Bruins
“We all know that that is a place, organizationally, that we have to enhance upon.”
The duty of changing Patrice Bergeron is less complicated stated than executed.
Strike that. It’s a near-impossible endeavor for a Bruins roster that has relied so closely on him each on and off ice.
An architect of a Bruins tradition that attracted quite a few free brokers to TD Backyard over time, Bergeron’s phrases held weight throughout the dressing room. Boston can’t replicate his affect with no collective effort from the following wave of expertise.
However even at 37 years outdated, Bergeron nonetheless held courtroom as Boston’s top-line heart and the most effective defensive ahead within the league.
Not solely will Boston miss his two-way prowess in important levels of video games, his spot on the highest line created a optimistic domino impact the place gamers like Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha might slot additional down the lineup.
Such a luxurious isn’t afforded to the Bruins now that Bergeron has determined to hold up his skates.
However with the Bruins seeking to stay aggressive in 2023-24 earlier than a possible spending spree subsequent summer time, what’s subsequent for Boston this upcoming season?
Listed here are just a few ideas on the post-Bergeron period, particularly with regards to the middle place:
Wanting internally
The 2023-24 Bruins roster nonetheless has loads of strengths to fall again on.
Boston returns a stout protection anchored by Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm, with veteran Kevin Shattenkirk serving as a worth add instead of Connor Clifton. The tandem of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman ought to as soon as once more be the most effective goaltending duo within the league.
The B’s nonetheless have high-end expertise on the wing in David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, Jake DeBrusk and others.
However even when it was anticipated for Boston’s scoring output to take a success this season, Boston’s uncertainty on the heart place does increase questions over simply how aggressive this roster could be in 2023-24.
With Boston dealing with a cap crunch this offseason following its “all-in” strikes in 2022-23, Don Sweeney and the Bruins have been unable to considerably bolster their grouping down the center this summer time past worth provides like Morgan Geekie and Jesper Boqvist.
“We had some handcuffs on us, so we did what we might do,” Cam Neely stated on Wednesday. “We all know that that’s a place, organizationally, that we have to enhance upon.”
As of proper now, it looks like the Bruins should account for the lack of Bergeron by wanting inward at what they have already got on the roster.
The return of David Krejci would alleviate a few of Boston’s woes, giving them at the very least one confirmed top-six pivot in 2023-24. However given Krejci’s feedback throughout break-up day in Might, his return appears unlikely following a final hurrah in 2022-23.
If each Bergeron and Krejci are usually not a part of the equation, Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle are due for promotions as Boston’s top-six facilities.
Zacha, 26, appeared destined for a higher function subsequent season whatever the roster reshuffle up entrance. The 6-foot-4 ahead had a breakout 12 months in his first season with Boston, posting 57 factors (21 targets, 36 assists) in 82 video games whereas recurrently slotting in for Krejci because the Bruins’ 2C.
Slotting behind both Bergeron or Krejci would have made for a neater avenue for Zacha to imagine a top-six function. However Zacha’s smooth contact, underrated shot, and chemistry together with his fellow countryman Pastrnak provide hope that he can assist drive an offensive-focused line in 2023-24.
Coyle presents just a few extra query marks when it comes to his viability as an on a regular basis top-six ahead. The 31-year-old ahead is greatest suited as a third-line anchor, however held his personal towards the Panthers when changing Bergeron within the early levels of that first-round sequence.
When Coyle is on his recreation, he’s a puck-possession menace who could make house down low and decelerate opposing gamers in Boston’s personal zone. He served as Boston’s shutdown heart final season, permitting Bergeron and Krejci to earn extra O-zone reps.
“He simply appeared like he was a monster,” Jim Montgomery stated of Coyle following Boston’s 4-2 victory towards Florida in Sport 3. “He was a person possessed on the market with the best way he simply took pucks to the web.”
Nonetheless, whereas Coyle has the skillset to be a gradual, two-way pivot additional up within the lineup, he has but to show it over an prolonged stretch of video games.
In the course of the common season, a Marchand-Coyle-DeBrusk line logged 42:16 of 5v5 ice time collectively, with Boston holding the sting in shot makes an attempt (49-34), photographs on purpose (22-17) and targets scored (2-1).
Boston’s high brass appreciated what it noticed from a Coyle-Zacha 1-2 punch throughout the playoffs, but it surely’s a distinct ask totally to copy that over the course of 82 video games.
If Coyle and Zacha transfer up, there are further query marks additional down the center. Geekie and Trent Frederic might slot in at 3C, with Geekie specifically providing loads of intrigue given his manufacturing below restricted minutes with the Kraken final season.
Veteran Patrick Brown might slot in at 4C if children like Johnny Beecher can seize a spot out of coaching camp.
Boston does have some expertise additional down within the farm system with gamers like Georgii Merkulov, Brett Harrison, and Matthew Poitras, but it surely’s asking an terrible lot of those gamers to earn top-six minutes out of the gate in 2023-24.
Poitras might need the very best ceiling as a top-six pivot, however he’s additionally simply 19 years outdated and will stand to make use of one other season within the OHL earlier than being thought-about a viable possibility for NHL reps.
As of now, it looks like Coyle and Zacha are the most effective choices that the Bruins have down the center in 2023-24.
Wanting outdoors of the group?
In fact, the Bruins nonetheless have greater than six weeks left within the offseason so as to add to their roster earlier than coaching camp begins.
Might Boston nonetheless look so as to add a middle by means of a commerce?
“We’ll do no matter we are able to to bolster that place,” Neely stated when requested an analogous question.
There are a variety of potential pivots who might nonetheless be on the transfer this summer time, headlined by Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele and Calgary’s Elias Lindholm. Each are within the last years of their respective contracts.
Schiefele is coming off of a 42-goal season, and has six seasons of 25+ targets on his resume. The 30-year-old ahead is a top-six common, though his defensive recreation and questions relating to the make-up of a recurrently underachieving Jets dressing room do increase some questions.
Lindholm checks off loads of packing containers if Boston is searching for a Bergeron substitute to help this subsequent technology of expertise. The 28-year-old Flames heart is considered one of many higher top-six forwards within the league and has surpassed the 60-point threshold in three of the final 5 seasons.
In fact, there are quite a few hurdles standing in the best way of potential trades over the following month.
Boston already solely has $5.4 million in cap house left this summer time, a lot (if not all) will likely be allotted to no matter contracts each Swayman and Frederic finally signal.
Even with only one 12 months left on their offers, Lindholm and Scheifele gained’t be low cost. Boston might need to subtract key items from their roster with a purpose to facilitate a deal.
In fact, Boston might try to open up its checkbook subsequent summer time when gamers like Lindholm, Scheifele, and others hit free company. However as is often the case, top-six facilities are coveted belongings, and most groups do the whole lot they will to lock them up earlier than hitting the open market.
However extra fiscal flexibility within the years forward does give Boston leverage, particularly if rebuilding groups decide to maneuver contracts like Tomas Hertl’s or Clayton Keller’s in 2024 and past.
The 2023-24 Bruins can nonetheless hover within the playoff image as a wild-card membership because of their stingy protection and goaltending. Hope sits on the horizon in children like Poitras and the potential of a serious pick-up like Lindholm in free company or by way of commerce.
However till they discover some readability down the center, the Bruins are going to face an uphill climb with regards to regaining their standing as a high contender within the NHL.
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