Trent Frederic Explains Why He Hasn’t Been Fighting Often This Season

Trent Frederic has made fighting a big part of his game, but it hasn’t been as prominent this season.

Frederic got into a fight in his first NHL game. When he became a full-time NHL player last season, he had three fights in the truncated campaign while trying to goad players, like P.K. Subban, into many others.

But thus far into the current season, in which Frederic has played 12 games, he only has one fighting major, which came against Jacob Middleton in an October win over the San Jose Sharks.

Part of Frederic’s minimal fighting is because he’s missed time with a concussion. Otherwise, there haven’t been many natural opportunities to scrap.

“I don’t know if I need to play hard or what, but it hasn’t been organic. I haven’t set anyone up with anyone and nothing has come to me,” Frederic told reporters Thursday morning. “If it does, obviously I’ll do it, but there really hasn’t been that much confrontation. I don’t know if that’s on me not playing as hard or what the case is, but there really hasn’t been as much. It’s made it a lot harder to do that.

“Maybe on one fight (last season) I went to do it when we were losing one game, but other than that, it was kind of natural. Both times I fought (Tom) Wilson. The first time we were losing, the second was the (hit on Brandon Carlo), so I went to go do it. So, those were kind of (planned), but he also has to agree, the other person has to agree. People aren’t going to go fight (just to) fight for the most part nowadays. It doesn’t really go down that easy.”

Frederic will center the third line for the Bruins in their game Thursday against the Nashville Predators, who have a few players who can chuck ’em, like Mark Borowiecki.