All Marat Khusnutdinov was looking for was an opportunity.
Despite breaking camp in the NHL ranks this fall, the 23-year-old forward found himself riding on the carousel of fourth-line wingers on Boston’s depth chart to open the 2025-26 campaign.
Entering Tuesday’s home game against the Islanders, Khusnutdinov had appeared in just six of Boston’s first 11 games of the season.
The 2020 second-round pick’s crafty puck play and crisp edge work painted the picture of an NHL forward with legitimate middle-six upside. But through the first three-plus weeks of NHL action, he couldn’t crack a spot beyond Boston’s checking line.