Anders Bjork at least appears to be on the right track these days. Bjork, who was once thought of by Bruins management as a top-six wing when he first turned pro, has been taking to his role as a bottom-six grinder lately. He’s been around the net more and done a pretty good job of forcing turnovers in the offensive zone.

But will that track he’s on right now lead to more production? Bjork still had just two goals and three assists in 29 games after Boston’s 4-1 loss to Pittsburgh on Thursday night.

Coach Bruce Cassidy is still in wait-and-see mode on that one.

“I don’t know if the production will come. We certainly hope so. With Anders, we’re not expecting him to score like a first or second-line player necessarily, but contribute. Then you just hope there’s growth over time – (you hope) his shot gets better, his attack, his decisions, understanding what you can get away with,” said Cassidy before the game against the Penguins.

To get players more involved, Cassidy has at times put them on the penalty kill. It was starting to help the struggling Jake DeBrusk before he went out of the lineup on the COVID protocol list two weeks ago. Bjork believes it’s helped him, too, and hopes it leads to bigger and better things.

“I’m really trying to take pride in my penalty kill this year. It’s something I’ve been focusing on a lot and working with the coaches on. It gets me on the ice more, it gets me more in the game, a couple extra minutes. And it’s huge for our team,” said Bjork. “I think that it’s been contributing these last couple of games here. I’ve been playing with some more confidence and getting around the net more, making a few more plays. I’m just trying to keep focusing on that. I’m just trying to get more pucks on net and get to the net myself more, because that’s how you start breaking over that cusp and start scoring goals.”

SINCE TAKING OVER four years ago, Cassidy has never shied away from criticizing players when warranted. It is not done sarcastically and caustically, but it is direct and can be brutally honest.

In the last couple of days, Cassidy has not only pointed out the current shortcomings of his bottom-six newer players, but also his top goal-scorer in David Pastrnak. Cassidy said it should not come as a surprise to a player if he reads an unpleasant quote about himself.

“I don’t think any player or any person wants to get called out through the media. I understand that,” said Cassidy. “My challenging of players has always gone through the player first. It’s not like I’m a silent guy on the bench and between periods and then all of a sudden, I get asked a question post-game and I’m all over a guy. Everything you’ve heard, I’d say 95% of the time has already gone through the player’s ears and been addressed, why and what the expectation is.

JEREMY LAUZON, stepping back up to play on the top pair with Charlie McAvoy, had a rough night on Tuesday. Two of his miscues ended up immediately in the back of the net. It certainly helped Lauzon’s frame of mind that the Bruins were able to come back and win the game, but he knows he has to park those mistakes and move on.

“Obviously I think it’s a work in progress,” said Lauzon. “I’ve been working on it a lot since junior years and I think I’m now really good at it, just leaving it in the past, show character, and know that you can keep playing good even if you make mistakes.”

JAKE DEBRUSK, on the COVID list for two weeks, returned to the ice for the first time on Thursday morning, skating on his own prior to the team’s optional morning skate.

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