SCOC caught up with Brazeau who discussed being a “complementary” player, keeping that net-front mindset and not getting down when encountering a rough stretch in his game or the team’s.
SCOC caught up with Justin Brazeau after a recent practice before the team headed on the road trip.
Brazeau, 26, made his NHL debut with the Boston Bruins at the tail end of the 2023-24 season coming off a few good seasons with Providence. During that time, he showed his potential of being a physical player and big on the forecheck.
This season, that has continued as the coaching staff has slotted him into a top-six forward position.
Brazeau has 14 points in 30 games – tied for fourth on the team in points. He said he’s seen how his game has grown with a more rigorous schedule compared to the AHL.
Adjusting
“The biggest thing was probably getting used to playing more often throughout the week,” he said. “I think in the American League it’s a lot more weekend games. You have to prepare yourself a little differently that way, but it’s tough both ways.”
“The schedule is different,” Brazeau added. “When you’re playing more often, you have to get ready for that.”
In his first full season as a pro, Brazeau said he’s seen his confidence grow with added responsibilities. The season has been a learning experience for the 26-year-old who’s played alongside veterans on the top two lines.
“It’s just been my confidence,” Brazeau said. “Knowing that you can make the plays when they’re there and knowing when you have a little bit more time and kind of getting used to the pace.”
“I try to read off them and let those guys with so much skill be able to have a little bit more time and space to make their plays and try to make their life a little easier,” Brazeau said.
Playing to his line
Interim Head Coach Joe Sacco has said recently that Brazeau is a player who can affect the identity of a line with his style. Brazeau also realizes he’s malleable and it works to his advantage. Brazeau has been moved around, playing with either Brad Marchand and Elias Lindholm for most of the games, or round out Morgan Geekie and Pavel Zacha’s line when they needed a boost for a game and a half.
“It’s a good boost of confidence for myself, for sure that they trust me,” Brazeau said about the coaching staff. “I’m a player that I’ve always been able to kind of complement other people’s games. I have a different skill set.”
“I like doing the things that not a lot of other people necessarily enjoy,” he said. “I like going to the net. I like getting on the forecheck and stuff like that.”
Get to the net
Sacco has said Brazaeu is most effective when he’s creating a net-front presence, getting down low to boost production when the Bruins are five-on-five.
“It’s important any time a team is struggling to score, when you’re able to hang onto pucks longer down in the offensive zone and wear teams out, make them a little tired — stuff starts to open up,” Brazeau said. “If I’m able to make sure I’m at the net so when people get in trouble, they can rim it down low to me and I’m able to extend plays. It’s huge for them and the game going forward.”
Recharging the power in the power play
The power play has struggled for the better part of this season. But in the last four out of six games, special teams have been able to capitalized on one advantage in each of those four games.
The Bruins power play still sits second to last in the league at 13.0%. Brazeau said it’s going to be about simplifying and playing a more direct style on the power play. He said that’s something he like’s and what’s to bring to his unit to bring more scoring chances
“I want to be the guy at the net, especially when there’s a man down on the opposing team,” Brazeau said. You tend to be less tied up and more free there. I think helping with taking goalies’ eyes away or trying to make sure that if we get a Puck in the spot, just getting into the net following it the net and getting a lot of people there. that’s what I can help out.”
Staying the course
The Bruins’ locker room has thrown around needing to have the “believability” factor since Sacco took over.
“My mindset is always that I never really worry about the points,” he said. “If you play the right way and do the right things, stuff is going to come. I had a bit of a struggle to start the year.”
Brazeau said he felt he’s played OK, but he’s still not at his best over the last 10 or so games.
“It’s weird,” he added, “I’m able to still put myself in a spot where I’ve been lucky, I just focus on trying to play the right way every night and the best that I can and that will sort itself out.”
Over the years, Brazeau has played in several different leagues. From the OHL to the ECHL to the AHL and now NHL, he said those experiences of highs and lows, back and forth between leagues and injuries keep him grateful for the position he’s in now. He said it’s helped him with this first half of the season and his transition to a permanent spot on the Bruins’ roster.
“It’s definitely helped with knowing when you’re going through rough stretches and tough parts of the year, I can fall back on the fact that I’ve been around a lot of places, sent down a couple of times, called up and all that,” Brazeau said. “I can work through that and little things, knowing little breaks in the game aren’t going to crack me and get me off my game and just being able to stick with it and accept that.”