“I’m tired today, and I don’t know why,” Boychuk said, as just he and Vladimir Sobotka remained on the ice for an extra skate session after morning practice with assistant coach Doug Houda in St. Louis. But without much pause, Boychuk turned, skated away to a puck, and put a blistering shot on an empty net.
The Bruins’ seventh defenseman has been diligently practicing (and practicing, and practicing) since playing in his last game on Oct. 17. With a booming slapper and a friendly western Canadian personality, Boychuk has found a way to maintain his upbeat persona and his game without cracking the lineup in over a month. With him and Sobotka as the healthy scratches against the Blues on Monday, the Bruins’ depth has suddenly become more apparent.
"I like our depth," said Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli. "If you think about it, we were 7-4-4 without [Marc] Savard, without a top-six forward. So yes, I like our depth."
Even though Boychuk hasn't played much, he still is impressing.
“I think he probably has the second-hardest shot next to [Zdeno] Chara’s,” said goaltender Tuukka Rask, when asked about his teammate from Providence and now in Boston.
That shot hasn’t come easily. NESN play-by-play man Jack Edwards often shares Boychuk's story with the opposing team’s media — much to their delight — when asked about the Bruins’ young, big, “hidden” defenseman.
Growing up, Boychuk was locked out of the house by his two older brothers with just a hockey stick and a bucket of 100 pucks sitting outside.
“Go shoot 100 pucks, and then we’ll let you in,” they used to say, as Boychuk endured frigid Edmonton temperatures to shoot and then finally get into the house.
Over time, those 100 pucks turned into “100 pucks on net."
"It was freezing," Boychuk said, rolling his eyes, remembering those brutal winters.
That drill has paid off, eh?
