When the Bruins signed Mikey Eyssimont in the summertime, GM Don Sweeney gave one of many highest compliments you would give a bottom-six winger, at the least in hockey parlance.
Sweeney referred to as him a “ache within the ass” to play towards.
Eyssimont took it as supposed and absolutely embraced it, although he doesn’t need anybody to shortchange his recreation, both.
“I take a variety of satisfaction in it,” stated Eyssimont. “It’s a giant a part of my recreation. And it’s not simply grit and tenacity that provides me that sort of fame. It’s the talent that I play with that may be a ache the ass, the performs that I make are a ache within the ass. Clearly, there are occasions after I get beneath a participant’s pores and skin however a variety of instances that, if you happen to watch the movie, it’s due to the performs that I made and being on guys, turning pucks over and realizing learn how to play.”
The Bruins signed the 29-year-old Eyssimont to a two-year deal price $1.45 million a season. He is only one of a handful of gamers the B’s introduced in to assist them regain a few of their hard-to-play-against identification that was MIA on too many nights final season. Fellow signees Tanner Jeannot and Sean Kuraly in addition to commerce acquisition Viktor Arvidsson are all totally different sort gamers, however all convey their very own distinctive stage of edge to their recreation.
Eyssimont has earned his place within the NHL. After three years at St. Cloud State, he spent the higher a part of 4 seasons within the AHL with the Ontario Reign and the Manitoba Moose. The B’s are his fifth NHL group after having performed with Winnipeg, San Jose, Tampa Bay and Seattle. His best season was 2023-24 with the Lightning, when he had a 11-14-25 line.
Eyssimont appears to be like again on his three seasons with the Reign as being his most formative as a professional participant.
“I’m not a man that’s going to go and run my mouth and combat everybody however I’m a man who will play tougher than anybody else on the ice,” stated Eyssimont. “It’s what acquired me right here to the NHL and it’s what I discovered taking part in in a extremely powerful Pacific Division again within the AHL. Lots of people don’t understand that division with Ontario, San Diego, San Jose and Bakersfield and Stockton. This group of gamers that performed in that league, you see them round – (Windfall powerful man) Jeffrey Viel is certainly one of them – they’ll attest to how powerful it’s to play in that division, particularly as a younger man coming from faculty. That’s one thing I discovered fast in my professional profession.”
To this point in camp, Eyssimont has been on a line with Kuraly and hard-nosed middle/wing Mark Kastelic. We nonetheless have an extended option to go earlier than puck drops on opening evening in Washington on Oct. 8, however it could not be a shock if that’s the fourth line that fits up for the opener.
“There’s all the time modifications which can be potential, however as of now, it’s been a blast taking part in with these two,” stated Kastelic. “I believe we praise one another properly on the market. There’s slightly little bit of expertise with these two guys. They’ve been round a bit. They each play an sincere, exhausting recreation and that’s one thing I actually respect so it’s been enjoyable taking part in with them and constructing chemistry.”
After 4 years in Columbus, Kuraly is in his second tour of obligation with the B’s. This Bruins’ group has a a lot totally different make-up from the one he left in 2021, however that simplifies issues as properly.
“You look across the room with the talent set that we have now and it looks like a fairly black-and-white blueprint for this group of how we wish to achieve success and the way we wish to play,” stated Kuraly. “As a participant, you simply need black-and-white and clear goals, and that’s what we’re proper now.”
When you want high-end talent to compete within the NHL, fourth strains can play an necessary position in dictating the tone and the vibe for all the group. You possibly can anticipate to see a variety of the underside six this yr, whoever earns a spot on these strains, stated coach Marco Sturm.
“I’m coach who depends on the (the third and fourth strains) quite a bit,” stated Sturm. “For those who have a look at everybody’s schedule this yr due to the Olympics, it’s going to be so many video games (bunched collectively). That’s why the third and fourth line, we want them. We want a variety of good minutes out of them, not simply taking part in heavy and doing this and that, however they’ve acquired to assist us out. They’ve acquired to assist out the massive guys, the veterans as a result of we want these sort of minutes.”
After the primary day of camp, Eyssimont was intrigued by the type of play that Sturm desires to play.
“It’s thrilling. He has a smile on his face explaining it to us. It’s the type of play that appears like we’re going to be taking part in is a quick one and an offensive-minded one, a odor blood within the water and go sort of offense,” stated Eyssimont. “Clearly all of it begins with construction and that’s one thing that we’ll all have to purchase in and be taught right here at camp. However from there, there’s a variety of velocity right here. I believe it’’s going to be a extremely enjoyable, thrilling type of hockey to play.”
Wins received’t come simply for this group. The B’s should grind them out. Eyssimont is aware of the project and he’s prepared and keen to hold it out.
