The Merlot Line may have a new addition — but the Bruins won’t confirm it yet.

Carl Soderberg, the 6-foot-3-inch, 210-pound Swedish forward, skated with Boston’s fourth line for most of practice Friday morning. The Bruins skated for about an hour before departing TD Garden for Chicago.

Soderberg wore a wine-colored practice jersey and skated alongside Rich Peverley and Shawn Thornton for a majority of the drills.

Kaspars Daugavins, who played in the last five playoff games, wore a green jersey, normally reserved for the scratched players. Daugavins took a few rushes with Peverley and Thornton toward the end of practice.


Boston coach Claude Julien would not say whether Soderberg would be in the lineup for Game 5.

“I was just trying something else here,” Julien said. “Just a different look.”

After practice, Soderberg said he was unsure of his status.

“I haven’t talked to Coach yet, so I don’t know what’s happening tomorrow,” he said. “I have been practicing for a long time now, so I feel ready.”

Soderberg was traded to the Bruins in 2007. He played his entire career in Europe until April, when he agreed to a contract with Boston after months of negotiations. Soderberg has been practicing with the team since then.

“I’ve been here for 11 weeks now so I know the system,” Soderberg said. “I haven’t played games in a while, but if I’m playing tomorrow, it will go well. I know everything.”

The 27-year-old led the Swedish Elite League this season with 31 goals.

Daugavins has played only 52 minutes over his six playoff games. He took only nine shifts in Game 4, logging less than six minutes of ice time. He has not registered a point and missed an open net in the third overtime of Game 1.

After practice Friday morning, the team boarded buses in TD Garden’s parking lot. There were about 1,000 fans there to greet them. Some fans arrived by 9 a.m. The Bruins walked out a few minutes before noon.


The crowd, mostly dressed in black and gold, cheered as the players walked by, calling out familiar chants like “Let’s go Bruins!” and “We want the Cup!”

Some players, including goalie Tuukka Rask, spent about 10 minutes giving autographs.

It was the longest day of the year, and the hottest day in Boston in a while. The sun beamed on the pavement, and Bruins staff members handed out water to some fans in the front of the line.