Boston Bruins: Frank Vatrano Should Get Time with David Krejci
Boston Bruins: Frank Vatrano Should Get Time with David Krejci to Start the Preseason
It’s well known that the Boston Bruins narrowly missed out on landing highly-coveted collegiate winger Jimmy Vesey. There is, however, still hope for a scoring threat to play next to David Krejci this season. While Vesey, a Massachusetts native, would have been a nice fit in the Bruins top-six, another Massachusetts native might just get the call this season.
At Harvard, Vesey was a legitimate scoring threat every time he stepped on the ice. With the Providence Bruins, fellow-Massachusetts native Frank Vatrano was also a scoring threat every single time he took a shift. The height difference between the two is noticeable. Vesey is 6 foot 1 and 195 pounds while Vatrano is only 5 foot 10, but 216 pounds. Vatrano might be shorter than Vesey, but there’s no denying that he’s built like a house at that size. Strength is important when playing for the Bruins, and that’s definitely not a concern for Vatrano.
In terms of scoring, it has been well documented that Vatrano has been an absolute force at the AHL level. With 36 goals in 36 games in his rookie season, Vatrano showed that he has a legitimate goal-scoring touch. When given NHL playing time, Vatrano was able to score eight goals and 11 points in 39 games, showing that he was able to contribute at the big-level as well.
With such an impressive first season in the Bruins organization, why would Vatrano’s spot on Krejci’s wing even be in question?
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The answer to that starts when watching Vatrano away from the puck. As it the case with most offensive players, defensive accountability usually lacks. While his NHL play without the puck may have been glaring at times, his defensive efforts in the AHL prior to his “demotion” were noticeable. The 22-year-old took strides to improve his defensive game, and it evident with every shift.
It’s unclear whether or not his defensive improvements will translate to the NHL level, though. It’s the same cause for concern as his 36-goals-in-36-games. AHL success doesn’t necessarily mean NHL success. That may be hard to accept sometimes, but it’s simply a fact of hockey life. Even if Vatrano doesn’t turn into a 30-goal scorer at the NHL level, however, he deserves an opportunity to play with David Krejci.
There isn’t a better natural playmaker on the roster than Krejci, and that could bode well for a player like Vatrano. Throughout training camp and the preseason, Vatrano deserves a long, consistent look next to Krejci. Head coach Claude Julien should give the natural center every opportunity to showcase his talent. With his track record, however, it’s unclear whether or not Julien will give Vatrano a long leash to work with.
The departure of Loui Eriksson has led to a glaring hole in the Bruins lineup. Krejci is in need of a player who can score at the NHL level on his wing. Whether it was Milan Lucic, Nathan Horton, or Jarome Iginla, Krejci has always gotten scorers to play with. Vatrano may not be at the level of those players yet, but he could develop into a serious scoring threat.
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A line highlighting Vatrano and David Pastrnak on Krejci’s wings would be fun if Julien is willing to try it. Krejci and Pastrnak have shown chemistry in the past, and a new scoring option in Vatrano could open up more opportunities for the Czech-pairing.