Over the Bruins’ last few games, their depth has been on full display. It is one the reasons why they sit atop of the Eastern Conference 27 games into the season.
While their success has been a team effort, one player that has performed well is Anders Bjork. The third-year winger is coming off an injury-shortened campaign but has reminded Bruins fans of his importance this season.
Last season, Bjork appeared in just 20 games for the Bruins. In his limited action, the Notre Dame product had one goal and two assists. Although Bjork missed significant time due to a shoulder injury, he was inconsistent when healthy. As a result, he had a lot to prove coming into the season with other players rising through the system.
Furthermore, In 19 games, Bjork has been valuable offensively. He has four goals and three assists, including one goal on the powerplay. He has already tied his career-high in goals and been aggressive offensively. In 20 games last year, Bjork only landed 18 shots on net, which he has nearly doubled so far this season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUHgaGVRGdU
While Bjork’s play comes as no surprise, it a testament to what he has gone through. Due to various reasons, he has yet to showcase his abilities. Bjork got off to a promising start as a rookie, before an injury ended his season. Up until this year, injuries had defined his career. So far, in 2019, he has stayed healthy, and his confidence seems to be rising with every game.
Additionally, Bjork has been on fire of late. The Wisconsin native has a point in three of the Bruin’s last four games. In that span, he has two assists, including a big one Sunday night against Montreal. With Bergeron out, Bjork has helped fill the void as everyone has had to step up offensively.
After Sunday night’s victory, the Bruins have now won seven straight. During that stretch, Bjork has played some of the best hockey of his career. He is averaging a career-high of 13:15 minutes of ice-time and has seen more time on the man advantage and penalty kill. Bjork is also earning the trust of his coaches as he has been smarter with the puck and avoided putting himself in dangerous situations.
Although the season is far from over, it has been a promising start for the former fifth-round pick. The Bruins are hoping Bjork can continue his strong play as he is a key piece of their success.
