Boston Bruins: Are Charlie Coyle’s numbers an anomaly or for real?

Charlie Coyle has been a force to be reckoned with this post season for the Boston Bruins, tallying 15 points.

For a player whose previous post season total was 15 points in 44 games, it makes Charlie Coyle‘s current 15 points in 20 playoff games for the Boston Bruins seem even more remarkable. In the space of one post season, he’s doubled his totals in under half the games.

Is his level of production for real or is Charlie Coyle finding his numbers inflated by the Boston Bruins elite power play or a shooting percentage that he can’t maintain?

Only four of those playoff points have been accrued on the powerplay and in the regular season, we’re talking a player that only managed 6 points in 21 outings wearing Boston Bruins colors. Safe to say, he’s not being propped up by the man advantage.

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However, where the numbers do appear significantly inflated is Charlie Coyle’s 22.9% shooting percentage this playoff season. That number is top tier and not really reflective of any previous form – his regular season best was a 16% marker in his debut season with the Minnesota Wild, whilst his best in the post-season was a 14.3% across five games in the 2016-17 season.

It’s safe to say that Charlie Coyle has never shot with the level of accuracy he is currently showing. However, there could be many reasons for this – perhaps, he feels most comfortable now he is back playing near his family, in his home state of Massachusetts for the team his family grew up supporting, the Boston Bruins.

It’s most definitely in no small part down to having formed an impressive chemistry with his third line linemates, Danton Heinen and fellow deadline day signing, Marcus Johansson. Another key component has to be that he is now playing a third line role with the Boston Bruins. With his previous team, the Minnesota Wild, he often found himself cast as a second-liner.

Maybe Bruce Cassidy has found the perfect level for Charlie Coyle and that’s what has sparked such great production. There’s so many variables that it’s really quite hard to judge exactly whether these numbers are completely disproportionate or whether we should be expecting more of the same in the final few games this year and on into next season.

You’ve got to imagine that teammate chemistry plays a big role, being home is likely relaxing him and we all know mental state is an oft un-discussed element of importance to an athlete. Couple that with a spot on a third line that has seen some favourable match-ups and of course, the sheer fact he’s playing in a Stanley Cup Final for his home state Boston Bruins, and it’s not really hard to figure exactly what has spurred Charlie Coyle to the next level.

Real, unreal, whatever it is, the Boston Bruins will be hoping that Charlie Coyle keeps it up, at least until the end of this Stanley Cup season!