Boston Bruins It’s here: 2019-20 journey begins

[Estlin]

love DKH's optimism as always, but i'd say you can argue who are the future #1 and #2 centers?
i really like studnicka but jury is out if he's a 2C. those other guys look like bottom 6 to me, at least
right now.

either way, should be a fun season. agree with the poster who said avoiding TB and toronto
is probably the key to survival.

Yeah, the leading center prospects all probably top out as #2s in a best-case scenario.

As for avoiding Tampa and Toronto in the playoffs, Boston won’t be gift-wrapped another path to the Stanley Cup like it was these past playoffs.

 

[DKH]

You think that Bergeron will remain an elite #1 center for another three years? Given his age and those injuries that appear to be creeping up, I’m not entirely convinced.

I do like your thinking about Eichel, however.

Yes on Bergeron

With defensive based centers like
Coyle
Kuraly
Frederic
Studnicka
Beecher

He can play less hard minutes

 

[ranold26]

Who’s Boston’s future #1 center?

Hall or Backstrom.

 

[Old George]

Hall or Backstrom.

If I miss the joke I apologize. Are you referring to Curtis hall and victor berglund?

 

[smithformeragent]

Nothing would surprise me with this group.

I could see them making another deep run.

I could see them missing the playoffs completely.

The new NHL

 

[neelynugs]

As for avoiding Tampa and Toronto in the playoffs, Boston won’t be gift-wrapped another path to the Stanley Cup like it was these past playoffs.

no question about it. huge failure to take advantage of the seas parting.
next time it'll be more difficult.

 

[neelynugs]

Personally, I'm more interested in Brendan Gaunce becoming an everyday NHL'er with offensive upside because I loathe the city of Vancouver, and I got to see him play a decent amount on AHL TV, and he was noticeable every shift pretty much on a truly boring and pretty bad Comets team...

i'm with you on gaunce. he's sort of a sleeper in the race for a bottom 6 role. like him way much more than lindholm.
problem is they have way too many bottom 6 options as it is.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

i'm with you on gaunce. he's sort of a sleeper in the race for a bottom 6 role. like him way much more than lindholm.
problem is they have way too many bottom 6 options as it is.

Right.

Which is why I'd like to see some movement down there. Maybe give Kuraly a shot on Coyle's line or as the #3C with Heinen.

But I think there is ZERO chance that happens and hes on the fourth line no matter what like Paille was when he was better than any 3rd liner at times since Campbell and Thornton would have sucked with someone else.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

I mean last year the third line pre Coyle trade sucked. I think we can all agree. I know Bjork got hurt but even if he didn't there was no chance we would have seen something like Heinen-Kuraly-Bjork. You'd get Donato and JFK in the middle rendering it useless but not Kuraly. Just the way we do things around here.

Put Coyle with DK.

Heien-Kuraly-Bjork
Nordy-Gauch-Wagner

Ritchie and Lindholm as extras. Thats fine. Do you really lose that much taking Sean off the 4th?

BUT
IT
WILL
NEVER
HAPPEN

 

[Boston Bruno]

Need secondary scoring, and an heir to 37.

Hope Florida doesn't put it all together or the Atlantic will be a dog fight

 

[Clint Eastwood]

Yeah, the leading center prospects all probably top out as #2s in a best-case scenario.

As for avoiding Tampa and Toronto in the playoffs, Boston won’t be gift-wrapped another path to the Stanley Cup like it was these past playoffs.

I still don't buy the whole "gift-wrapped" run BS that goes with Boston. Fine, Carolina wasn't a dog fight, but Toronto had us down 3-2 and Columbus was a very close series. I'd argue that the 2013 run was easier.

 

[Estlin]

I still don't buy the whole "gift-wrapped" run BS that goes with Boston. Fine, Carolina wasn't a dog fight, but Toronto had us down 3-2 and Columbus was a very close series. I'd argue that the 2013 run was easier.

You don’t think that avoiding Tampa and Washington in the playoffs was an enormous stroke of luck?

 

[Rubber Biscuit]

You don’t think that avoiding Tampa and Washington in the playoffs was an enormous stroke of luck?

It was lucky but I wouldn't be too surprised if it happened again. That's not to say that I think it will happen again, but it certainly could.

It wasn't so outrageous that people should be saying something like that will never happen again

 

[BigGoalBrad]

It was lucky but I wouldn't be too surprised if it happened again. That's not to say that I think it will happen again, but it certainly could.

It wasn't so outrageous that people should be saying something like that will never happen again

Avoiding Washington sure but it takes a 8 over 1 upset to not go Tampa>Toronto (or reversed) first two rounds unless we win the division or get a WC spot that puts us up against #1 Metro.

I'm not saying Tampa and Toronto are better than us but they shape up to be regular season beasts and we are more likely to not finish top 3 and be a WC team than either.

