Dmitry Orlov wasted no time making his impact on the Bruins — and the rest of the NHL.
The NHL on Monday named the new Boston defenseman the first star of the week following his debut in Black and Gold.
The Bruins acquired Orlov on Feb. 25, and he wasted no time in getting to work with his new club. Orlov in just five games with the Bruins so far already has equaled his goal output over 43 games with Washington. The 31-year-old has three goals to go along with six assists in those five games, all wins.
All nine of those points came over the last full week, a four-game stretch that included a two-goal performance in Calgary on Feb. 28. He added an assist in that contest, and he followed up that three-point performance with another trio of points on March 2 against Buffalo, where he scored a goal and added a pair of assists.
Orlov has been an immediate fit with his new club despite no real clear lineup spot. Bruins coach Jim Montgomery has rotated Orlov through the lineup with different partners early in his Boston tenure. He has logged some big minutes, including 22:27 in the Calgary game. That usage still pales in comparison to what he logged in Washington, where he was averaging two more minutes of ice time per game. While the production almost certainly is unsustainable, it’s clear Orlov will have the chance to be even more effective with an increase in talent around him inside a system that clearly suits him.
Orlov and the Bruins get a well-deserved rest before returning to the ice Thursday against Edmonton.
