Boston Bruins: Blue Line Remains Uncertain
The Boston Bruins have roughly a month before team practices start up for the coming season. That still gives them plenty of time to address their defensive holes.
Ever since the Bruins traded Johnny Boychuk, this defense has never been the same. They lost a much needed top-four defensemen, one who landed with the New York Islanders and posted his best offensive numbers of his career (9-26 – 35). Also while in New York, Boychuk played more. He averaged 21:41 of ice time last season, the most in his career. Over his six years in Boston, Boychuk’s ATOI was 20:12. Dougie Hamilton‘s role subsequently grew last year as his ATOI was 21:20.
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With Boychuk and Hamilton gone, the Bruins are left with four sure things on defense. And only two of Boston’s nine defensemen considered for starting roles have played more than 300 NHL games. Those would be Zdeno Chara (1,195 games) and Dennis Seidenberg (697). They are also the only two defensemen that have averaged more than 20 minutes of ice time in a full NHL season. The rest of Boston’s sure things are Torey Krug (160) and Adam McQuaid (283). That fills the top-four slots (arguably not ideally) leaving the remaining bottom-two pairing uncertain. Kevan Miller, Matt Irwin, Zach Trotman, Joe Morrow, and Colin Miller are all vying for the remaining two slots.
Thus, the clock is ticking for general manager Don Sweeney to make a deal with a free agent defensemen.
The reports of Cody Franson and Marek Zidlicky haven’t made any real noise yet, aside from the fact that Franson admitted he was talking with Boston and that he wants to contend. For now, it’s a wait and see with Franson. Much has been said over Franson’s salary. The Bruins have approximately $4,764,333 in salary cap space. Franson made $3,300,000 last season. It’s safe to say the Bruins would have to move someone in order to fit him under the cap.
It’s a move that Sweeney may be hesitant to make. He may feel the team is better off sending Krug and McQuaid out as top-four d-men and allowing youth to infiltrate the bottom pairing. Bruins president Cam Neely, for instance, is intrigued by a player like Colin Miller.
“We’re looking forward to seeing what [Colin] Miller can bring — there’s a lot of good reports on him and his season last year, that he’s ready to make the next step”, said Neely in a Boston Globe report. “But, again, we know it’s a tough position to play in the National Hockey League, so if we have an opportunity to improve in that area, we will.”
If I’m Sweeney, I am interested in acquiring a free agent. Yes, there is upside in allowing a young guy like Miller to play up on the varsity team. But Zidlicky seems reasonable. He’s not looking for any long-term deal, unlike Franson, and he’s rather affordable. The Bruins could probably sign him to a deal less lucrative than the $3 million deals he has signed over the years. At 38, he still has offensive upside and can help on the power play for a season. For the time being, he would be a solid option if Franson, the more coveted free agent, lands somewhere else.
So the Bruins have two options: sign a free agent defensemen or see what the kids are made of on a bottom pairing role. It would be interesting to see, say, K. Miller with Morrow on the bottom-pairing. Morrow, or the other kids, could help this team with its system changes. Sweeney is looking for a more active defense. He wants more four-man and five-man rushes. The defenders are numerical advantages compared to three-man rushes. Kids like Morrow, who’s plus-minus was plus-3 in 15 games with the Bruins last year, can add quickness to the team’s game. Teach them to pinch more along the walls and smother them. Overall, help this team’s transition game while simultaneously improving its defense.
If the Bruins can’t make a deal soon, we may be seeing a lot more from guys like Morrow, C. Miller, Irwin, etc.
Who knows how much longer guys like Zidlicky or Franson will be a wait and see.
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