by Jordan Conn | AHL On The Beat
It’s rare to find a player who scores points, racks up penalty minutes, and is an active member of the community. The Boston Bruins organization has found a rare gem Jeffrey Viel.
A seventh-year pro, Viel signed a two-year, two-way contract with Boston during last summer’s free agency period and has found his way into the organization. He has two goals – including a shorthanded, game-winning goal on Nov. 8 against Bridgeport – with two assists in 43 penalty minutes and a combined average of 1 in 19 games for the Providence Bruins this season.
The forward knew the Bruins were the perfect place for him.
“It was good. That’s why I signed here,” said Viel. “The culture here is amazing and the opportunity to be a leader played a big role in me coming here.”
The native of Rimouski, Quebec, knows that being a leader is not just a job assigned to those who wear a letter on their jersey. Viel shows his leadership every day by how hard he works even off the ice.
“My game is the way of Boston and the Providence Bruins,” Viel said. “I play hard and I play physical, I keep the game simple and I get to the net. That was my career game.”
However, the head coach of Providence Ryan Mougenel he saw early on that Viel was a good role model for the younger players on his team, and awarded him an “A” on his jersey when one of the team’s captains was recalled by Boston.
“He’s a great person, a great teammate, and a student of the game,” Mougenel said. “He certainly spent a lot of time on his job. He plays the right way and has a really good skill.”
Mougenel also knew a player like Viel could easily transition into the Providence locker room.
“The boys see how good a player he is and how hard he works,” said Mougenel. “That’s why it’s seamless for him.”
Bruins management rewarded Viel for his performance early in the AHL season and sent him back to Boston for the Nov. 18 against Columbus. In that opportunity, Viel showed the impact he can make on the game with his physical style of play.
“I thought he did a great job stepping up and doing what he did,” said Mougenel. “In principle, I thought he was really good. I think they know he can play there.”
Viel’s public ice minutes increased, as did point totals and penalty minutes, often resulting from physically checking teammates. He recently took a trip to the Hotel for Homeless Dogs, where he spent time showing love to currently homeless animals.
“I like investing in the community,” said Viel. “It’s an important part of being a professional hockey player, giving back to the people and the fans, while getting to know the area a little bit. I always like to contribute.”
And while Viel looks forward to more opportunities to give back to his community, he’s also looking for more ways he can contribute to help his team win hockey games.
