus of the Bruins including players such as Charlie McAvoy, Jake DeBrusk, Matt Grzelcyk, and Danton Heinen carried the team. Next season the Bruins will expect more from these young players who are expected to form the next Bruins core.
Danton Heinen’s First Full season
When the 2017-2018 season campaign began Heinen was not on many people’s radars but that will not be the case going into next season.
The Bruins drafted Danton Heinen in the fourth round of the 2014 NHL draft. He made his debut in the 2016-2017 season, appearing in eight games. This past season he earned a more prominent role and spent the majority of the season on the Bruins third line. Due to injuries throughout the season, Heinen sometimes found himself on the Bruins first and second line. In seventy games Heinen scored 16 goals along with 31 assists, very effective on the power play recording twelve power play points. Heinen made the Bruins third line dangerous as he played alongside David Backes and Riley Nash, who had a career year. The rookie finished fourth on the Bruins in points, four ahead of fellow rookie Jake DeBrusk. The former fourth-round pick had a very productive regular season but the playoffs were a different story.
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Danton Heinen Struggles in the playoffs
Despite a solid rookie season Heinen was a non factor in the playoffs. In nine games he scored one goal and did not record an assist. In the second round Heinen was a healthy scratch for game four as the Bruins tried to find a spark for their dormant offense. It was a playoff run to forget and one that will motivate Heinen next season. Despite his playoff struggles Heinen still had a impressive rookie season that not many did not see coming.
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What To Expect Next Season
Heinen is not a player who will score thirty goals like Marchand or Pastrnak . The Bruins do not need him to be that type of player. Heinen showed last year that he can contribute in different ways. He is not selfish with the puck as his thirty one assists were the fourth highest on the team. Heinen gives the Bruins a dangerous third-line center who is also very productive on the power play. Like many of the other Bruins players, Heinen will be motivated after a disappointing ending to the 2017- 2018 season. If he can build on his rookie season than the Bruins third line will again be a threat.