Boston has always been a blue collar kind of town; a place that appreciates hard work and grit. There may be no better place for those values to shine through than on the ice in TD Garden. The Bruins have long been a reflection of the city’s hard work and determination, and when a certain individual steps up and shows those traits it is only right for him to be praised and rewarded for his efforts.

Around this time of year, the type of praise that comes with all of that hard work is the Seventh Player Award. There are a handful of players on this Bruins team who will likely be considered for the award, and one could make a strong case for each of them.

Torey Krug: the fifth-year Michigan native has been a popular topic of conversation since the very first day he cracked the Bruins lineup. Everyone that hates Krug will tell you he’s too small to be given as big of a role as he has, and even though he has a great shot on the PP he’s a defensive liability. Everyone who loves Krug will let you know how his skill set allows the Bruins offense to flourish and how he is helping this fast young team become a contender. No matter which side of the debate you land on, it is indisputable that number 47 is having a career year. He is fourth on the team in scoring with 48 points and is on pace to break his personal best of 51 that he set last year. He is shooting the puck particularly well this season (13/156, or 8.3%) and on a team that has struggled with key injuries over the last several seasons, he is one guy you can count on to be in the lineup most nights, having missed just 13 games since 2013.

Jake DeBrusk: the rookie winger has been a consistent presence on the second line all year, and with the addition of Rick Nash he is blossoming at just the right time. As the son of long-time NHL journeyman and tough guy, Louie DeBrusk, Jake is no stranger to hard work and grit. The 6’0″ 188lb. DeBrusk is just 21 years old and looks to be well on his way to a promising and effective career in Boston. Through 63 games with the Bruins he has 14G, and 25A, and is a +11 with just 19PIM. Whether he wins the Seventh Player or not, the future is bright for this kid.

Danton Heinen: he has been another bright young piece for this Bruins team in 2018. Also a rookie, Heinen has earned a solidified role on the third line (and even a few games with Bergeron and Pastrnak) with his responsible, consistent play. The 22 year old British Columbia native has 12G and 27A through 62 games this season, and is a +9. If the voters have recency bias it will hurt his case for the award, as he currently has just 1 assist in his last 14 games, with a -3 rating over that span. Those are definitely subpar numbers, however his production through December and January was a big reason why this team succeeded at such a high rate. He has certainly shown that he is ready to play in the NHL, and as a 4th round pick he has seemingly developed earlier than expected; he should be in the conversation.

Riley Nash: it may have taken me a year and a half to warm up to him, but I’m finally a Riley Nash believer. He is honestly MY favorite to win the Seventh Player Award. Ok, he’s not going to be lighting up the scoresheet or featured on ESPN’s top-10 every week, but he is exactly the kind of blue-collar team-player that is cherished around these parts; he’s a “Belichick guy”. Sitting just 3 points behind the aforementioned DeBrusk and Heinen, Nash is already blowing away his previous career-high point total of 25. He’s only missed 2 games since becoming a Bruin in 2016, and has shown his versatility this year by centering all four lines at some point throughout the season (there are certainly VERY FEW players across the league who could pull that off so seamlessly). Nash really should be a fourth liner, but I have to give him credit for what he’s been able to do when promoted to a top-6 role. That alone ought to be a huge boost to his chances of winning the award.

Anton Khudobin: it isn’t very customary for a goalie to be the “seventh player”, but Dobby has made a pretty significant impact for the Bs this year. The coaching staff and management group has wanted to keep Tuukka Rask under 56-58 games, and with 15 games in the next 27 days there will be plenty of opportunities for Khudobin to add to his success this year. It isn’t too often you seen a backup goalie close in on 20 wins, but that is within the realm of possibilities for Dobby who currently owns a 15-5-4 record. While it remains a long shot that he will actually win the Seventh Player Award, you have to appreciate the work ethic he has displayed when called upon this year.

I hope this was helpful and informative, and I guess only time will tell if any of my predictions are correct. Until next time, Jegs-