If you might be involved in regards to the Bruins’ future, you have got a proper to be. No one is aware of if Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci will probably be round for an additional 12 months and, if there’s a prime six centerman within the B’s pipeline, he hasn’t popped but.
Even staff president Cam Neely has embraced the “one last run” mantra for the 2022-23 season, which begins Wednesday night time towards the additionally getting older Capitals in Washington.
That’s an unsettling actuality. But the excellent news? You don’t must be affixed with Black and Gold coloured glasses to see the promise of the present roster.
The Bruins generally is a superb staff that has an opportunity to make a deep run.
Granted, there’s the very notable caveat of “when healthy” connected to this staff. And few golf equipment may survive a protracted stretch with out the likes of Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy. As of the second, these two gamers – each among the many prime 10, possibly prime 5 within the league at their place – are anticipated to be out for the primary two months of the season.
A 12 months in the past, the B’s may not have been capable of stand up to such losses. But whereas GM Don Sweeney didn’t make any large splashes like his counterparts in Florida, Calgary and Columbus did within the offseason, he undoubtedly made the staff higher than it was final 12 months.
First off, after all, was getting each Bergeron and Krejci to return at extremely team-friendly offers that allowed the B’s to maintain the staff collectively with out having to jettison any essential items. You can hammer Sweeney all you need for the 2015 draft, and the what-if recreation will go on for years to come back for these misses, however he does deserve not less than some credit score for serving to to foster an surroundings that might induce the likes of Bergeron and Krejci to assist the staff in that manner.
Krejci is basically changing Erik Haula as one of many two prime six facilities. Despite Krejci’s advancing years (he’s 36, Haula is 31), that’s an improve. As commendable a job as Haula did centering David Pastrnak and Taylor Hall, Krejci is extra of a artistic drive, has higher measurement and attain, protects the puck higher and doesn’t have the identical penchant for premature penalties.
Haula was traded within the offseason for Pavel Zacha, who seems like he may very well be a very good match on any of the highest three strains. Right now, it seems like he’ll begin the season on Krejci’s left wing. To these eyes, Zacha was spectacular within the preseason, utilizing his 6-foot-4 body to win battles within the corners, one thing that needs to be useful on his present line. He additionally flashed some velocity that, for an enormous man, raised even Pastrnak’s eyebrows. Apparently, there have been causes Zacha was drafted sixth general in 2015.
When Marchand returns, the guess right here is that he’ll go proper again with Bergeron and Jake DeBrusk whereas Hall will play with Krejci and Pastrnak whereas Zacha drops right down to play with Charlie Coyle and Craig Smith. That’s a reasonably formidable prime 9.
And talking of DeBrusk, if former coach Bruce Cassidy was what was holding him down, now could be the time for him to show it. While new coach Jim Montgomery expressed some related issues about DeBrusk’s recreation in the course of camp (i.e. not stopping on pucks when required), the speedy wing has had his legs going for the reason that begin of camp. If he had performed all final season like he did within the second half, he would have topped 30 targets, simply. He has an awesome alternative to do this this 12 months.
Meanwhile, the protection presents extra concern than the forwards with out the providers of a McAvoy, a real No. 1 who performs – and excels – in all conditions. But they’re in a greater place to soak up the loss now than they had been at this level final 12 months, due to the acquisition of Hampus Lindholm.
And it’s a very good guess we haven’t seen the very best of the large Swede. Thanks to a knee damage, he was restricted to only 10 common season video games after which was concussed in Game 2 of the B’s first spherical matchup towards Carolina that the B’s misplaced in seven. Lindholm may very well be a No. 1 on a variety of groups within the league and, for the primary couple of months, he must be for the Bruins.
As for the goaltending, Linus Ullmark seems to be mild years forward of the place he was at this level final 12 months, his first with the B’s, whereas the trajectory for 23-year-old Jeremy Swayman remains to be pointing north.
So the puck drops for actual at 7:08 p.m. on Wednesday in D.C. You can maintain the comprehensible issues for the long run behind your head. But there are causes to be cheerful in regards to the current.
Source: www.bostonherald.com