It certainly isn’t anywhere near a permanent solution, but give credit to new Bruins winger Joakim Nordstrom for making an impact early in his stint with the Black and Gold. There wasn’t much fanfare when the 26-year-old Swedish forward signed with the Bruins on the July 1 open of NHL free agency, and there probably shouldn’t have been given the two goals and seven points in 75 games with the Carolina Hurricanes last season.
Nordstrom didn’t seem a likely choice for a top-6 spot with the Bruins either, but he’s been excellent in the two games skating with David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk since Bruce Cassidy went with a hunch and slotted the Swede into the prime spot. He scored a goal in his first game skating with Krejci after finishing off a trademark dish from the playmaking Czech center, and has fired off six shots on net in the two games since joining up with them.
Cassidy will be the first to admit that Nordstrom isn’t really a candidate to stick in the top-6 all season, but he’s doing a good job of showing Donato, Heinen or Anders Bjork what would be expected of them in that slot. Tinkering with the lines has also allowed the Bruins to take a look at DeBrusk on the right side, and perhaps slide Donato or Heinen into their natural spot on the left wing the next time they get that top-6 opportunity.
“Nordy [Joakim Nordstrom] wants to play. He sat out [against Ottawa]. He’s got a lot of pride. Not only that, I thought he won a lot of pucks and played the game as advertised,” said Cassidy. “He’s up and down his wing, he manages the puck, he back-checks with purpose and has a good stick in D-zone. He had about three or four help plays in the slot that we’re trying to teach the details to the younger kids, like not to leave to early. That’s just what he brings.”
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It’s not necessarily out of nowhere as Nordstrom had moments playing with Eric Staal in Carolina, but it’s more about the veteran poise and competitiveness he’s bringing to a spot where Ryan Donato and Danton Heinen weren’t bringing that to the table. Certainly the mild-mannered Nordstrom isn’t doing anything differently than he’d done while putting up some pretty modest offensive numbers with the Hurricanes over the previous three seasons.
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“I thought it all happened pretty naturally. I’m just trying to get open. You know, [Krejci] is such a good playmaker that once he has the puck on his stick you just try to get open and keep your stick on the ice,” said Nordstrom. “I mean I wasn’t really trying to change my game. I’m just trying to get open and just keep my legs moving, and create some room for Krejci and [Jake] DeBrusk.”
Nordstrom has done that and perhaps elevated his profile with the team after a quiet signing with the B’s followed by an uneventful training camp. It remains to be seen if Nordstrom is going to be an under-the-radar, sneaky good signing by Riley Nash was a couple of years ago also coming out of Carolina at the time, but he’s off to a solid, strong start with the Black and Gold.
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