Trent Frederic has come a long way since being drafted 29th overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. At the time of his selection, many fans immediately soured on the idea of what Frederic could be, especially after then-director of amateur scouting Keith Gretzky admitted that the team didn’t view him as a top-six forward. This also came on the heels of the infamous 2015 Entry Draft, the team’s first under general manager Don Sweeney. Fast-forward eight years and 280 games of NHL action, however, and the narrative and sentiment surrounding Frederic are anything but sour.
The 26-year-old St. Louis native has proven season after season that he has the makings of a very good NHL forward. Though it may have taken him some time to put it all together, that can be said about most players who transition from amateur to professional play. For Frederic, the transition wasn’t always easy and was far from seamless, but the outcome far outweighs the growing pains.
At 6 foot 3 and 220 pounds, Frederic’s size was never going to come into question at the NHL level. A professional frame from a young age helped Frederic perform at the collegiate level and in the AHL, but it wasn’t going to separate him from his peers in the NHL. Instead, he had to learn what it took to be a pro while playing alongside a team that featured a plethora of teammates who could help him reach his potential. To Frederic’s credit, all of this tutelage did not go to waste as he’s consistently put in work and reaped the benefits every year.
Since his official rookie season in 2020-21, Frederic has improved in every statistical category each season. In his first season, he skated in 42 games and recorded four goals and five points. He put up eight goals and 18 points in 60 games in his sophomore season before taking another hefty jump in his third season in the NHL. Playing in 79 games, Frederic scored 17 goals and 31 points, nearly doubling his goal and point totals from the season prior. This made Frederic’s 18-goal, 40-point, 82-game campaign during the 2023-24 season even more satisfying as he still clearly hadn’t hit his ceiling. It did, however, earn him the NESN 7th Player Award, presented annually to the Bruins player who best exceeded the expectations of fans during the season, as voted on by the fans.
All of this is to say that the 2024-25 season will be an intriguing one for Frederic.
Frederic’s Skillset Is a Luxury for the Bruins
With the Bruins spending big-time money on the first day of free agency but leaving a major gap open at wing in the top six, the door is open for a player like Frederic to etch his name into an elevated role. The expectation is that one of Fabian Lysell or Georgii Merkulov will grab the proverbial brass ring and claim that top-six winger spot, but there are no guarantees that either is ready to make such a jump to the NHL. If the Bruins determine this is the case, then an internal candidate like Frederic, Matt Poitras or Morgan Geekie could have a chance to break through the glass ceiling and jump up a line.
Related: Bruins’ Lysell and Merkulov Could Compete for Top-6 Role
Frederic’s game lends itself well to any style of play at the NHL level. A player who isn’t afraid to play physically and make an impact with his size, Frederic’s ability to play in the bottom six needs no explanation. Considering that Frederic’s offensive game continues to improve each season, in addition to his responsible two-way nature and ability to play well in all three zones, the Bruins have been lucky to have Frederic as a third-line mainstay. At the same time, this skill set sounds like exactly the kind of power forward teams covet in their top six.
Realistically, Frederic’s game shouldn’t suffer regardless of where he skates in the lineup. He impacts the game in too many ways and seems to gel with just about every linemate he’s ever skated with, making him the perfect utility option for the Bruins to explore when they plan for training camp and the preseason. If he maintains the same offensive output he did last season while also remaining an impact player without the puck on his stick, he’ll already have been well worth the 29th pick used on him in 2016. If he can continue to elevate his game and improve his point output, even while playing outside of the top six, it’ll just be gravy. For a Bruins team looking to capitalize on this brief retool, he’s exactly the kind of player they’ll need in their lineup.