Bruins F on PTO reflects on 2020 trade out of Boston, ready to make impact
BOSTON — The Bruins brought back Danton Heinen on a PTO three years after they traded the forward to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Nick Ritchie. There’s no hard feelings for Heinen, who spent his first four seasons in Boston.
“It’s a business,” Heinen said at Warrior Ice Arena after Monday’s captain’s practice. “It caught me off guard a little bit. But that’s the nature of the beat. There’s things that happen and I loved my time here. It is what it is. No hard feelings. I’m happy to be back.”
MA only. 21+. Gambling Problem? If you or a loved one is experiencing problems with gambling, please call 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org for 24/7 support. LiveChat with a GameSense Advisor at GameSenseMA.com or call 1-800-GAM-1234MA Gambling Helpline.Heinen will compete with several others for a spot on the roster, including players in Providence who are knocking on the door of being NHL mainstays. There are no surprises when it comes to what the Bruins expect from Heinen when training camp rolls around, though. The 28-year-old knows what he has to do in order to wear the eight-spoked B.
“Yeah, I talked to (general manager Don Sweeney) and that was pretty much it,” he said. “Just come in, compete try to win your battles and go from there. I know they’re fair here and just want to get the best team on the ice. So it’s my job to try to be part of that group.”
Heinen spent the last two seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins and tallied 51 points in 141 games. When free agency rolled around, there wasn’t a ton of interest from teams. He’s versatile, can play right and left wing and can contribute in goals and assists. While he’s not a top-liner, there is something to be said for having a solid bottom-six forward.
“The market these days is tough,” Heinen said. “There’s a lot of good players out there and not a lot of spots. So it’s kind of just what it is. This is kind of where I’m at.”
He also has history with Bruins coach Jim Montgomery from their time at the University of Denver.
- All betting sites in MA will have promo codes for signing up. Don’t forget to check out BetMGM Massachusetts and DraftKings Massachusetts.
There’s a lot of familiarity for Heinen when it comes to the Bruins. And even though the team looks a little different than the first time he was here, he knows the expectations remain the same.
