Need to Know: Bruins vs. Stars

BOSTON - Jeremy Swayman had a simple response for his coach on Friday morning.
After the Alaska native took a puck between the eyes during a practice drill, he didn't go down, he didn't shout, and he didn't skate off the ice. For Swayman, it was simply a part of the job.

"He's off to the next shot, he just keeps right on, whereas other guys might stop and pause, rightfully so," said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. "I mentioned something to him and he's like, 'Well, don't pick that position to play then.' It's like, 'All right then, we'll move on.'
"He's right, I guess. To me it's a little bit of his courage, fearlessness, composure…that tells me a little bit about his mindset out there."
It's that mentality that has turned Swayman into a Hobey Baker finalist, a top NHL goaltending prospect, and now, Boston's Opening Night goaltender. Cassidy announced on Friday afternoon that the 22-year-old will be the first rookie netminder to start the opener for the B's since Blaine Lacher in 1995.
"We obviously knew what he was capable last year but it's a new year," said Cassidy. "You sort of say, how did he spend his summer? Does he have the attitude of, 'Well, I've arrived now' or 'Hey, I'm fighting for the net every night and I want to be good in practice.' It was obviously the latter. He's a great kid that way.
"For us, I didn't think it would be a big concern, but you just don't know from year to year. He's a young - how would it shake out? He was here early in camp, working on his game, getting ready for the season. He played very well in preseason and hopefully that carries over."

Cassidy has particularly enjoyed seeing how Swayman conducts himself around the rink.
"I think the way he comports himself around the room, around the guys - he's a very humble guy for the success he's had," said Cassidy. "I think that's what, as a coach, you really enjoy about these young guys. They don't get ahead of themselves and they know that there's work to be done.
"It's not a given that you're gonna be automatically good because you had a good year or stretch. He's gonna be a guy that's always working on his craft and not getting ahead of himself."
Boston's bench boss added that he met with both Swayman and offseason acquisition Linus Ullmark on Friday to discuss the decision. Per Cassidy, Ullmark, who struggled at times during the preseason as he transitioned to a new team, understood the situation.
"We met with the goalies [Friday] morning and kind of mapped out where we were with that and our thought process," said Cassidy. "Linus understood. We need both goaltenders. One day at a time and we'll go from there. That's the conversation we had with him and that's tomorrow's starter."

Opposing View

This marks the first meeting between the Bruins and Stars since February 27, 2020.
The Stars are looking for a bounce-back season after missing the playoffs during last year's 56-game campaign, which came on the heels of their trip to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final in the Toronto bubble.
Dallas inked goalie and Bruins killer Braden Holtby to a one-year, $2 million deal over the summer. The netminder left the Stars' season opener on Thursday in New York - a 3-2 overtime victory against the Rangers - due to dehydration in the third period. It's unclear whether Holtby or former B's goalie Anton Khudobin will start on Saturday night.
After playing just three games last season due to hip surgery, former Bruins forward Tyler Seguin is back anchoring the Stars' top line.
Defenseman Miro Heiskanen picked up a goal and an assist in the Stars' win over New York. Radek Faksa and rookie Jacob Peterson - in his NHL debut - also scored for Dallas.
"They've got some good young talent, some bigger bodies that can move around the ice," said Cassidy. "At the end of the day, I think they are true to who they are, in terms of they play good team defense. They try to keep the puck out of their net first, rely on some special teams to get them over the top and be a good 5-on-5 team. I expect that's what we'll see tonight. Watched them against the Rangers, they had a tough second period but they bent but didn't break, but that's a bit of what they do and what good defensive teams do."

Wait, There's More

• After a 10-day break following the preseason finale, Cassidy cited hockey awareness when it comes to physicality as the area the Bruins will have to be most mindful of: "I have no doubt our legs will be there. I think we're skating well. Guys are excited. But hey, get your head up. This team has already played a game," said Cassidy. "They've been banging already for real; we've only been hitting each other. Don't put yourself in a vulnerable spot…guys are playing for keeps. Be careful in those high-traffic areas."
• With Curtis Lazar still considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury, Karson Kuhlman will slot in as the fourth-line right wing alongside Trent Frederic and Tomas Nosek.

Saturday's Projected Lineup

FORWARDS
Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - David Pastrnak
Taylor Hall - Charlie Coyle - Craig Smith
Jake DeBrusk - Erika Haula - Nick Foligno
Trent Frederic - Tomas Nosek - Karson Kuhlman
DEFENSEMEN
Derek Forbort - Charlie McAvoy
Mike Reilly - Brandon Carlo
Matt Grzelcyk - Connor Clifton
GOALIES
Jeremy Swayman
Linus Ullmark