On Sept. 5, Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney announced that Danton Heinen would return to the team on a professional tryout (PTO) contract. The 28-year-old Canadian was drafted by the Bruins 116th overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Level Draft, and he made his NHL debut in the 2016-17 season.
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While his first stint with the Bruins organization was not particularly remarkable, he has a pretty solid shot at making the roster this season. He has earned praise at training camp and performed well in preseason games. He has also slipped into a nice position in the bottom-six and looks comfortable on the ice – unlike the team’s other PTO, Alex Chiasson, who never quite built any momentum and was released from his tryout on Oct. 1.
Heinen, who is coming off a season with the Pittsburgh Penguins that really wasn’t that bad, is looking like a pretty safe bet to make the roster out of training camp in a bottom-six role.
Heinen’s Career Since Leaving Bruins
The Bruins traded Heinen at the 2020 Trade Deadline, bringing in Nick Ritchie from the Anaheim Ducks in the hopes that a change of scenery would benefit both players, as well as save the Bruins some cap space.
Neither one thrived in their new environment. Ritchie had a decent 2020-21 season with the Bruins, but he left that offseason to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs and then the Arizona Coyotes. Most recently, he signed to a PTO to join the St. Louis Blues but was released from the tryout on Sept. 29.
Heinen played in 52 games for the Ducks over the course of two seasons, but his production dipped from his time with the Bruins. He went from 22 points in 58 games in 2019-20 to four points in nine games with the Ducks in 2019-20 and 14 points in 43 games in 2020-21. But, he saw an uptick when he joined the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2021-22, registering 18 goals and 33 points in 76 games.
Heinen had a decent campaign in 2022-23 with the Penguins. It wasn’t quite as productive as the season before, but he registered eight goals and 22 points in 65 games. However, he wasn’t signed as a free agent this summer, instead agreeing to a PTO with the Bruins, returning to where he began his NHL career.
2023 Preseason Performance So Far
Heinen was a solid player during his Bruins tenure. In 220 games, he registered 34 goals and 103 points – solid numbers for a bottom-six forward, which is likely where he’ll play. An added benefit is that head coach Jim Montgomery coached him at the University of Denver.
Heinen is a versatile player who can play both the right and left sides. He registered a goal in their third preseason game on Sept. 29 against the Philadelphia Flyers, demonstrating his ability to be an offensive contributor. He also spent that game playing on the top line with Brad Marchand and Matthew Poitras, showcasing his ability to be plugged into different spots in the lineup when needed.
It’s a tight race for the few open roster spots, and there’s been plenty of movement in figuring out who will be playing where. Heinen is realistically in competition with AJ Greer, Jakub Lauko, and Jesper Boqvist for a spot on the wing on the third line with Morgan Geekie and Trent Frederic. While these are all skilled players, Heinen seems a more complete player – with better playmaking and a higher offensive upside that the other three don’t have. Lauko showcased great chemistry with Milan Lucic and Johnny Beecher on the fourth line in their Oct. 3 game against the Washington Capitals. He is probably better suited for a physical, checking line at this point in his career.
Among the group of forwards competing for the final spots, Heinen is also a decent candidate to be the 13th forward. He would be better suited to spend time in the press box and fill in when necessary rather than one of their young forwards who would benefit from time playing in the American Hockey League or Ontario Hockey League (players like Matthew Poitras, if he doesn’t make the roster or if they send him back down after a few games). I think Heinen has done enough to make the roster outright, but he’s also a good candidate to fill in if necessary.
Bruins Final Spots To Be Determined
Heinen is a solid player who brings more offense to the table than some of the others competing for the final roster spots. He’s shown he is ready to be back in the Bruins’ mix, hardly missing a step throughout training camp and the preseason. He’s also demonstrated the ability to make the most out of limited minutes, which will help the team this season.
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However, many players have made roster decisions difficult. Prospects like Poitras, Mason Lohrei, and Beecher have had a really great training camp and preseason. New veterans like Heinen, Morgan Geekie, and James Van Riemsdyk have also looked like good signings so far (it’s too early to make a real call on that), while David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy, have all looked as good as ever.
There are some tough decisions ahead over the next few days, but it’s a good problem to have. The Bruins will not be as good as they were last season, but they should still be a competitive, playoff-bound team.
