Dear Detroit Red Wings fans: Don't count out the Boston Bruins just yet, regardless of what happened with them last season. Some will call them a bad hockey team, but you can argue there are no bad teams in the Atlantic this year, only stronger and weaker contenders.
What makes the Bruins at least a middle-of-the road team? They still have a strong core, and if those in that outer core step up, Boston's still got top-four potential. Let's break down why that is, looking at their forward group, defensive rotation, and goaltenders.
Forwards
Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
Morgan Geekie | Elias Lindholm | David Pastrnak |
Pavel Zacha | Casey Mittelstadt | Viktor Arvidsson |
Tanner Jeannot | Fraser Minten | Matej Blumel |
John Beecher | Sean Kuraly | Michael Eyssimont |
Mark Kastelic | Matt Poitras |
Above is what the lines look like per Daily Faceoff's projections, and there's a lot of potential here in the top six. The first line, with Morgan Geekie, Elias Lindholm, and David Pastrnak can be dangerous, especially if Pastrnak's his usual self.
Some fans might be critical of Casey Mittelstadt, but when he's on, he's one of the league's more solid playmakers. Pavel Zacha struggled to produce early last season, but he found his groove, and Viktor Arvidsson could have something left in the tank.
Say what you will about Tanner Jeannot, but he's bringing the intimidation factor this season. Ditto for Fraser Minten. Matej Blumel takes up the third spot, and he's, for the time being, an unknown commodity with limited NHL experience.
John Beecher, Michael Eyssimont, and Sean Kuraly can also lay the smackdown on opponents, rounding up what will be a hard-hitting Boston Bruins group.
My thoughts on this forward lineup? The top six could put up a lot of points, while that entire bottom six are just raring to collide with opponents. If the Wings want to gain an advantage, they gotta match the Bruins physical play and bring a high-octane approach.
Defense/Goaltenders
Left Defense | Right Defense |
|---|---|
Hampus Lindholm | Charlie McAvoy |
Nikita Zadorov | Henri Jokiharju |
Mason Lohrei | Andrew Peeke |
Jordan Harris | |
G: Jeremy Swayman | G: Joonas Korpisalo |
If Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy return to form after suffering injuries last season, the Bruins will have one of the more dominant first pairings in hockey. I also like seeing Nikita Zadorov projected to share a pairing with Henri Jokiharju, one of the game's more underrated blueliners.
Zadorov brings a sledgehammer approach while Jokiharju's in the jack-of-all-trades category, but not in a bad way. Mason Lohrei brings shades of playmaking on the third pairing, but I wouldn't rule out second-pairing minutes. Andrew Peeke is your stereotypical third-pairing role player, with solid blocking and physical play.
And finally, we got Jeremy Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo sharing the net. Swayman's another bounce-back candidate, and if he looks like a Vezina contender again, it might be all Boston needs to revert back into contender mode.
Overall, this group depends on how Lindholm, McAvoy, and Swayman bounce back. If they do, the Bruins will be a tough team to score on. Even the most high-octane units out there will have a hard time getting anything going.