Danton Heinen earns Masterton nod for Bruins
From a pro tryout in the fall to solid footing on a top-six spot just two weeks away from the start of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, there’s no denying that Danton Heinen has made his second run with the Bruins count.
And now the 28-year-old has an official nomination recognizing that push, with Heinen named the B’s nominee for the 2024 Masterton Trophy, as voted on by the Boston chapter of the PHWA. The Masterton Trophy is given annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
“Congratulations to [Heinen], I think it’s deserved,” Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said following Friday’s practice at Brighton’s Warrior Ice Arena. “You know, he’s had to fight through a lot. When you go through a whole summer not knowing you’re going to have a contract or not or if you’re going to play again in the NHL, there’s a lot of uncertainty you got to deal with mentally.
“The perseverance mentally that he’s had to come in here, have a real good camp and then stay here because of his commitment of wanting to be a Bruin, wanting to be a Boston Bruin again and then getting the opportunity and then flourishing in any role. Started on the fourth line. I think he went to the third line, we introduced him to the penalty kill; he didn’t penalty kill when he was here before. He’s done everything we could ask him.”
Danton Heinen on being nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: "It's been a fun year...a lot of uncertainty coming in but I'm grateful to be here and it's a fun group to be apart of." pic.twitter.com/obkjFoatS7
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) April 5, 2024
On the board with 16 goals and 34 points through 69 games this season, Heinen’s goal production is just two away from matching the career-high of 18 he had with the Penguins in 2021-22. His 34 points, meanwhile, are the most he’s had in any single season, trailing only the 47 points he put up with the Bruins during the 2017-18 season.
Heinen is one of 32 players nominated for the Masterton around the league. Notable players nominated for the award this year include Carolina netminder Freddie Andersen, who dealt with blood clot issues that could’ve derailed his NHL career, as well as Minnesota’s Marco Rossi, who dealt with myocarditis. Another notable nominee is out in Anaheim, where former Bruins first-round draft pick Urho Vaakanainen earned the Ducks’ nomination after going through some injury-plagued campaigns.
The winner of the Masterton Trophy is selected in a poll of all chapters of the PHWA at the conclusion of the regular season. Heinen joins a group featuring Nick Foligno (2023), Jake DeBrusk (2022), Kevan Miller (2021, 2020) and Zdeno Chara (2019) as the Bruins’ recent Masterton nominees.
3 Stars: Bruins wrap road trip with bang vs. Hurricanes
Third Star: Brad Marchand
Apr 4, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand (63) celebrates his goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period at PNC Arena. (James Guillory/USA TODAY Sports)
Bruins captain Brad Marchand finally got the monkey off his back and is on the board with career goal No. 400.
MARCHY'S MILESTONE MARKER 🙌 pic.twitter.com/qvGEneJWAD
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) April 4, 2024In what was Marchand’s first goal since Mar. 9, and after 10 straight games without a marker, Marchand’s breakaway marker on the Hurricanes’ Freddie Andersen not only got his own game going, but also set the tone for the Bruins in what was a rapid-fire first period effort against Carolina.
In addition to the game-opening goal, Marchand put forth a more-than-solid effort in the box score, with three hits, a blocked shot, and four shots on goal in total in just under 17 minutes of time on ice.
Second Star: David Pastrnak
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – FEBRUARY 26: David Pastrnak #88 of the Boston Bruins looks on during the first period against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on February 26, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The Hurricanes tried an interesting strategy Thursday night: They decided to give David Pastrnak a freeway of ice to Andersen’s net. And, as you would expect, Pastrnak happily took it and roofed home a downright pretty strike.
Another "casual" goal from David Pastrnak. 🍝
— NHL (@NHL) April 5, 2024
Multi-Angle Goal presented by @bet365ca pic.twitter.com/3vVEsBVx51First of all, the goal comes off a slick dish from the Bruins’ Pavel Zacha, but Pastrnak’s ability to knock the puck down with his stick and get it settled on his blade is equally impressive. And noticing that the Canes were going to give him a wide-open lane to the net, Pastrnak taking it and not trying to make it anything fancier than it needed to be was key.
But Pastrnak wasn’t done, as he sent the puck to the slot for a Danton Heinen bang that pushed Boston’s lead to three, and effectively buried the Hurricanes before the end of the first period.
First Star: Jeremy Swayman
Jan 8, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) before the game against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena. (Isaiah J. Downing/USA TODAY Sports)
Don’t look now, but both of Boston’s all-world goaltenders might just be heating up at the right time.
Two nights after Linus Ullmark stole the show with a 31-save shutout performance in Nashville, Jeremy Swayman has sent a return volley back to Ullmark with a strong, 28-of-29 victory over the Hurricanes. In fact, it took Swayman being down-and-out and on the seat of his pants — and with the Bruins trying to kill off a near two-minute 5-on-3 — for the Hurricanes to even beat Swayman in this contest. And though this was Swayman’s third straight victory going back to last week’s win over Florida, I feel comfortable saying that this was the best he’s looked over that three-game stretch, as he was forced to make countless key saves early to by all means help strangle the life out of this relentless Carolina squad.
