BOSTON (CBS) — With a physique that resembles Aquaman more than He-Man, Loui Eriksson does not strike an intimidating figure like Cam Neely, Terry O’Reilly or even Milan Lucic.

That’s a burden the Bruins forward has had to carry ever since he was acquired as part of the package Boston received from Dallas in the Tyler Seguin trade. He’s aware of his shortcomings in the face of some expectations from the Bruins’ fan base, and maybe even some members of their brass.

“I know I heard from friends like they’re comparing, I’m not a ‘Bruins player.’ But I think I am. Because I can play in all three zones and I can play in all situations and I feel good in that way,” he said after the first on-ice day of training camp Friday at TD Garden. “I’m not maybe the biggest hitter out there. But I’m trying to use my stick instead and taking pucks from other guys. So I feel good about my game and I think I’ve been having a great summer. I feel good in my shape and everything, so I’m looking forward to everything.”

Eriksson was responding to a question about his comfort level in Boston. That topic is sure to come up a lot this season because he is entering the last year of a six-year contract that pays him $4.25 million per season. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent next summer if he doesn’t re-sign.

To win over the Bruins, Eriksson might consider running some guys over or bashing some guy’s head into the glass. Don’t expect the gentlemanly Eriksson to do either of those things any time soon.

“Maybe if I see someone, I’ll try to do it,” he said with a chuckle. “But that’s never been my game. That’s how I’ve been playing even since I came here over and played in Dallas. So I’m not going to change much of that. I’m just going to bring my type of play of game and try to help the team as best as I can.”

Despite speculation, general manager Don Sweeney’s changes in an effort to get the Bruins back in the playoffs after they missed the postseason for the first time in eight years last season didn’t include trading Eriksson.

Now that he’s back, Eriksson, who led all Bruins forwards in ice time at 18:28 last season, figures to play a top-six role this season. Mostly he played on the third line with departed center Carl Soderberg last season. But on the first day of camp, Eriksson was separate from most of Boston’s other top forwards and he practiced on a line with AHLer Alexander Khokhlachev and 2015 first-round draft pick Jake DeBrusk.

As long as he’s with the Bruins and their depth chart looks the way it does, Eriksson will have to find a spot in the top six. Last season he was second on the team with 47 points. He never really found chemistry during his brief time skating on the wing next to either center David Krejci or Patrice Bergeron. Eriksson’s two-way game, though, should make him a fit for the line that’s anchored by Bergeron and Brad Marchand.

Bergeron and Marchand don’t need much physicality added to their line, as proven by Seguin and Reilly Smith’s success there in recent years. Marchand appreciates what Eriksson does, even if the Swede doesn’t get the job done in a manner Bruins observers crave.

“I think that’s more the Swedish style, you know. Those pretty boys,” Marchand said. “But Loui, yeah, he’s very deceiving. You kind of see him, he’s not the thickest guy. But he’s really strong, deceivingly strong, and very talented. And I think you can see that Loui is getting a lot more comfortable on the ice. Even off the ice with the guys this year, he’s a lot more comfortable speaking with everyone and opening up a bit more.”

At least twice during practice Friday, Eriksson laid out a guy to win a puck battle. The will is there and the battles get won, whether he’s using his leverage to drop an opponent or just using his natural slickness. The Bruins never saw the real Eriksson in 2013-14, as he battled through two concussions and had 10 goals in 67 games. Last season he took a quantum leap forward and now he deserves appreciation for the high-caliber player he is.

With his health and confidence back at the levels they were at when he was dropping 70 points a season with Dallas, Eriksson might be ready to cash in when this season is through. Along the way, the Bruins could reap the rewards.

Matt Kalman covers the Bruins for CBSBoston.com and also contributes to NHL.com and several other media outlets. Follow him on Twitter @TheBruinsBlog.