Anthony Richard is expected to make his Bruin debut on Saturday and, if he brings the same energy to the game against the Washington Capitals at the Garden (3:30, ABC) that he brought to his media scrum after practice on Friday, the B’s might have something in the speedy winger.

Coach Jim Montgomery said there’s “a real good chance” the 27-year-old AHL veteran will be in the lineup against the Caps. He took all the shifts on the fourth line with center Jesper Boqvist and Danton Heinen in practice at Warrior Ice Arena.

After the session, the loquacious Richard all but confirmed he was indeed penciled in. Eager doesn’t begin to describe how he feels about his chance.

“I was waiting for the chance for a while. We’ve been playing well down there. We have a good team. We’re first or second in the league and I really like Providence. I’ve really enjoyed my time there,” said Richard. “But once you start playing good and you’re feeling good about your game and you see guys get hurt or sick or out of the lineup, you start thinking about having those looks in the NHL, so I’ve been thinking about it the last month or so when my game was really good. Like I told management and Monty (on Thursday), I’m really happy to be here and I’ll try to do my to help the team keep winning. I watch pretty much all their games. They’re a fun team to watch so I’m excited to play with these guys.”

Richard has played in the NHL before, but not extensively. A fourth round draft pick of the Nashville Predators in 2015, he played one game for the Preds in 2018-19 and another one in 2019-20. After bouncing from Chicago, Milwaukee and Syracuse of the AHL, he caught on with the Canadiens’ organization last year and had his best pro season with Laval (AHL), posting 30-37-67 totals in 60 games. He got a look with Montreal, scoring three goals with two assists in 13 games, but he signed with the B’s organization in the offseason.

The speed is what intrigues Montgomery.

“We’d like to create more anxiety in other teams. There’s different ways to do that. Speed is one of them. It really makes people back off or make plays quicker than they want to,” said Montgomery. “He’s had a real good year in Providence, just shy of 40 points, almost a point a game. But more importantly, he’s got five shorthanded goals and we’ll slowly hope to break him into penalty kill situations. But his tenacity on pucks, his forechecking ability and his speed to take people wide and take it to the net and finish at the net is something that we’’re looking forward to see how it translates for us. And for him.”

Richard has 19-19-38 totals in 41 games, but he’s really heated up lately. He’s got 14-9-23 totals in his last 17 games.

Much like Boqvist, it took him some time to get adjusted to the B’s 200-foot, defense-to-offense system. Now we’ll see if he’s able to implement what he’s learned at the NHL level like Boqvist has.

“My reads and where you (have to be) on the ice is a lot different than Montreal,” said the Quebec native. “It’s completely a different system that they’re playing. It took me about a month or so to get adjusted, especially in the D-zone, to get in the right position to get offense. But once I had the help of coaches down there, my game really started to be back like last year in Laval and Montreal. I’d say since Christmas, it’s been the best I’ve played in pro hockey.”

Richard credited his linemates Jayson Megna and Patrick Brown, as well as the Bruins’ organization focus on not just statistical production but what a player does to help the team win.

“I’m really impressed with how the whole things is going on. I’m really happy about it,” said Richard, who added that being put on the penalty kill in Providence helped him find his game.

He learned he was getting the call-up five minutes after hopping on the ice for practice in Providence on Thursday, the first time he was on the ice after the AHL All-Star break. With Matt Poitras’ season-ending surgery, Boston was down to 12 forwards, and there was word that Brad Marchand was iffy for the game. He got off the ice, grabbed a meal and made a futile attempt at a nap before heading up I-95 to Boston.

“I was a little bit nervous because I hadn’t skated for five days so my legs were a little rusty in warmup,” said Richard, who appears to be in line to take Oskar Steen’s spot on the fourth line against the Caps. “So when Marchy told me he was good to go, I was a little disappointed in not playing but in some part I was happy not playing because my legs were pretty tired. I was ready to go for sure but I was not in the best game shape. Having a good practice was really good for me.”

Richard had his dress rehearsal on Thursday. The bright lights, a national television audience and Alex Ovechkin await him on Saturday.