The Boston Bruins snapped their two-game skid with a dominant 5-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night, and Brad Marchand offered high praise for the team’s newest addition, Oliver Wahlstrom.
“He’s a great shooter,” Marchand said of Wahlstrom in Vancouver, per team-provided video. “He’s a very, very dangerous shot. He’s almost like a big Pasta (David Pastrnak) the way he can shoot a puck. He’ll be a weapon in that aspect, and then he seems to be strong on it and competes, so looking forward to having him (join the team).”
Wahlstrom, who was claimed off waivers over the weekend, took part in his first Bruins practice Monday ahead of their matchup with the Calgary Flames on Tuesday. However, the 24-year-old forward was quick to dismiss comparisons to the Bruins’ superstar winger.
“I didn’t hear about that,” Wahlstrom said with a laugh, per team-provided video. “That’s outrageous. Pasta is Pasta. Obviously, the shot’s there, but I’ve been working on a lot of other things in my game.”
A Portland, Maine native and former first-round draft pick, Wahlstrom described the chance to suit up for the Bruins as a “dream come true.”
“That was pretty cool. Obviously, I grew up watching (Marchand) play,” Wahlstrom said. “… I don’t know if it’s sunk in yet. It’s a dream come true to be back home where my family and friends live.”
Bruins interim head coach Joe Sacco didn’t commit to when Wahlstrom might make his debut but acknowledged it was good to see him on the ice with the team.
“He rotated in with two lines today,” Sacco said, per team-provided audio. “We have not made any decisions yet as far as who’s playing or who’s not (Tuesday against the Flames). … It was an opportunity for us to see him in a full skate with the team, which was good.”
Whether Wahlstrom cracks the lineup against Calgary remains to be seen, but the Bruins are aiming for back-to-back wins as they continue their five-game road trip. Puck drop is set for 9 p.m. ET at the Scotiabank Saddledome, with coverage beginning an hour earlier on NESN.
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