Bruins will stick with the buttoned-down look

The Arizona Coyotes became the first NHL team to fully relax the league’s suit-and-tie game-day dress code to allow players to express themselves how they choose through their fashion sense, according to an ESPN story.

While the league has a suit, tie and dress pants policy for game days, it does allow individual teams to set their own standards. Arizona is taking the league up on it.

The Coyotes are following the trend set by the NBA and NFL.

But don’t expect the Bruins to be following suit any time soon. Brad Marchand, an alternate captain and unquestionably one of the team leaders, favors the buttoned-down look.

“I just think our team holds ourselves to a little different standard. It’s not something I think is really on the radar for our group right now,” said Marchand on Saturday.

“We’re a professional sport and we’re supposed to show up looking presentable. I think it’s a good thing. I understand they’re trying to show a different side of the game and try to be a little more like basketball and show some character and stuff like that, but again, we’re professionals in here and we should dress like it.”

Coach Bruce Cassidy conceded that some jeans and sneakers these days can be more expensive than what’s traditionally considered dress clothing. But he’s as old school as Marchand. And despite some of the trends, he doesn’t believe that the dress-down look for game days is inevitable.

“I think there’s (something to) looking professional when you got to work. There’s nothing wrong with that,” said Cassidy. “I think the guys like to dress up, to be honest with you. I’m not saying they’re all going to make fashion statements. (David Pastrnak) is one guy who really likes it. Marchy will try some things, and (Patrice Bergeron). As for affordability, they make good money so that’s usually not an issue. I don’t think it necessarily should change. I understand if you’re jumping on a plane for six hours, we allow the guys to (to wear) team-issued track suits sometimes, or something like that. I get it. You don’t want to be sitting in a suit. But I think you want to look sharp and presentable. I guess if the whole team came to me and it was a thing, is it going to make you play better or not? I don’t know. Then I could see other teams doing whatever Arizona is doing in that case. I just think it’s a nice part of the game, guys looking sharp when they get off the bus or plane and walking into the rink. So I hope it doesn’t change.”

This line clicking

The third line of Jake DeBrusk, Erik Haula and Nick Foligno was given the night off, but the trio looks like it could be a productive unit. They all picked up at least one point in Thursday’s 4-2 win over the Flyers.

“They seem to have chemistry. They’re moving the puck around,” said Cassidy. “They’re all new to each other. So sometimes there’s no built-in biases or anything like that. It’s worked out so far. Jake and Haula like to play straight lines, with speed, and Foligno will go to the net. One thing about Nick is he’s been around and he’s smart. He can probably complement a lot of players in a lot of different ways with the way he plays the game. He certainly has the IQ to keep up with anybody he plays with.”

Foligno also likes the idea that it’s a brand new line.

“I think it just makes it fun,” said Foligno. “You’re learning new things about your teammates every day, which I love doing. I love trying to find ways to bring out the best in people. As an older player, you enjoy that. You enjoy learning what makes somebody tick. I think we’re enjoying finding that out about each other. We’re laughing on the bench saying ‘Oh man, I completely screwed that up last night.’ and you laugh and work your way through it and grow through it. So I think we’re enjoying that and looking to get better every day.”

This and that

Marchand, who stayed off the ice on Friday for what Cassidy had termed a “maintenance day,” was back on the ice Saturday morning with the non-game practice group. While he was not expected to be in Saturday’s lineup he returned to the ice with the game practice group and apparently talked his way into the lineup.

“I think he just wanted the day off (Friday). He should have just asked me,” joked Cassidy.

Steven Fogarty, who has been out since getting hit in the head by Washington’s Dylan McIlrath, returned to the ice in a red non-contact jersey. McIlrath was suspended for two preseason and two regular season games.

Jakub Lauko, who missed several days with a lower body injury, was also back at in a red jersey.

Cassidy said the plan is for Charlie Coyle to play the final preseason game on Wednesday at the Garden. After offseason knee surgery, Coyle has slowly been worked in with the main group, wearing the red non-contact jersey for the first week.

The B’s made some cuts on Saturday, sending goalies Callum Booth and Jeremy Broduer, D Jack Dougherty and Andrew Peski and Fs Ian McKinnon, Eduards Tralmaks and Alex-Olivier Voyer to Providence.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3a0R87G