 

[Blowfish]

Shen gonna be a big hit here, I think. Grown man strength and just straight up north-south all day, and good hands. I'm more excited for him than Steen I think, but I also have never seen Steen play except in Youtube highlights; Shen I watched a bunch of online.

Shen was one of Russia's better players world juniors. Thinking he surprises many this year.

 

[Aussie Bruin]

Playing in the toughest Division in the NHL once again, so there'll be no let up and it will require really consistent results to return to the playoffs. It could be even more competitive than last season. Tampa and Toronto we know will be there, but the Panthers, Sabres and Habs all have the potential to also put together really strong campaigns.

I suspect the biggest issue for us will be the same - our D will stay solid, but scoring enough goals week in week out will remain a challenge. Secondary scoring was talked about most of last season as a problem, and by Feb-March and into the playoffs pre the SCF we were finally getting it more regularly. Carrying that into this year, despite fresh uncertainty in our lines, will be hugely important.

It's going to be tough, but if they can survive another hard regular season it should put them back in good shape for the spring.

 

[kdog82]

Bruins future #1 Center = Barkov

Barkov becomes UFA same time as Bergeron. He'd be the perfect replacement!!

 

[Alicat]

I love the snark

 

[Alicat]

 

[Bruinaura]

You tell 'em, Kretch.

 

[DKH]

Bruins future #1 Center = Barkov

Barkov becomes UFA same time as Bergeron. He'd be the perfect replacement!!

I like you’re thinking but Eichel at that time is going to have had enough of Buffalo by then

Checking my 2022-23 lineup first line I had

DeBrusk-Eichel- Debrincat

Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak

No Barkov

 

[Fenian24]

Who’s Boston’s future #1 center?

I like what I have read about Beecher and Frederic and the little I have seen from Frederic. I have not seen Studnicka at all and am curious too see how he does this year in Providence. That said I think they have great depth but no clear future number one. they can get away with having 3 second line centers, the depth wold be solid and ideally you would have three above average lines instead of one great line, one good line and a good group of roll players in the bottom 6. They should have two or three more draft before they lose Bergeron and hopefully they find a top line center in one of those picks, a trade is always an option as well.

The D looks solid if McAvoy and Carlo are signed, Grezlyk is a good bottom 2 D, Clifton has been a great find and full marks to the scouting staff on him. Krug is going to be an interesting negotiation. They should get one NHL caliber D out of Vaakanainen, Lauzon or Zboril. Andersson and Zech I see as long shots but either way it looks like a solid 6 D going forward.

Two great young wings in Pasta and DeBrusk after that I see depth but not a lot of top 6 upside, granted Marchand isn't old and should still have at least 4/5 good to great years left in him. I just don't see much in the system that looks like top 9, much less top 6 talent at wing.

They will need to find a number 1 and 2 goalie soon. After Rask and Halak there is not much to feel good about.

 

[Estlin]

I like what I have read about Beecher and Frederic and the little I have seen from Frederic. I have not seen Studnicka at all and am curious too see how he does this year in Providence. That said I think they have great depth but no clear future number one. they can get away with having 3 second line centers, the depth wold be solid and ideally you would have three above average lines instead of one great line, one good line and a good group of roll players in the bottom 6. They should have two or three more draft before they lose Bergeron and hopefully they find a top line center in one of those picks, a trade is always an option as well.

The D looks solid if McAvoy and Carlo are signed, Grezlyk is a good bottom 2 D, Clifton has been a great find and full marks to the scouting staff on him. Krug is going to be an interesting negotiation. They should get one NHL caliber D out of Vaakanainen, Lauzon or Zboril. Andersson and Zech I see as long shots but either way it looks like a solid 6 D going forward.

Two great young wings in Pasta and DeBrusk after that I see depth but not a lot of top 6 upside, granted Marchand isn't old and should still have at least 4/5 good to great years left in him. I just don't see much in the system that looks like top 9, much less top 6 talent at wing.

They will need to find a number 1 and 2 goalie soon. After Rask and Halak there is not much to feel good about.

I guess that Boston could get away without having a #1 center post-Bergeron for a couple of years as long as the team has some very good wingers in the top six, but filling that eventual hole should be the team's #1 priority going forward.

 

[Glove Malfunction]

I guess that Boston could get away without having a #1 center post-Bergeron for a couple of years as long as the team has some very good wingers in the top six, but filling that eventual hole should be the team's #1 priority going forward.

The hard part about this is that barring a trade, it doesn't look like the Bruins will be a drafting position to draft a #1 center for at least the next several years. And teams don't typically give up #1 centers via trade unless getting a big overpayment.

 

[Bmessy]

Get a 2nd cup for Bergy and I'm set for life, might even dust off some real hobbies after. So close last year it hurts. Ugh. Hope they keep contending