The Bruins, the oldest American-based NHL workforce, kick off their Centennial season on Wednesday morning when gamers formally report back to Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton for physicals and testing earlier than Thursday’s first on-ice session.
While it will likely be a season of celebration of the franchise’s previous, what the current holds remains to be anybody’s guess.
They nonetheless boast star-caliber gamers at ahead (David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand), protection (Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm) and in web (Linus Ullmark, Jeremy Swayman). But the depth has taken an enormous hit. The B’s misplaced 9 gamers from the workforce that received 65 video games final 12 months, together with three of their 4 centermen who had been acquainted with a defensive system that asks so much from its pivots. Thanks to wage cap constraints, GM Don Sweeney was restricted in how he might exchange these gamers.
So, as you may suspect, we’ve obtained some questions. Here’s a half dozen:
1. Will Jake DeBrusk be a long-term Bruin?
After a serious profession hiccup over a few seasons by which it appeared he was a goner after publicly requesting a commerce, DeBrusk has confirmed to be a succesful and – most significantly, constant – prime six wing. He’s even develop into a weapon on the penalty kill along with his velocity and attain.
The expertise had all the time been evident, it was a only a matter of whether or not he’d discover the consistency to be a dependable influence participant. He’s gotten over that hump. Now he’s within the final 12 months of his contract earlier than he’s scheduled to enter unrestricted free company subsequent summer season. Unless his sport inexplicably goes south, DeBrusk shall be due a wholesome increase from the $4 million he’ll obtain for this season. He ought to get someplace within the ballpark of the deal Brandon Hagel obtained with Tampa Bay Lightning ($6.5 million for eight years) earlier this summer season. A 40-goal season, one thing that may have been in DeBrusk’s attain final season if he had not missed a month with a damaged leg, might push that AAV even increased if he goes to the open market. Do the B’s try to lock him up quickly or will they let it play out and see which manner the meter goes? Or if February rolls round and the B’s discover themselves outdoors the playoff body, will they transfer him for some a lot wanted future belongings? It might be one thing to look at all season if he’s not sewn up quickly.
2. Do the Bruins have sufficient high quality facilities to get again into the playoffs?
Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle are each good gamers. There’s a sense that Zacha additionally has a method to go earlier than he reaches his ceiling. But the 2 pivots shall be changing one Hall of Famer in Patrice Bergeron and one other participant who might see his quantity raised to the Garden rafters in David Krejci. Zacha and Coyle are each large, robust males coming into of their bodily primes, but it surely’s a tall job.
And there are query marks within the backside six as effectively. Morgan Geekie confirmed that he was a great fourth-line heart final 12 months with Seattle, however will he in a position to climb a rung up the ladder and take over Coyle’s slot on a 3rd line? And there’s additionally the query of changing Tomas Nosek on the fourth line. Nosek had a terrific season in his function, profitable practically 60% of his attracts and contributing a lot to the the B’s prime penalty-kill unit.
The B’s signed Jesper Boqvist and Patrick Brown to short-money offers they usually’ll probably battle it out for that final heart spot with Providence hopefuls.
3. Do the B’s have have sufficient within the farm system to infuse the workforce with some youth?
Mason Lohrei seems to be like he’s able to compete for a job, or not less than plant some seeds within the brass’ thoughts that he might be a mid-season call-up. But the B’s might actually use a number of of their prime prospects at ahead to pop. Fabian Lysell, the B’s first-round choose from 2021, had an honest first professional season that slid the improper manner after a tricky World Junior match. He additionally suffered a concussion on a late, excessive hit within the playoffs that ended his season. The proper shot wing’s obtained ability, but it surely’s nonetheless anybody’s guess as to what he is perhaps within the NHL
Georgii Merkulov is 2 years older than Lysell and might be that a lot nearer to NHL obligation. The left shot ahead led Providence in scoring final 12 months, posting 24-31-55 totals in 67 video games. Whether he’s addressed the defensive deficiencies in his sport sufficiently sufficient to make the leap to the NHL is a query that have to be answered. It’s hoped that Johnny Beecher, who possesses superb velocity for his dimension (6-3, 215), could make a push for that fourth-line heart spot. Marc McLaughlin also needs to get a fairly lengthy search for a backside six function. The 25-year-old Oskar Steen would look like approaching a make-or-break season with the group. Top heart prospect Matthew Poitras, who confirmed some good competitiveness on the Prospects Challenge, has to make the NHL or be despatched again to juniors.
4. Can the B’s afford to have two No.1 goalies?
That’s not a lot a fiscal concern. The B’s nonetheless have lower than $9 million allotted to a very powerful place for this season whereas some groups have extra locked up in a single netminder. But can the B’s afford to have such expertise in web whereas there are different holes of their lineup, particularly at heart? Ullmark, the defending Vezina Trophy winner, and Jeremy Swayman, who went 24-6-4, might each be thought-about No. 1 goalies. As of now, it seems as if the B’s are going to stay with each netminders, which ought to go a great distance towards serving to them compete within the more and more aggressive Atlantic Division. But the Vegas Golden Knights received a Stanley Cup with two goalies (Lauren Brossoit after which Adin Hill) who would have been thought-about backups earlier than the playoffs began. And the NHL is a copy-cat league. How effectively the B’s centermen carry out might go a protracted towards figuring out the way forward for goalie hugs in Boston.
5. Will the B’s deal a defenseman?
The B’s are set for years to return with their prime three defensemen Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm and Brandon Carlo. Carlo is signed for 4 extra years and McAvoy and Lindholm are locked up until the tip of the last decade. But that’s the place the steadiness ends. Barring contract extensions, Matt Grzelcyk, Derek Forbort, Jakub Zboril and Kevin Shattenkirk shall be UFAs subsequent summer season. The B’s introduced in some attention-grabbing protection prospects in Ian Mitchell and Reilly Walsh whereas Lohrei is perhaps their finest general prospect. If any one in every of them exhibits they’re prepared for large league minutes, it might push one of many veterans out the door (with the doable exception of Shattenkirk, who simply signed right here this summer season on a one-year deal).
6. How will Jim Montgomery bounce again?
The first-year Bruin coach earned each ounce of his Jack Adams Award. He took over a workforce that some believed would wrestle to make the playoffs and ripped off a file 65 wins, overcoming early important accidents to take action. But then got here the playoffs and catastrophe. While accidents and under-performances contributed, Montgomery had his share of questionable choices. In the post-mortems, Montgomery fell on his sword and took loads of blame.
Now Montgomery shall be teaching a vastly totally different workforce. Not solely has foundational chief Bergeron retired, Nick Foligno’s voice may also be missed. More expertise and depth went out the door with Krejci Taylor Hall, Tyler Bertuzzi, Nosek and Dmitry Orlov. The competitors for bottom-six jobs is large open.
The concept that Montgomery was simply alongside for the experience on a juggernaut final 12 months is a fallacy. His tweaks within the breakout had been an enormous a part of the success and, sure, his optimistic voice was a productive change of tempo. But this 12 months, he’s actually going to should roll up his sleeves. He could even should cope with an uncomfortable shedding streak or two.
Source: www.bostonherald.com