BOSTON — When Brett Ritchie got put on waivers Wednesday, a call-up from Providence was inevitable.
There were a few likely candidates, and for what the Bruins need right now, they made the correct decision.
Boston on Thursday called up Karson Kuhlman, who is expected to be on the third line when the Bruins host the Pittsburgh Penguins at TD Garden.
The idea of Trent Frederic, not Kuhlman, getting recalled was red meat to the “Bruins need an enforcer” crowd. His fight card this season and prior is impressive, he clearly has no issue sticking up for teammates and when he drops the gloves, typically he wins.
But even after the Bruins’ questionable response to Emil Bemstrom concussing Tuukka Rask, Frederic is not what the Bruins need right now.
Frederic is beginning to refine his game more and more in the AHL, which certainly must be tantalizing for the Bruins as they remain mindful of the future. But he’s far better served continuing to improve in the minors than getting called up right now. The 21-year-old has some skill, and it’s starting to show more and more in Providence.
His career ceiling is not just a fourth-line goon, and calling him up to police the ice right now simply isn’t fair to him. Admittedly, it would have been entertaining to watch him hit the ice against Pittsburgh, who signed Brandon Tanev this offseason. Of course Tanev, then a member of the Winnipeg Jets, got pummeled by Frederic last season in Frederic’s NHL debut.
But here’s the Bruins’ reality at present: They have one month to figure out if they have the right personnel for the other middle six right wing role.
The second/third line right wing has been a revolving door of guys pretty much all season, and it’s an area where the Bruins need stability. It doesn’t appear David Backes is going to be that guy, which leaves the youngsters like Kuhlman and Zach Senyshyn as the internal options.
Kuhlman has a great nose for the puck, defends well and his shot is nice when he uses it. He could be an asset on the third line with Charlie Coyle and Danton Heinen should he become more consistently reliable. There’s a reason Kuhlman played the final two games of the Stanley Cup Final and began the season on the second line: Bruce Cassidy likes him.
Though Kuhlman came out of the gate slow in the eight NHL games he played this season before cracking his tibia, he deserves another chance because he’s the in-house option that provides the highest likelihood of helping the Bruins this season.
Could the Bruins have done more to defend Rask in Columbus? Sure, even if we might be overstating their lack of a response. Nevertheless, the onus should be on those currently on the NHL, not AHL, roster to better stick up for one another, because there are guys capable of doing that (Chris Wagner, Zdeno Chara and Brandon Carlo are a couple of names that spring to mind).
With the trade deadline coming Feb. 24, the Bruins need to know now if their internal options can help this season. Calling up Frederic doesn’t do much to help answer that question, seeing as he’s a center and for the sake of his development should stick there. Recalling Frederic just to move him to the wing purely so he can bring a physical presence accomplishes nothing for either party. It wouldn’t help the Bruins win games now and it wouldn’t help Frederic reach his full potential of a capable NHL center that, yes, also can fight.
