NHL Notebook: Beecher looking to make the most of opportunity; Lindholm lending a hand to Lysell

“I feel good,” the 22-year-old Beecher said. “I had a really productive offseason and just coming into camp open-minded and try to give everything I’ve got.”

The 30th overall pick in 2019, Beecher is cognizant of the possibilities in front of him entering camp. Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha are penciled into roles as top-six pivots now that Bergeron and Krejci are gone. Geekie and Frederic are the frontrunners to center the third line. But the B's are in search of their Nosek replacement on the fourth unit. Beecher and McLaughlin are among those looking to beat out the rugged Brown. 

“It’s definitely something that you look at and it’s enticing,” Beecher said of the chance to carve out a role, given Boston's vacancies. “Obviously, everybody coming into camp wants to have a shot, and this year there’s a bunch of opportunities, so I’ve just got to go into camp and try my best.”

Standing at 6-foot-3, 209 pounds, the left-handed Beecher fits the comparison to Nosek (6-3, 205). Where the former can separate himself as an effective role-player is his skating ability, hard shot as well as his blossoming ability to use his frame and some snarl to be an effective forechecker. 

After some growing pains to begin his first season as a pro, Beecher's qualities became apparent to Mougenel and the P-Bruins staff as the season wore on. The Michigan product finished the year with 23 points (9g, 13a) in 61 games, highlighted by an eight-point (3g, 5a) run in seven games in February.

“I can say he’s not the only player to come down to Providence and I wouldn’t necessarily say struggle, but maybe had a little bit of an identity issue early on,” Mougenel said. “By the second half, he was our go-to guy down there for a lot of situations. The ability to hang onto a puck and get in and be first to pucks is something that he did really well. And then the one thing we really liked about John by the end of the year was his willingness to play a physical brand of hockey.”

His floor is encouraging, projecting as a strong bottom-six center, but as a former first-rounder, Beecher understands the expectations that come with such a status, especially offensively. If he can reach a new level of production, it will only increase his odds of taking a spot out of camp. Honing his offensive game has been a major focus this offseason.

"O-zone stuff, just being more comfortable with the puck. Worked on my shot, you know, quite a bit," he said of his training this summer. "Try to put myself in position, try to get a couple more points on the board and be able to contribute more on that aspect."

Also capable of playing the wing, Beecher took on additional defensive responsibilities by the end of the season in the American League. His versatility and defensive prowess, coupled with his high-end skating ability with a large frame, is what has the Bruins excited about his potential to become a dependable pro for a long time. 

“The other thing that might separate John, too, is his penalty killing’s real strong,” Mougenel said, before adding, "Where do I project him? It is hard to say. I think when we brought up his name the other day with [P-Bruins assistant] Trent Whitfield, he has the makeup to be a real good NHLer. 

"You can see why he was drafted so high when you’re on the ice with him, he’s a huge presence and he skates extremely well, and when he hits, he hits with velocity. And I think if he can embrace that, he’s going to have longevity in the league.”

Lindholm a valuable resource for Lysell

Fabian Lysell had his share of ups and downs as a first-year pro last season.

After a strong start to the year, the young Swede hit a wall at the World Juniors before a concussion ended his postseason early. Aside from the on-ice transition, Lysell met his fair share of challenges away from the rink as well, living on his own away from home and without a billet family to lean on as well. 

"It was difficult, to be honest," Lysell said this week. "It was tough for a bit there. ... But you know, with every year, I feel like I get more comfortable living here and all that stuff."

One of his biggest goals is to be able to find that 'off switch' away from the rink, especially during the dog days of a busy schedule. As he continues to find his way as a young adult and a young professional, Lysell has found a valuable resource in one of his countrymen, Hampus Lindholm.

"He's been awesome ever since I came in and saw him for the first time," Lysell said. "Obviously, an unbelievable player and a great guy, too. So, I'm just spending time with him whenever I have time to and, you know, learn as much as possible. It's always going to feel good to have Swedish guys around. You can kind of like just learn how it works around the hockey stuff but also off the ice. So, he's been great."

The Bruins have a growing Swedish contingent within the organization between Lysell, Lindholm, Steen, Linus Ullmark and newcomer Jesper Boqvist. Also in the system are 2023 draft picks Kristian Kostadinski and Casper Nassen as well as other prospects like Oskar Jellvik, Philip Svedebäck and Jonathan Myrenberg. As Lindholm put it, "If you meet a Swede overseas, they're always like best friends."

He is more than happy to lend a helping hand, knowing the experience of being a highly touted prospect, although the spotlight on the Ducks isn't as nearly as bright as it is on the B's. 

