Donato won’t take seat as an insult
Ryan Donato graciously accepted the news no NHL rookie wants to hear on the eve of his first Stanley Cup playoff game.
The return of veteran right winger Rick Nash to the Bruins’ second line means coach Bruce Cassidy will kick one healthy forward upstairs for tomorrow night’s first-round series opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Garden.
Nash, who’s missed the past 12 games after suffering a concussion on March 17, will be reunited on the second line with center David Krejci and left winger Jake DeBrusk. Donato could be a numbers casualty despite being a proven scorer and fixture on the Bruins power play since joining the team March 19.
“I’m just going to keep working hard, and whenever they need me and my number is called, I’ll be ready to go,” Donato said. “I don’t really take it as an insult. I’ll just take it that the team has been good all year.
“I won’t take it too personally. I’ll just be ready to go if they need me.”
Cassidy attempted to explain the personnel possibilities following the team’s practice yesterday at Warrior Ice Arena that could lead to a game-time decision on Donato.
“He (Donato) could be out, (and) without going through every scenario, let’s say Rick Nash is in,” Cassidy said. “Nash is a power-play guy in front, and he’s done very well there for us and done very well in New York and very well in Columbus.
“We are not worried about the drop-off there. He’s going up with Krejci, and we like DeBrusk back there, so now Ryan was on that line on the off side.
“That’s where Ryan could lose his spot, so it becomes do we drop him down in the lineup. Part of it is how many young guys can go into the lineup at once and sustain our level of play because it is the second season.”
Donato had a goal and two assists in his NHL debut against Columbus at the Garden. In 12 NHL games since leaving Harvard, he has five goals and four assists.
Auston to Boston
Toronto coach Mike Babcock has quality centers on all four lines, and they present different challenges in the Bruins end. The scariest of the four is Auston Matthews, who anchors the Leafs’ first line with Zach Hyman and William Nylander.
Matthews played in 82 games, averaged 18:08 minutes per game and finished with 34 goals and 29 assists with a staggering plus-25 rating that included five power-play goals and five game-winners.
“He has a great release, and he loves to score goals,” Cassidy said. “From the bottom of the circle in, he’s dangerous, he’s deadly, and he’s accurate, and he doesn’t need a lot of time to get it off.”
Life of Riley
Bruins centers Riley Nash and Noel Acciari did not practice with the team, but neither has been ruled out of playing against the Leafs. Nash missed the final five games of the season after taking a puck to the head off the stick of teammate Torey Krug on March 31. Nash needed more than 40 stitches and is likely to skate with the team this morning. Acciari was out for “maintenance,” according to Cassidy . . . .
The Bruins signed Frozen Four MVP and Minnesota-Duluth forward Karson Kuhlman to a two-year NHL contract. He was assigned to Providence on an amateur tryout for the remainder of the season.