Boston Bruins Forward Sean Kuraly was Sent to Providence After One Game With the Big Club
There are a variety of ways an NHL debut can go. A player can shine and instantly claim his stakes as a legitimate NHLer. Contrastingly, the player could be a disaster when given his first taste of the big leagues. For Sean Kuraly, however, neither happened.
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In his NHL debut against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Kuraly was largely unnoticeable. To his credit, he did nothing glaringly wrong that earned him a demotion to Providence. In 7:07 of ice time, Kuraly just looked like another skater on the ice; unfortunately, it’s important to make an impact when given an opportunity. One game isn’t enough to go on when evaluating a player, but unfortunately for Kuraly, it’s all he was given this time around.
The former-Miami University forward will return to the Providence Bruins of the AHL where he’s played a decent game – though he’s only recorded one assist in his eight games. Additionally, Kuraly has posted nine penalty minutes and certainly has to work on some stuff before seeing a full-time NHL job. Unlike years past, however, rookies are being given a chance to showcase their ability on the Bruins this season. The team has already seen six Bruins make their NHL debut this year, and some are running with the opportunity.
Why Only One Game for Kuraly?
Sending Kuraly down after one game likely has nothing to do with his play against the Lightning. The Bruins are probably clearing room on the roster for the impending return of David Backes who has missed time with an injury. The team is in need of healthy forwards, especially after sending a message to Matt Beleskey and scratching him from the Lightning game. Beleskey’s scratch wasn’t injury-caused, but rather, an indication that he wasn’t playing up to par.
When Backes returns to the lineup, it will be interesting to see if he returns to a line with David Krejci. While the Patrice Bergeron line is doing well, the team may benefit from playing David Pastrnak with Krejci instead. Chemistry is important, and while Pastrnak has fit right in with Bergeron and Brad Marchand, spreading the offensive production around is also important. If Backes were to play with Bergeron and Marchand, and Pastrnak with Krejci, the offense might find another gear.
Next: Brandon Carlo is Exceeding Expectations
The Bruins currently hold a 6-4 record and are looking to break out of their recent playoff drought. If the team is going to have any chance at doing so, every player will need to pull their weight; whether they’re veterans, or rookies.