I think I may have been right all summer when I said Heinen would be the best bet to excel at the NHL level this year. Not JFK (although he has been doing ok in Providence - again like I suggested) and not Bjork (he has struggled as of late adjusting to pro level scheduling i.e, # of games). Heinen who played all year in the A was best set up to excel. Plays a 200 foot game. He is a future potential Bergeron IMO

Heinen has been awesome and continues to grow every game. I don't like labeling guys as "the next one" though. Let Heinen be Heinen. He could grow into an elite two-way forward, but he has a long ways to go. Bergeron is the best two-way forward in the game and has been for a long time. That's a lot to put on the kid.

Oh he is different, no doubt. There will never be another Bergeron, trust me, I'm his biggest supporter!! I think Heinen lacks a little of Bergeron's defensive abilities and maybe some playmaking vision that Bergy has, but I also think he is naturally a more pure goal scorer than Bergeron.

Never saying he is "the next one", just saying he is that "type" of player....

I'd put Heinen at more of a Krejci. Maybe slightly better defensively, but offensively he's a Krejci type

Danton Heinen now 3rd in PPG for rookies behind only Boeser and Barzal. Pretty impressive for a guy who I think some viewed as that 3rd guy (DeBrusk, Bjork, Heinen) to make the team. I guess at the end of the day, you can't go with the hype and shiny prospects all the time.

Heinen overall rankings for rookies:

9 goals = 10th overall
15 assists = 5th overall
24 points = tied 4th overall

It's interesting that Danton Heinen is 21st in TOI for rookies. A lot of the guys above him have 1-3 minutes TOI/G on him. Still would love to see him with Marchand and Bergeron. I feel it's a match made in heaven with his style of play. He'd mesh well with them. However, can't complain as Heinen with Nash and Backes has been fun (Nash on a fun line...Whoulda thunk it haha)

It'll be interesting to see what happens when Krejci returns. I really wouldn't want to breakup the DeBrusk/Spooner/Bjork line and really that #3 line is Heinen/Backes with Nash benefiting from playing with them.

Marchand - Bergeron - Pastrnak
Heinen - Krejci - Backes
DeBrusk - Spooner - Bjork
Schaller - Nash - Acciari

^That's my lines to start when Krejci comes back.

He's a better pure goal scorer than Krejci or Bergeron. Bergeron is a playmaker and defensive wizard, Krejci has great vision to make him a playmaker, neither are pure goal scorers

I'd say 4th. Everyone was putting JFK as 3rd line C in their mock teams this past summer/fall

Exactly what I was trying to tell everyone all along.

He has a good release. Not to the level of a Pasta/Marchand, but its good enough to mid 20's goal scorer with maybe a few 30 goals seasons sprinkled in. I mean this year he's on pace for 22G/41A and funny enough Krejci's career #'s over an 82 game season avg out to 18G/42A. He has room to improve, but IDK how much more he'll improve year over year.

A lot of that was predicated on Boston trading Spooner, in which case I think JFK is your #3C. He's having a good year in the AHL anyways and should compete for a spot next year.

Not when you have Backes and Nash

He'll improve by making himself better defensively..... that's how he can go in a direction like Bergeron, but he would need to take on a C role in the lineup too.

For whatever reason Boston brass like Backes on the wing. In a pinch he'll play center, but at this point he's a winger. Throwing JFK between he and Heinen actually makes a lot of sense as all 3 play a 2-way game. Nash is a serviceable #3C but he's better suited for a #4C.



I'm sure he'll get better defensively, but I was talking about offensively. As far as taking on a center role, I don't think he'd need to. You need effective defensive wingers as much as center, obviously centers are a little more critical. If he turns out to be a 20-30G / 35-45A all-situation winger, then I'll be happy and I think that's where he'll end up if he hits his potential.

Which is pretty darn good.....so where does Bjork, DeBrusk and JFK end up in relation if they hit their potential???

He looks like another Bruins Calder contender. Hope the Bruins/Leaf rivalry will be interesting. (Not a Boston fan)