In most NHL dressing rooms, Mark Kastelic would stand out. Truth be told, at 6-foot-4 and a rock-solid 225 pounds, the center//wing who was acquired from Ottawa over the summer in the Linus Ullmark trade is a formidable looking player.

But in the Bruins’ room — which now boasts 6-foot-6 Nikita Zadorov, 6-foot-3 Max Jones, 6-foot-3 Andrew Peeke, 6-foot-3 John Beecher, 6-foot-5 Brandon Carlo and 6-foot-5 Mason Lohrei – Kastelic looks more like the rule than the exception.

And he likes it.

“I think that’s something stood out to me when I got traded here, how big and heavy everybody is,” said Kastelic after captain’s practice on Thursday at Warrior Ice Arena. “I fall into that category. It’s definitely different not being one of the biggest guys around. I feel pretty average here. That’s the style of hockey that everybody wants to play here this year, to be big and heavy. I think everyone’s excited for what we have in the room.”

Kastelic comes from a rough-and-tumble tradition that should please most old school B’s fans. His grandfather was Pat Staapleton, who broke in with the Bruins in the early 1960s before going on to a very good career with the Chicago Blackhawwks and his father is Ed Kastelic, who once amassed 211 penalty minutes in 45 games for the Hartford Whalers.

“There’s a lot of videos of my Dad out there, mostly fights,” said the 25-year-old Kastelic. “Definitely as a kid growing up I watched a lot of them. I get a kick out of it. He did his job and he did it well. It’s not easy to do so it’s something I look up to.”

Pugilism is in the younger Kastelic’s tool bag, but it’s not his calling card.

“It’s definitely part of my game but I don’t think that’s what defines me as a player at all,” said Kastelic. “I think I bring a lot. I have good all around game, take a lot of pride in being a good two-way forward and I think being physical and faceoffs are a strength of mine. I’m definitely not afraid to mix it up when the time calls for it.”

Kastelic is penciled in as fourth line center, though he doe bring some versatility.

“That’s another thing I take a lot of pride in, being able to play all different positions,” said Kastelic. “I definitely view myself as a natural centerman but the more versatile you are as a player, the more opportunities and good positions you can be put into. That’s a part of my game that I continue to work on over the last year or so, being able to adapt, whether it’s center or wing.”

Regardless of where Kastelic is placed in the lineup, the B’s want to have a more punishing forecheck. There are certain keys to that, he said.

“First things first, you have to be in the best shape possible and have a good conditioning level. That way you can maintain a high-drive, high-forechecking mentality,” said Kastelic. “I think as a line, it’s being on the same page as everybody else, really understanding the systems and what the coaches have in place. I think those things go together, that mentality and staying hungry for the puck, not being afraid to get in there and be physically and separate the puck from the player.”…

Jeremy Swayman, still looking to get a contract done in these last two weeks before the training camp starts, participated in Thursday’s captain’s practice, though he did not speak to reporters after the session.

His presumed back-up Joonas Korpisalo – and the club’s a possible short-term Plan B should the Swayman negotiations linger into the season – was in the house. He’s looking to have a bounce-back year after a rough one-and-done season in Ottawa after signing a five-year, $20 million deal with the Senators in the summer of 2023.

“Seeing how the Boston goalies play here, I’m really excited to see Bob (Essensa), the goalie coach and get to work with him and see what’s on his mind to make my game better,” said Korpisalo, sporting a Bruce Springsteen t-shirt.“We’ve been calling a lot. He’s not here yet but we’ve been catching up with each other throughout the summer.”

Korpisalo would like to get back to the form he had when he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings from Columbus two years ago, a short stint that helped him earn that contract with Ottawa.

“That was a good stretch. It was a good team. I got there pretty late, 10-15 games before the playoffs,” said Korpisalo. “But there’s something to learn form the playoffs. We didn’t go through. But I had good stretches before, too. It’s just being myself. That’s it.”…

The entire hockey world was rocked by the deaths of Johnny and Matt Gaudreau last week when they were bicycling and were hit by an alleged drunk driver. But it hit particularly hard for new Bruin Elias Linholm, who played with Johnny Gaudreau in Calgary. Gaudreau, Lindholm and Matthew Tkachuk comprised arguably the best line in the NHL three years ago with the Flames.

Lindholm had a hard time talking about such a painful loss.

“It’s been tough,” said the soft-spoken Swede. “I’ve only talked to my wife about it. It gives me chills right now talking about it. It’s kind of emotional. He’s was a good friend. Yeah, it’s tough.”