With Bruce Cassidy vaulting into the hole left by Claude Julien, the Boston Bruins returned to the playoffs in 2016-17. While they were bounced in the first round by the Ottawa Senators, fans got a glimpse into Cassidy’s style and preferences.
Rewarded with the permanent head coach tag, now it’s Cassidy’s time to leave his mark on the Bruins in 2017-18, all while taking general manager Don Sweeney’s youth movement into account. When those two factors are combined, odds are the Black and Gold are a ways off from contending for a Stanley Cup, though there’s still plenty of promise in store.
They spent this offseason shopping smart, not signing someone just for the sake of doing so. And that’s a luxury the B’s have as draft picks of yesteryear are on the verge of becoming bonafide prospects, and their cherished core remains.
So when the Bruins’ season gets under way Oct. 5 against the Nashville Predators at TD Garden, players donning the spoked B will look familiar, with some young guns sprinkled in. Here’s a rundown of how the roster could shape up.
FORWARDS
SURE BETS: For a team so long structured around defense, Cassidy has tossed out a curveball in introducing what can be an explosive forward corps. It’s main scoring threat is Brad Marchand, a winger who posted a career-high 85 points last year and was the subject of much-deserved MVP consideration. But the undisputed leader is center Patrice Bergeron, a fourtime Frank J. Selke Trophy winner who is on track to be one of Boston’s best-ever forwards.
Outside of these two, expect a bump in production from David Backes, as he should slowly prove good on his five-year, $30 million contract, one which saw him post just 38 points last year. That holds true, too, for David Krejci, who has battled health scares for the past several years, the most recent of which hamstrung him during Boston’s playoff series against Ottawa. Restricted free agent David Pastrnak is a dynamic offensive force coming off a 34-goal, 70-point season.
MIDDLE GROUND: While big names are essential in the NHL, every team would be nowhere without the middle of its roster. Luckily for Cassidy and Sweeney, this cupboard is filled to the brim — perhaps too much, at times. Guys like Ryan Spooner, Frank Vatrano and Matt Beleskey are — on paper — good enough to offer serious secondary scoring, but the charge before them is achieving that mark on a consistent basis.
Then there are prototypical third- and fourth-liners, forwards who offer grit and an occasional scoring punch. Expect Tim Schaller (Merrimack, N.H.), Noel Acciari (Johnston, R.I.), Riley Nash, Anton Blidh and Austin Czarnik, who combined for 51 points last season, to take on that role. Sean Kuraly is in the mix, too. There’s nothing flashy about their play, but Boston will quickly drown in the deep end without it.
WILD CARDS: The NHL is trending toward a younger, faster, more skill-oriented style, and luckily the Black and Gold have a trio of forwards who fit that exact mold. Anders Bjork arguably has fans the most excited, as he signed in the offseason after scoring 109 points across three seasons at Notre Dame. A lefthanded shot, Bjork could realistically spend time down in Providence, but his smooth skating, on-ice vision and defensive work ethic also could see the 21-year-old slot onto the third line.
Two others to keep an eye on are Jake DeBrusk and Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson. The former, a first-round draft pick in 2015, spent last year in Providence, posting 58 points across the regular season and playoffs. Sweeney has made no secret of having his eye on the winger, who certainly has the physical tools and a two-way mindset. With JFK, it’s anyone’s guess as to where the former Boston University center ends up. He appeared in a late-season game for Boston but there’s not enough evidence to firmly say where the Swede will suit up.
DEFENSEMEN
SURE BETS: For the 12th season running, the indefatigable Zdeno Chara again will be Boston’s go-to man along the blue line. Sporting the ‘C’ on his sweater, Chara racked up an average 23 minutes, 20 seconds of ice time throughout 2016-17 and showed he’s still got it in the offensive zone, posting 30 points across the playoffs and regular season. He’ll likely be paired with Brandon Carlo, who remarkably is still just 20 years old. A lockdown defenseman who’s pushing 6-foot-6, 200 pounds, Carlo should make a jump in year two of his NHL career.
The defenseman who has Boston fans most excited, though, is Charlie McAvoy. The 2016 first-rounder and former Boston University star burst onto the scene in last year’s playoff series with Ottawa, often looking like the B’s best blueliner despite being 19 years old. Early signs are he’ll be paired with Torey Krug, creating a potent duo in Boston’s defensive corps. McAvoy, who’s more bullish below the dots than most realize, is a right-handed shot, while Krug, producer of 51 points last year, is a left-handed shot.
MIDDLE GROUND: While not star contributors, the likes of Adam McQuaid, Kevan Miller and Paul Postma should take on prominent roles as the Bruins look to make the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2013-14. McQuaid’s physical presence is undeniable, as his 71 penalty minutes were the second most on the team last year. Miller posted 13 points and has emerged as a reliable contributor. At 29 years old, he’s in the prime of his career and seems poised for a key role in his fourth season in Boston. Former Winnipeg Jets righthander Postman was signed in free agency to a one-year, one-way deal worth $725,000.
WILD CARDS: The bottom part of Boston’s blueline corps lacks clarity, as a number of players could step into what are presumably the eighth and ninth slots on the roster. The likeliest candidates, though, are Matt Grzelcyk (Charlestown, Mass.), Rob O’Gara, Tommy Cross (Simsbury, Conn.) and Jakub Zboril. The former three have each seen spot time in Boston and now the next step is earning a permanent stall in the TD Garden locker room. The unknown quantity is Zboril, a first-rounder from 2015. He’s slated to start the year in Providence and could progress to the big show if he shows well. Expectations for the 20-year-old shouldn’t be too high, though.
GOALTENDERS
SURE BETS: You’d be hard-pressed to find a Bruin more revered and loathed than Tuukka Rask. He’s good for about a half-dozen down games a year, and contrastingly is Boston’s savior during a half-dozen games every season. With whatever side you take, the Finnish netminder still posted a 2.23 goals-against average and .915 save percentage in 2016-17, with both marks within the league’s top 20. He’ll be Cassidy’s starter, and should the Black and Gold make the playoffs, they’ll likely ride Rask’s hot hand as far it will take them.
MIDDLE GROUND: Arguably the most intriguing battle to watch in Boston’s preseason this year will be who emerges as the backup between the pipes. Anton Khudobin often got the nod last year and largely held his own, posting six consecutive wins toward the regular season’s tail end. But the Russian will receive staunch competition from Zane McIntyre, a former sixth-round pick who posted an AHL-best .930 save percentage with Providence last year. McIntyre, 25, struggled in his eight NHL games in 2016-17, but there’s every reason to believe he’ll continue to improve.
WILD CARD: A longshot to make the NHL roster, Malcolm Subban is a virtual lock to spend another season in Providence to earn more seasoning. But that doesn’t mean this goaltending prospect, a first-round pick in 2012, can’t develop. He’s only 23 and showed promise while playing for the Baby B’s in 2016-17, including a 2.41 goals-against average and .917 save percentage.
