Matt Grzelcyk explains how Bruins teammate Torey Krug helped his transition to NHL

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Undersized defensemen used to have trouble making NHL rosters, but that's no longer the case.

The league has consistently moved toward a faster and more skilled type of game, and a lot of this change started after the 2004-05 lockout when new rules were introduced to make the sport more exciting. The amount of undersized players who are great skaters and highly skilled is much higher in 2020 compared to 1990, and the game is in a much better place as a result.

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Bruins forward Matt Grzelcyk is one undersized player who's carved out a nice role on an NHL roster. The 5-foot-9 defenseman is living his dream playing for the Bruins after growing up in the Boston area and starring for Boston University.

He appreciatives the guys who came into the league before him and proved that players with his type of skill set and size are valuable components of winning hockey. One of those players is his Bruins teammate Torey Krug.

"Thankfully, I've had guys like Torey (Krug) pave the way and show the game is kind of going in a different direction now," Grzelcyk said Thursday during a virtual town hall with Bruins season ticket holders. 

"You can use your skating ability more to skate away from defenders and break out pucks. I'm thankful I've had him to look up to and also just be part of this organization to learn what it takes to be a pro. I think going through that experience and going into the playoffs, you learn how to be consistent and how to treat your body the right way. I think that's been huge for me."

Krug is one of the best examples of how a smooth-skating and offensively gifted defenseman can thrive despite being listed at 5-foot-9. The 28-year-old defenseman has tallied 40-plus points in six of his seven seasons with the B's, including 49 points (nine goals, 40 assists) in 61 games this season. He's soon going to get a nice raise in his next contract as a result of this impressive offensive production, as well as the other qualities he brings to the ice.

The league's trend toward a faster and more skilled style of play bodes well for the Bruins given the current group of players on their roster and the prospects (most notably Jack Studnicka) who are coming soon.

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