"He's a great kid and he has lots of potential," Lindholm said. "Sometimes it's a tough business to be coming into. I came into Anaheim at his age, and I didn't have all you guys putting microphones in my face. So there's a little more pressure, and there are really no excuses when he jumps on the ice. Like I said, I think he has so much potential and he's such a good player. So I just try to be there for him and talk through things if he ever needs something because I've kind of done what he's about to do."

His biggest piece of advice for Lysell so far has been only worrying about what he can control.

"Just go out there and focus on what you can do," Lindholm said. "Put in the effort, put in the work, and usually that takes care of itself when you do all those little things instead of maybe worrying about things that have happened or things you can't control. Everyone in this league makes mistakes. The best players are the ones that forget them the quickest."

Lysell clicked on the top line with Merkulov and Luke Toporowski in Friday's Prospects Challenge opener, adding an assist on one of Toporowski's two tallies in a 4-2 win over the Penguins' rookies.

Bruins will have a captain in 2023-24

It hasn't been all that uncommon to see teams around the league roll with a committee of assistant captains rather than immediately naming a successor to their captaincy. Vancouver went a season after Henrik Sedin's retirement before naming Bo Horvat captain. The Leafs went three seasons between Dion Phaneuf and John Tavares. The Flames have spent the last three years captain-less since Mark Giordano departed. 

While Bergeron was the obvious choice to succeed Zdeno Chara in 2020-21, the Bruins have a few worthy options this time around. Brad Marchand is the clear frontrunner, but Charlie McAvoy, David Pastrnak and Brandon Carlo have cases to make of their own. 

But matter what, Montgomery confirmed the Bruins will bestow the 'C' on someone's sweater this season. 

“Correct, I think we do [expect to name a captain]. I think we have enough real good leaders that we could have a captain that could lead us," he said. "I think we’ve had internal conversations and I think decisions will be made. I don’t know if there’s a timeline yet to decide.”

As for the qualities he looks for in a good captain?

"Someone who is confident in who they are," he said. "Someone who isn't afraid to put his arm around a teammate and also hold a teammate accountable, and also not afraid to come in my office and hold me accountable to what he believes if I'm doing the right things for his team. I think he's the go-between between the players and the coaches. He's got to be comfortable communicating with everybody. And you feel like a lot of guys, like being able to, you know, be there every day to, for you guys [the media] to have a source that has the pulse of the team and who's the leader of our team."

Lindholm said, "A good captain for me is a guy that's himself but also takes pride in leading. Shows up every day and kind of shows by example. I think there are different types of guys. I think a captain doesn't have to be exactly drawn up a certain way. I think you should be yourself and lead in the way that feels comfortable for you. But also, you need to have that selfishness to take care of the group. When things are tough, you want to be the guy standing up, going out there and leading everyone."

Jake DeBrusk added, "A lot of things. I think it's pretty much the same mold as a Z or a Bergy. You know, I think they were different in certain ways, but someone that could obviously unite a team and someone that can just kind of have everyone's back. I think the biggest thing is leading by example when it comes to not just on the ice, but off the ice. I think that's the biggest thing is kind of the culture here in Boston is always I mean – ever since I've been here – it's been pretty amazing."

Expect an assistant coach to be named soon

Not only do the Bruins have vacancies to fill in the lineup and in terms of the 'C,' they're also still searching for a new assistant coach after John Gruden accepted the head-coaching job with the AHL Toronto Marlies. 

Montgomery expects Boston to make an official hire in short order.

“We’re really close,” he said. “I think you could expect an announcement next week.”

In an interview earlier this summer with the Boston Herald's Steve Conroy, Montgomery mentioned the possibility of having the new hire act as the "eye in the sky," going back to just three coaches on the bench. Joe Sacco will handle the penalty kill and defense, while Chris Kelly will deal with the forwards and power play. The new hire would have a focus on in-season development, per Conroy's reporting. 

It would be a return to how the B's approached their staff with Claude Julien and Bruce Cassidy, with Doug Jarvis and Jay Pandolfo serving in similar capacities. 

Mike Babcock in hot water, again...

After Paul Bissonnette reported on "Spittin' Chiclets" that Babcock had invaded players' privacy by asking them to show him photos on their phones during meetings, the controversy appeared set to blow over after Columbus captain Boone Jenner and Johnny Gaudreau defended the actions as a way to get to know each other. 

But where there's smoke, there's fire, and Elliotte Friedman reported the investigation intensified after it became apparent that some of Columbus' young players were uncomfortable with the exercise. As such, the NHL and NHLPA are reviewing the matter with PA executive director Marty Walsh and assistant executive director Ron Hainsey met with Blue Jackets players on Thursday in what was an "intense" meeting, according to Friedman's reporting. Walsh, Hainsey and general counsel Don Zavelo met with the league on Friday. 

While the PA nor the league will comment further on the situation, it seems Babcock could have his second chance in question before even coaching a game in Columbus.