Frederic continued what is, arguably, the best stretch of hockey he has played as an NHLer as he tallied a goal and an assist to help pace the Bruins to a 4-0 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night in the club's road trip opener. The 24-year-old now has points in four of his last five games (three goals, three assists) and appears to be increasingly confident playing with Coyle and Hall on Boston's new-look third line.
"Those two have helped a lot," said Frederic, who now has 11 points (six goals, five assists) in 22 games, just seven shy of his career high from last season (18 in 60 games). "They've been really positive to me, the coaching staff has been really good. [Coach Jim Montgomery's] been pushing me to play with confidence. It's easier said than done but the guys around me have helped a lot.
"I think just holding on to the puck more, knowing that I have maybe an extra second, believing in my skills and the people around me…not so uptight."
The freedom and confidence with which Frederic, who was a healthy scratch in the season opener, has been playing with of late has been obvious to his coaches and teammates alike. Montgomery believes that Frederic playing on his off side - often a detriment to some players - has helped the left-shot make better decisions with the puck.
"I think slowly but surely from the first game of the season where he didn't play, he's gotten better and better," said Montgomery. "I think his confidence has grown. I think what we're seeing now is him getting close to his ceiling. Being on the off side, too, has been a real benefit for him. He can make better plays to the middle because he can carry the puck back.
"The other thing is, I didn't know he had a one-timer, now we're seeing it all the time…he's solidified himself as a third line player."