Even though the Boston Bruins lost their last game in a 2-0 shutout against the Washington Capitals, the B’s have had a productive and positive March. For the month of March, the Bruins have gone 5-1-1. However, the scoreboard hasn’t exactly reflected their on-ice play.
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The Bruins are still struggling with their defensive play, turning over the puck a lot and not backing up Tuukka. They have upped their offensive game over the past few weeks, averaging 2.71 goals over the past seven games. But if they can’t be effective in all areas of the ice, they will not make it far in the postseason.
One option for improving their overall play that may be coming are changes to the lineup. Some of the current lines are working really well together, others are falling behind in their production and in order to keep the momentum going, Claude Julien might need to look at his roster and make some changes to add some spark to the game.
Return of David Krejci
David Krejci is making great progress in his recovery from a partially torn MCL. Having already skated for a few days now, it is expected that he should be making his way back into the lineup before the end of the month – as long as the recovery process continues going in the right direction. If history has proven anything, Krejci will step right back into his top line center spot between Lucic and Pastrnak. However, seeing how the trio of Lucic, Pastrnak and Spooner has been extremely productive this may not be the best choice.
Julien said Krejci is progressing well; depending on how he feels, could be taking contact soon or even making a return this weekend ^CS
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) March 17, 2015
The young players have given Lucic his legs and provided a spark of energy for the team. What would be the smart thing to do is keep this line together and put Krejci in between Soderberg and Eriksson. Soderberg has been on a downhill slope over the past month+ and putting him with Krejci may give him the spark of energy that he so desperately needs. Not to mention, Eriksson and Krejci may bring the offensive chemistry that the B’s have been searching for.
Non-Productive Forwards
Feb 24, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins center Carl Soderberg (34) skates off the ice as the Vancouver Canucks celebrate their 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
There are a few forwards that have been in a slump to say the least. Carl Soderberg hasn’t had a goal since January 17th and has only tallied five assists since then. This is not for lack of trying. He has had a lot of opportunities, but just can’t seem to land the puck in the net. Once he does, you know that the points will start flowing in, but a change in the line-up might give him the much-needed boost of energy to notch a goal. Having under a 50% FO percentage doesn’t help his case either.
Reilly Smith is another forward that has not liven up to his potential. He has only gotten one point this month – and that’s after signing a two-year $3.425M contract. As Bergeron’s winger, you would expect him to have gotten a few more points in that time. Especially with the amount of production that Bergeron and Marchand have seen over the last few games. It is not a secret that Smith’s game is not consistent. He has seen his share of time on the third and fourth lines due to not producing. When you watch the game and notice that Marchand and Bergeron are going out of their way to NOT pass the puck to Smith, you know it is time for a change. Swapping Smith with another productive forward – or potential productive forward – could be the change the B’s need. It might be inevitable when Connolly finds his way into the line-up after he has recovered from his hand injury.
Finally, Gregory Campbell has had an off year – or a few years. I am a huge Campbell fan. He has passion, energy and the desire to support the Bruins at all costs. However, none of that matters when you cannot produce points. Julien loves to put Campbell out there and he is a good attribute for the PK, but making him the healthy scratch when Krejci, Connolly or both come back, might be the best option.
Sloppy Defense
The defensive lines have had some difficulty for the duration of the season. Not only are they sloppy with the puck, but they have had far too many turnovers. Sure, the forwards make turnovers as well, but the blueliners’ turnovers have often led to a goal against. Another point that needs to be addressed is helping Tuukka in front of the net. Many times we don’t see the net-front presence that is required to stop the other teams. In other cases, there are TOO many players in front of the net and Tuukka is unable to make the stop. Rask is one of the best, but without the backup support from the defense, the goals are going to keep going in. Changing the defensive pairs might be a smart option to find a combo that works well and improves their overall game.
With tonight’s game being against the Buffalo Sabres – who are the worst team in the league and on the back half of back-to-back games – let’s see if the Bruins can capitalize and keep on their path towards the playoffs. If not – or even if they do win – Julien and the coaching staff might need to rethink their lines.