Van Riemsdyk feels like everything is lining up
It’s not always easy for the new guy to fit, but that hasn’t been the case for James van Riemsdyk, who has found his spot on one of the Bruins’ top lines.
A 15-year NHL veteran but a Boston newbie, van Riemsdyk has settled in nicely at left wing on a line centered by Pavel Zacha and manned on the right side by David Pastrnak.
Zacha and Pastrnak played together for most of last season as wingers on David Krejci’s line, so they are very familiar with each other’s tendencies; that has been evident since the start of training camp. That established chemistry has made van Riemsdyk’s assimilation smooth.
“Well, when they had a year like they had last year and all the success that they had, I think they know that that’s a good combination,” van Riemsdyk said after Tuesday practice at Warrior Arena. “They feel that chemistry.
“So it almost makes it easier in a way when not all three of us separately are trying to figure it out, it’s just me trying to figure out their tendencies and stuff like that. And obviously having only one person to swap out versus all three of us, I think makes it a little bit easier.
“But it’s been good. It’s been fun. Obviously, again, watching from afar those guys last year, they had a great deal of success and again, I’m excited to get a chance to play with those guys.”
After mixing and matching through the first 10 days of camp, the coaching staff has settled most of its line combinations — there’s always tweaking — and that has allowed van Riemsdyk the comfort of knowing what to expect when he arrives at the rink.
“As we get into the real games and the live action, we will continue to build and go from there,” he said. “I think as a team, the coaching staff ’s done a good job of integrating some of those principles that we like, but I think again, it’s that fine line between having, and I think they’re doing it very appropriately, of giving us these principles but still letting us try to figure things out and make reads.
“And I think that’s when things become more natural and that’s obviously what you want as a player is you want to go out there and play. You don’t want to be thinking all the time. So, I think that’s been great.”
Van Riemsdyk also has been slotted on the top power-play unit with Zacha, Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, and Charlie McAvoy.
He uses his big frame (6 feet 3 inches, 208 pounds) to establish net-front position and park himself in the right spots to collect rebounds and cash them in. Of his 300 career goals, 151 have come on the man-advantage.
Line ’em up
The other lines at Tuesday’s session: Marchand-Charlie Coyle-Jake DeBrusk; Trent Frederic-Matt PoitrasMorgan Geekie; Milan Lucic-Johnny Beecher-Jakub Lauko. Danton Heinen (who is still on his PTO) and Greg Brown (who was recalled from Providence) were the spare forwards. The defense pairings: McAvoy-Matt Grzelcyk; Hampus Lindholm-Brandon Carlo; Derek Forbert-Kevin Shattenkirk. Ian Mitchell was the extra defenseman . . . Connor Bedard, the top overall pick in June’s draft, will be a player to keep an eye on in Wednesday’s opener against the Blackhawks. Jim Montgomery has already been doing just that. “We’re going to be aware of him every time he gets on the ice — put it that way,” said the Bruins coach. “That’s how much he’s impressed.” . . . The first of many Centennial Season celebrations will kick off before the opener. Some of the franchise legends will walk the gold carpet beginning at 4:15 p.m. at the Hub on Causeway. Some also will take to the ice for a pregame ceremony. While puck drop is at 7:30, fans are encouraged to be in their seats — each of which will be adorned by a commemorative T-shirt — by 7 p.m.