Bjugstad moved to line with Trocheck
Boughner looking for offensive spark
CORAL SPRINGS — Nick Bjugstad was sidelined with migraines in December 2015 when Vincent Trocheck went on the scoring surge that supplanted him as center on the Florida Panthers’ second line.
That turned into a breakthrough season which earned Trocheck a six-year, $28.5 million contract.
Bjugstad is still trying to maintain the consistent health and productive form that saw him lead the Panthers with 24 goals in 2014-15. Perhaps the Minnesota native will find it skating alongside Trocheck on the wing.
The first test will come Tuesday when the Panthers begin a three-game trip at Carolina. Coach Bob Boughner revamped his middle two lines in quest of more balanced scoring after the team went 1-2-2 on a disappointing homestand.
At practice Monday, Bjugstad was at right wing and Connor Brickley on the left of Trocheck, while Radim Vrbata and Jamie McGinn shifted to the third line alongside center Jared McCann.
Trocheck, tied for the team lead with six goals and 15 points, scored the tying goal with just over a minute remaining in regulation in Saturday’s 5-4 overtime loss to the New York Rangers. He has centered Vrbata and McGinn most of the season.
“Trocheck played well, but I think I would need his line to have a little more [offensive] zone possession time,” Boughner said. “And Bjugstad is playing really well. So, hopefully he can complement that line and they can spend a little more time in the zone.”
Bjugstad, aiming to rebound from an injury plagued season, got off to a strong start with two goals and five points in the first five games.
He has two assists in the subsequent eight games. Most of the latter stretch was while linemates McCann and Brickley were on injured reserve.
“It was disappointing because those guys were playing so well, McCann and Brickley,” Bjugstad said. “They’re an important part of this team, so it’s good to have them back. I think we can definitely use that depth to our advantage.”
In the ongoing quest for the most productive line combinations, Trocheck and Bjugstad skating together is a fresh look for the Panthers. Bjugstad has always played center until being moved to the wing for part of last season. He’s played almost exclusively on the right side so far this season.
“We’ve played a couple games together. It will be fun,” Bjugstad said of Trocheck, adding that his objective will be, “Get him the puck and he’ll probably score.
“I’ve seen Trocheck play since he came into the league. He just keeps getting better and better. He plays fast, so I like that. I think the big thing for us is just puck possession down low.”
As for his adjustment to playing wing, Bjugstad said: “Now I’m starting to get more comfortable, starting to find ways to get speed there. Center is more of support the puck, keep your speed. On the wing, there’s a lot more starting and stopping, so you’ve got to find ways to get your feet moving. A lot of that is just timing. So [I’m] getting more and more comfortable as it goes on.”
Boughner noted that recent shuffling of lines has been mainly due to the injuries to McCann, Brickley and Colton Sceviour, who have all returned to action. He made this one in quest of a spark.
“We’re hoping it works,” he said. “I know they’re all excited to play together.”
Tippett sent to juniors
Owen Tippett, the Panthers’ 2017 top draft pick, will get more seasoning in junior hockey before resuming his NHL career.
The Panthers assigned the 18-year-old forward Monday to his former team in the Ontario Hockey League, the Mississauga Steelheads.
“Owen was impressive in his time with our club and has a bright future with the Panthers,” general manager Dale Tallon said. “This was a tough decision, but we think it’s best for his long-term development.”
Tippett, selected 10th overall in this year’s draft, appeared in seven games with Florida this season, recording one goal and 17 shots. He was eligible to play as many as nine NHL games without burning a year of his entry-level contract.
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound native of Peterborough, Ontario, scored his first NHL goal on Oct. 26 against the Anaheim Ducks.
But he was a minus-6 in the plus-minus category. With the Panthers off to a slow start and desperate for productivity, Tippett had been a healthy scratch or receiving limited minutes on the fourth line recently. Opportunities would likely have been scarcer with three forwards just off the injured list.
Tightening up on defense
Despite tying a team record in allowing 20 goals in the past three games, Boughner said after reviewing video of the loss to the Rangers he saw improvement in the defensive effort.
“That was one of our best games defensively,” he said. “We played a lot tighter in the D zone and didn’t give up a heck of a lot [of chances].
“We’re seventh in the league, I believe, for taking penalties. If you give another team five or six [power plays] a night, that’s going to balloon the shot totals and wear guys down, and it’s going to cost you. The other night we took a penalty that cost us. We talked about staying out of the box and that will reduce the [opponents’] shot totals.”