LAS VEGAS –– Jeffrey Viel was patient and positive as he watched the opening four Boston Bruins’ games from the sideline.
The forward will now lace up for his season debut on Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena.
“The nice thing about him, he’s been around for a bit, so he knows,” head coach Marco Sturm said of Viel. “I was talking to him through the whole process, but I wasn’t really worried about him because his attitude was excellent, his work ethic was excellent.”
Viel will slot in on the fourth line alongside Sean Kuraly and Mark Kastelic for the 10 p.m. ET puck drop. Marat Khusnutdinov will draw out.
“It is not about [Khusnutdinov], I think he played great. He did his job,” Sturm said. “We just wanted to have a little bit of a heavier lineup today against a heavier team. Viel did an outstanding job in preseason.”
Viel, who signed a two-year deal with the Bruins last July, turned heads in training camp as a physical, depth option for the team’s bottom six. The 28-year-old wants to build off of the early success the B’s have had.
“It feels good to be in. Obviously, just trying to follow what the guys have been doing. They’ve been playing pretty well. Just going to try to play my game there,” Viel said. “Some energy, some physicality. Just keep my game simple and help the team as much as I can. Get pucks deep in the o-zone and go from there.”
Viel played five NHL games last season and spent most of the year in the AHL. He posted 37 points (13 goals, 24 assists) through 68 games with the Providence Bruins.
“It’s a great opportunity for me, so just trying to seize it and play as hard as I can,” Viel said.
Boston has three games in the next four days, starting with a veteran-heavy Vegas squad. Sturm and his group are excited to push themselves against top competition this week.
“If you look at their lineup – I don’t have to say much about that. Overall, it’s a Stanley Cup team,” Sturm said. “But we love those challenges, and I think those are the big games we all circled in. It’s gonna be great.”
