The Bruins embark on a troublesome four-game street journey to western Canada and the Pacific Northwest, beginning on Wednesday in Edmonton.
Here are only a few ideas on the state of the B’s whereas we surprise if these 4 video games will reveal the B’s true identification any extra efficiently than the primary 56 did:
*The protection is a professional concern, beginning with the third pairing. While coach Jim Montgomery has flipped Kevin Shattenkirk and Parker Wotherspoon regularly, he’s caught with Derek Forbort evening in, evening out. That’s comprehensible. Forbort has assumed the function of the followers’ new whipping boy and, sure, he has struggled since getting back from a keep on long-term injured reserve with a difficult groin harm.
But no less than we all know that, in his three-year stint with the B’s, he’s been a really efficient stay-at-home defenseman and penalty killer when wholesome. At the second, he’s not that. But getting him proper could be the simplest approach of solidifying that spot within the lineup. The solely approach to do this is to proceed to play him. If he hasn’t made strides by the March 8 commerce deadline, then it should be addressed one way or the other by exterior options.
Also, having a revolving door on the best facet in all probability doesn’t assist. Shattenkirk is an efficient staff participant, however his strengths traditionally have been within the offensive zone and he’s acquired two assists in his final 13 video games whereas his second power-play unit sees minimal ice time. It’s time to journey with Wotherspoon – somebody with a little bit extra net-front chew – for a handful of video games and see what that yields.
*With Hampus Lindholm’s availability for the street journey in query – we should always know extra on Wednesday – rookie Mason Lohrei was known as up on Tuesday and traveled with the staff to Edmonton. Losing Lindholm for any size of time wouldn’t be good for the B’s, irrespective of how huge the drop-off from final season has been for the massive Swede.
Still, it may very well be price it to get one other look-see on Lohrei to see how he’s progressed in his newest stint in Providence. In his final seven video games with the P-Bruins, he’s acquired 1-6-7 totals and is plus-7. If he’s an choice in any respect come playoff time, it could be good to know that earlier than the commerce deadline.
*OK, I’m all on board the Fabian Lysell prepare – no less than to see what he can do at this degree. And that has extra to do with what we’re seeing on the Boston degree than what the 2021 first-round decide has executed in Providence – and Lysell’s been productive. In his final 21 video games, he’s acquired 6-17-23 totals.
Meanwhile in Boston, Danton Heinen has been an incredible low-cost signing as a participant who will be plugged in to simply about any of the eight wing positions. But he’s not a long-term resolution within the top-six, the place he’s been taking part in on a line with Brad Marchand and Charlie Coyle. It would appear that the right-shooting Lysell could be a superb slot in that spot. It’s time to place that idea into follow and see if it’s truth.
Why hasn’t he been introduced up but? There may very well be a mixture of quite a lot of issues. Maybe after his had a disjointed 2022-23 season, administration needs to provide him a full 12 months in Providence to iron out sure deficiencies in his sport, very similar to it did with Jake DeBrusk in his first professional season. Maybe his no-impact coaching camp, when there have been spots to be earned, nonetheless provides the brass concern that he’s prepared for prime time. Perhaps there are lingering maturity points. And there’s all the time the wage cap crunch that impacts each transfer the staff makes.
But they’ve discovered a approach to take a look at quite a lot of gamers from Providence this 12 months. Lysell’s time is nigh.
*Fighting has turn into a much less integral a part of the sport, however the B’s are lacking a significant fear-factor of their lineup. That was evident in Monday’s sport when the Stars took some borderline runs at B’s defensemen and goalie Jeremy Swayman. Jason Robertson’s hit on Charlie McAvoy – a tad late however throughout the finishing-the-check margins – might have been disastrous as McAvoy’s head bounced off the glass. He was OK and it solely served to convey out the perfect in McAvoy, who made a terrific move to David Pastrnak for the equalizer after which received it within the shootout. But these runs on the B’s prime defenseman can’t maintain taking place.
B’s administration, presumably, is aware of this. They signed Milan Lucic for a motive. But they’ve chosen to maintain him on indefinite depart for the remainder of the season after expenses of home assault had been dropped final week. No matter how a lot progress Lucic has made in his personally rehabilitation after his arrest final November, the B’s realized final 12 months within the temporary Mitchell Miller saga simply how a lot optics matter on this enterprise. It’s onerous to argue with the choice.
Still, that leaves a component that continues to be lacking. Oskar Steen introduced physicality however not sufficient to offset his one purpose and no assists in 34 video games. After clearing waivers on Monday, he was returned to Providence on Tuesday. Whether it comes within the type of a ahead or a defenseman – and a tricky D-man might handle two wants in a single stroke — it one thing that must be addressed on the deadline.
*As anticipated, the B’s positioned Matt Poitras on LTIR after the rookie underwent season-ending shoulder two weeks in the past.
Source: www.bostonherald.com