Bruins fans weren't too excited when former Philadelphia enforcer Zac Rinaldo was traded to the Bruins earlier this summer. Rinaldo has a reputation in the NHL as a dirty player who is on the ice more for the physical side of the game than the hockey itself.
The stats back up the reputation. Rinaldo has been suspended three times in four seasons, and he has 572 penalty minutes through 223 career games. He finished 15th in the NHL last season in total penalty minutes despite averaging just 8:55 time-on-ice per game. Combined, that means Rinaldo has spent nearly as much time playing as he has either sitting in the penalty box or watching from press box as a suspended player.
But Rinaldo told the Bruins website he hopes to stop that trend with the Bruins.
"[My game] is going to change in a better way for the team," Rinaldo told the team website. "I don't plan on getting suspended; that's the last thing I want to do. I don't plan on taking stupid penalties; that's the last thing I want to do, is hurt my team."
Rinaldo also told the Bruins' website that he hopes he will get more of a chance to contribute on the hockey side of the game than he did with the Flyers, as he said he was limited by his role as a fourth-line player.
"I do have those tools in my toolbox -- I just have to be given that ice time, be given that opportunity to show those things," Rinaldo said to the Bruins' website. "I have them; in certain situations, I haven't been able to show them, and in some situations, I've had to do other things that don't allow me to show those other tools that I have. Hopefully here, I can show everything that I have and put everything on the table, and take it from there."
(h/t Boston Bruins)
Photo credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
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