98.5 The Sports Hub With Pastrnak, DeBrusk Bruins Might’ve Finally Found Right Linemates For Krejci

[Fenway]

The days of the Bruins bookending center David Krejci with more than 400 pounds of muscle in the person of Milan Lucic, Nathan Horton or Jarome Iginla are long over.

The NHL is different and the Bruins are attempting to adjust to the increase of speed with the insertion of younger, faster players. That transformation includes the type of wings Krejci needs to succeed.

From the first day of training camp – in the same way Krejci played with Lucic and Horton from the first day of camp in 2010 – 6-foot, 183-pound rookie Jake DeBrusk and lightning fast David Pastrnak have been Krejci’s wings. It appears those three will line up against the Nashville Predators in the season opener on Thursday at TD Garden.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2017/10/...tve-finally-found-right-linemates-for-krejci/

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[Danton Heineken]

Hopefully Krejci gets off to a really hot start, and builds some form of trade value.

 

[KrejciMVP]

First paragraph was spot on.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Hopefully, they hit it off, but I didn’t see a lot of chemistry in preseason.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

I really hope it works. I'm definitely rooting for it.

But I believe putting DeBrusk in that spot is premature. And I think if the lines end up the way we're expecting them, the team will struggle to find offense throughout the lineup.

Not trying to be a wet blanket. Just the way I see it. Would much prefer to be wrong.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Is Debrusk really so suddenly capable of being a top 6 NHL winger?

 

[PB37]

I think it's obvious the lines will be in flux as the season goes on. With so many young players, there's bound to be cold streaks from someone they are counting on to lock down a spot. Not to say vet players don't go into funks as well. We even have some kids that look ready that won't win a spot out of camp because of the numbers game, but as the season goes along, there's a strong chance they'll end up in Boston.

But in the end in regards to DeBrusk, I think he has enough skill and the right linemates to put up a 30 or more rookie season. I don't think he'll see a lot of power play time ( unless the units start to struggle ) so his minutes will probably end up being around the 12-14 minute range.

 

[Don Cherry]

Is Debrusk even NHL quality talent? I think this line is going to be a major failure and there will be a search for a bigger, more aggressive winger after this line fails.

Since when is Lucic garbage? When was it decided that a player can't weigh over 200 lbs and be effective? Terrible article likely written by a soccer mom hoping for everyone to just play nice and not worry about keeping score.

 

[Chiz1982]

Looch is an asset, great to have on a team like Edmonton that can produce offensively, is a vet and can protect their guys. Still dont regret trading him though.

I think everyone forgets the first year Pastrnak played in the NHL, and was the year Spoons finally cracked the NHL lineup, it was towards the end of the season and they played on the same line together and the speed was dynamite. However, ever since then.... they have not played together. Sure its hard to justify have Spoons on the so called 1st line or Pastrnak on the 3rd line, however you want to look at it... but why not try to roll 3 even lines.

I propose... (starting lineup)

Marchand - Bergeron - Bjork
Vatrano - Spooner - Pastrnak
DeBrusk - Krecji - Backes
Acciari - Czarnik - Nash

Chara - Carlo
Grzelcyk - McQuaid
Miller - McAvoy

 

[Hali33]

This line concerns me.

I hope things come together with time but I hope they don't get stubborn and wait too long to split it up if it's not working. You've got to have Krejci and Pasta producing for your offensive depth, especially when you're going to have ups and downs over the season with a couple rookies taking spots in your top 6.

 

[KnightofBoston]

The theme of this board seems to be contrarianism or at least, constantly waffling

Now that so many kids are being inserted, there's a lot of skepticism

The question to me isn't DeBrusk Krejci, it's Pastrnak Krecji. We also say that Krejci is more of a slow the game down guy and Pastrnak is constantly north south and go go, but from my observations, Krejci plays his best when he moves his feet. I think having two lineys that move will elevate his game. I'd give it some time in the regular season before I write that combo off

 

[Blowfish]

3 other options right behind Debrusk so if he doesn't perform we may see a rotating door of sorts however I liked what I've seen from Debrusk and think he will succeed.

 

[Blowfish]

Looch is an asset, great to have on a team like
I propose... (starting lineup)
Marchand - Bergeron - Bjork
Vatrano - Spooner - Pastrnak
DeBrusk - Krecji - Backes
Acciari - Czarnik - Nash

Chara - Carlo
Grzelcyk - McQuaid
Miller - McAvoy

One of these things isn't like the other.......Is it just me Backes just seems not to fit with the new bruins?

