McAvoy-#1 D. No doubt. In every way. The best #1 D? Of course not. But he’ll be fine. Can do it all. It’s time to carry the weight....
I view them a little differently...
#1 - McAvoy is a clear cut #1D.
#2 - I think of a #2 defenseman as a guy who's able to play both ways and drive the puck movement on his pair, but can't quite carry a defense. The Bruins don't have that guy yet.
#3 - Carlo to me is a legit #3. He can play in the top pair against top lines if he's paired with a #1, and he can be an effective 2nd pair guy if his partner is a gunslinger. He's got size, skating ability and is more physical than he's given credit for.
#4 - Gryz IMO has already shown he's a capable top4 defenseman. In 2019 Chara and Krug missed 38 games. During that time, Gryz played top pair minutes, he went head to head against guys like Crosby (twice) and Kucherov and dominated those matchups. He averaged over 19 minutes a night and Brick raved about him. Gryz is going to be fine and I won't be surprised if he becomes that #2 we're missing, in the mold of a younger Sami Vatanen or Jared Spurgeon.
#5 - Chara had a regular season where he looked like a #2 or 3 and then a playoff that looked like a #5 or 6. I think there is something to the layoff affecting him here. All I know is this team would be better off with his experience in the mix. Even if he's a #5 and PK specialist, he's still an amazing mentor, and can slide up the lineup during the regular season if one of the young D prove they're not quite ready for bigger minutes.
#6 - Lauzon has the potential to be a #3, IMO. He's got size, some nasty and he can skate. Of all the young guys, I think he has the best chance of moving into the top4, but he did not look like a #4 last year. IMO he looked ok against 3rd pair competition and only played 15 minutes a night in 19 games. It's possible he could make the jump, he will eventually, but I think it's asking a lot for him to do it now.
#6 - Clifton has shown some sparks. He's got moxie, physical and offensive moxie. He skates well, he likes to hit and plays bigger than his size. Jury is out on his upside, but he has the tools and Krug-like confidence. I hope they don't pass over him in favor of the new shiny toy on the scene like they've done with some of the forwards in the past. There could be something here. Playing with someone like Z in the 3rd pair could be amazing for his development.
#7 - Miller was a very good #3 when he got injured. Who knows what he is now, but until he proves himself I don't think we can count on him being more than a #7.
#7 - Moore looked like a decent #4/5 when he played regularly, but the Bruins have destroyed this guy with how they've handled him. He has negative value and who knows if he can get back to where he was before they benched him forever.
#7 - Zboril has all the tools to be a top4 defenseman but I've never seen him play a game where he didn't make some really wonky decisions. He had a strong year in Providence but still didn't see a minute of time in the NHL. I'm hoping he figures it out, but IMO he has to earn it and should start at the bottom rung and play his way up. I'd pair him with Miller in practice and hope Miller can mentor him.