It was a Wayne Cashman moment. The legendary Bruins winger in the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s owned that corner in the old Boston Garden, and every other rink that happened to have similar real estate.
Cashman (1,027 games, 516 career assists, 2 Cups) looked happiest and performed best when there was mayhem to embrace. Particularly in his corner office, where he’d invariably skate the puck out with a pile of beaten bodies stacked up in his wake.
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If you wanted to start trouble, Cash was your guy. If you wanted the nonsense to stop, oh yeah, Cash was your guy. If you wanted to grind the puck into the slot, well … now look who we have here!
“I’ve heard about him, and just know he’s a legend,” the soft-spoken Kastelic said postgame Saturday, a visitor to his locker noting the Cashman-esque flair he displayed on setting up Minten’s tally. “But I’d be lying if I said I’ve seen a lot of footage of his playing days.”
At 6 feet, 4 inches, and 234 pounds, the hulking, chiseled Kastelic is 3 inches taller and some 50 pounds heavier than Cashman’s playing specs. He is also a better skater than the famed No. 12, something he has showcased this season with his surprisingly agile footwork on the penalty kill.
In short, Kastelic is far more versatile than how he was cast last season, in part because one of new coach Marco Sturm’s first decisions was to convert him from a center to wing.
Bruins center-turned-winger Mark Kastelic (47) has acquitted himself quickly to fight for the puck in the corners, like here against hulking Ottawa defenseman Artem Zub last month.Sean Kilpatrick/Associated Press
“Yeah, to be honest, I wasn’t jumping up and down happy about that,” mused a smiling Kastelic. “But I get it, it’s a business, and if that’s where I’m best to help the team, I’m all for it — and it makes me more valuable.
“I’m not a guy who complains, anyway. My feeling is, if they ask me to be a defenseman, I’ll do that.”
Given the club’s mounting injuries on the backline, where the Bruins are hurting for a right-shot defenseman, that kind of crazy talk could get “Kasty” sent directly to the backline with hard hat and lunch pail. For now, though, his game at wing hints that he could evolve as a power forward of some consequence — a role that has been left vacant since the day a battered Cam Neely hobbled up the tunnel some 20 years ago.
Now, that’s not to say that the 26-year-old Kastelic projects as the next Neely. The comparison wouldn’t be fair to either party. But if his game evolves, particularly if he carves a niche in the corner, Kastelic could turn out to be an unexpected and vital offensive force — capable of playing in the top six and helping out on the power play.
The size and raw tools are there, including Kastelic’s competitive drive and his bountiful will to fight. His ceiling now will be determined by skill refinement, particularly foot work and puck possession amid the corner craziness — traits that Cashman fashioned into an art form.
Since his recent move from center to the wing, Mark Kastelic has shown some glimpses of the type of game Bruins legend Wayne Cashman (12) used to shine for 17 seasons in Boston. TLUMACKI, JOHN GLOBE STAFF PHOTO
“Protecting pucks and keeping more pucks alive,” said Sturm postgame, first acknowledging that he saw some of that from Kastelic early in the season, too. “And finding guys in the middle. This is something we work on a lot in practice. If we practice, we try to do that, just have that mindset.
“He’s so strong. You can’t really push him … that’s why he gets those opportunities to make those kind of plays.”
Adding to it all, noted Sturm, has been the pleasure in seeing how the trio of Tanner Jeannot, Minten, and Kastelic has bonded as an effective, dependable third line.
“I’m just happy these three guys connect,” he added, “because … now they’re not Morgan Geekie, that’s the difference, but they work … they work the right way. I think [Kastelic] is still learning the offensive part. He’s probably not used to this. I think now he gets more comfortable and thinks, ‘OK, I can make more plays, too.’ It just takes time.”
Sturm’s mention of Geekie offered an interesting, unintended comparison. Geeklie arrived here only 2½ years ago, a free-agent hire meant to bring some integrity to the No. 3 or 4 center spot. He didn’t evolve as one of the game’s top goal-scoring forces until the second half of last season, at age 26, and not until he was moved from center to wing. Now he’s chasing Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon for the NHL goal lead.
In Geekie’s case, the move from center to wing allowed him to feature his best asset: one of the game’s fastest, strongest shots. For Kastelic, the shift to life along the wall has allowed him to feature his size and strength. We’re just beginning to see what might unfold.
Someone for Mark Kastelic to model his newfound wing game after? How about veteran Capitals right wing Tom Wilson, who is coming off a career-best 65-point season and, at 31 years old, is producing so far at over a point-per-game pace this year. Nick Wass/Associated Press
Setting aside the comps of Bruins legends Cashman and Neely, maybe Kastelic could develop into something of a Tom Wilson — the menacing, feared Washington right winger who is identical in size and shape (6-4, 225). Wilson’s game is more refined, though, his resume deeper and more accomplished (after a career-high 65 points last season, the 31-year-old Capital owns a 17-14–31 line in 29 games headed into Sunday’s game vs. Columbus).
If Kastelic can get there, or even get to the same neighborhood, it could be his work in the corner that vaults him to that level.
Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at kevin.dupont@globe.com.