 

[BNHL]

When you're putting rookies on top lines you're putting the kid in a position to succeed or fail quickly,and it indicates the team is lacking.

 

[ODAAT]

I get a kick out of recent threads, for years Bruins fans screaming for the kids to get a chance, here they are and now many up in arms about where they are playing, who they are playing with etc.....this place never stops amazing me.

 

[Estlin]

One of these things isn't like the other.......Is it just me Backes just seems not to fit with the new bruins?

I'm not convinced that Backes fits, period. It was an ill-advised signing. Having said that, using him as Krejci's RW and Pastrnak as Spooner's, as several here have suggested, would be the best thing to do and play to those players' strengths.

 

[mar2kbos]

Debrusk can play on all lines, so even if he struggles in a top 6 role he is definitely able to play bottom 6. He is a puck hound in his pursuit and has more talent on his stick than any bottom six player

 

[Ratty]

I wonder if that's because many of those coveted rookies did not perform well in the exhibition series. With the exception of Bjork and Czarnik I was not impressed by the the other youngsters.

I believe DeBrusk deserves a spot for now, based upon his Providence numbers. But he should be on a short leash.

 

[ODAAT]

I wonder if that's because many of those coveted rookies did not perform well in the exhibition series. With the exception of Bjork and Czarnik I was not impressed by the the other youngsters.

I believe DeBrusk deserves a spot for now, based upon his Providence numbers. But he should be on a short leash.

in all honesty, there will be many on short notices with those kids knocking at the door

 

[sarge88]

Is Debrusk even NHL quality talent? I think this line is going to be a major failure and there will be a search for a bigger, more aggressive winger after this line fails.

Since when is Lucic garbage? When was it decided that a player can't weigh over 200 lbs and be effective? Terrible article likely written by a soccer mom hoping for everyone to just play nice and not worry about keeping score.

I agree that big guys can succeed, it's just that Lucic was a truly special player and we (myself included) seem to constantly be looking for a clone of him.

Sadly, they pretty much don't exist. How many guys in this league can legitimately beat 90% of the players in a fight...hang with the other 10% and score in the 22-30 goal range, while providing leadership? Nobody that I can think of.

I'd love them to find a bigger, more aggressive winger as you suggest, but that doesn't mean that a line with two guys who are well above average skaters can't be successful with Krejci.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

I wonder if that's because many of those coveted rookies did not perform well in the exhibition series. With the exception of Bjork and Czarnik I was not impressed by the the other youngsters.

I believe DeBrusk deserves a spot for now, based upon his Providence numbers. But he should be on a short leash.

Not sure if you consider Kuraly a rookie or not, but I felt he played well. I thought Heinen was also good in several of his games. He also produced much better playoff numbers than DeBrusk, so by that criteria, he should be in.

Because of waivers, unless Sweeney makes a deal, they will probably keep Vatrano and Schaller up, at the expense of a couple of players that should be there.

 

[Krupp]

I thought Celharik was a decent player in the few games he played with Krejci....Here's to hoping that Debrusk possibly retains that sort of success. I'm not worried about Pasta and Krejci just yet; they're pros, and hopeufully they'll find a way to mesh well together.

Even if the line isn't a perfect scoring line, I think it's best to not write Krecj off just yet - he did score 23 goals last year, with a revolving door of linemates coming and going. That's not easy to do. And I think Pasta will just keep getting better and better.

Maybe i'm just being an optimist though. This team showed genuine improvement last year; it's hard to imagine injecting talented youth into the lineup with hurt this team more than throwing Belesky on Krejci's wing and hoping to god that he finds his form again...

 

[Sevren]

Sadly, they pretty much don't exist. How many guys in this league can legitimately beat 90% of the players in a fight...hang with the other 10% and score in the 22-30 goal range, while providing leadership? Nobody that I can think of.

Wayne Simmons maybe? But that's the only name that I can think of.

 

[DarrenBanks56]

too me cehlarik krejci pastrnak line had the best chemistry last season. They passed the puck so well and knew where each other was out there. I think its only a matter of time before cehlarik is back up and on that line with them.

 

[ODAAT]

too me cehlarik krejci pastrnak line had the best chemistry last season. They passed the puck so well and knew where each other was out there. I think its only a matter of time before cehlarik is back up and on that line with them.

Might happen, truthfully, I pull for all prospects and I honestly don`t care which one works best or where he was drafted, I just hope for chemistry, they find success, and the team does well.