Boston Bruins: Three players who need a strong weekend
The Bruins look to add two more wins this weekend with games against the Blues and Rangers. Some players need to step up to make that happen.
The Boston Bruins started the season with an impressive 6-1-2 record in the first nine games. This is good for 14 points, which puts Boston in second place in the Atlantic Division.
The Bruins looks to continue this great start with a pair of weekend matchups.
On Saturday, Boston faces St. Louis for the first time since last year’s Cup Final loss. It’s safe to say this game will bring up some bad memories.
Then, the Bruins travel to New York to take on the new-look Rangers. The Rangers haven’t had the best opening to the season, but they’ll still be a challenge on the second night of a back-to-back.
Although the Bruins do look solid so far this season, there are some players who need to step up with some big weekends.
Matt Grzelcyk
Matt Grzelyck came into this season with high expectations after a strong year last year. He emerged as a possible top-four defenseman who can skate and move the puck.
Grzelyck, however, hasn’t really fit that bill so far this year.
He’s looked uncomfortable at times and seems to lack that quick first step. Grzelyck doesn’t look like the same impact player from last year.
Bruce Cassidy noticed this, and as a result Grzelyck’s ice time is low compared to last year. He current averages only 16:51 on ice per game; last year he averaged over 19 minutes.
One thing that could hold Grzelyck back is his spot in the lineup. He plays primarily on the third pairing with Connor Clifton. Clifton’s a decent young player, but he lacks the experience to truly make a difference out there.
It’s likely that Grzelyck would look a lot better next to Charlie McAvoy or Brandon Carlo. But, with Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug both above him on the depth chart, this isn’t realistic.
Maybe Kevan Miller can play next to Grzleyck when he comes back from injury. Miller is an experienced, physical player who will be a steadier presence alongside Grzleyck. This might make Grzleyck feel more comfortable moving the puck.
No matter his partner, Grzleyck needs to string a couple strong games together to prove his worth. This weekend presents a great opportunity.
Charlie Coyle
When everybody’s healthy, Charlie Coyle is an important player for the Bruins. He can dominate third-line matchups to provide the Bruins with some necessary secondary scoring.
With David Krejci‘s injury, Coyle becomes even more important for the Bruins. Now, he must step up and be a solid second-line center.
Coyle certainly hasn’t been bad this year. There are times when he’s used his strength and skating to generate quality chances for him and his teammates.
That said, the Bruins still wait for Coyle to show up on the scoresheet. He has zero goals so far, and he only has two assists. Also, Coyle is a -3.
The Bruins desperately need Coyle to be someone who can lead the second line in Krejci’s absence. Boston struggled with secondary scoring this year; Coyle can change that.
Based on the practice lines, expect Coyle to start the game against St. Louis with Danton Heinen on the right and Anders Bjork on the left. This is his best opportunity to pick up his game.
Heinen and Bjork both have more offensive upside than someone like Brett Ritchie. They can also play at a quicker pace, something that fits well with Coyle. Together, Coyle, Bjork, and Heinen appear to have a lot of potential.
Coyle won’t have any excuses this weekend with those linemates. He needs to generate some offense and prove to Boston that he deserves that extension.
Chris Wagner
Chris Wagner was one of the biggest surprises for the Bruins last season. He signed a two-year deal two summers ago, but nobody expected him to be more than a depth piece.
Wagner surpassed expectations and had the best season of his career. He scored 12 goals in the regular season, and he helped lead a fourth line that caused matchup nightmares for the opposition.
Then, Wagner had a strong performance in the playoffs. He had two goals in 12 games before going out with a broken hand. His injury actually was one of the reasons Boston could not get the job done.
With a strong season under his belt, the Bruins expected Wagner to again be a contributor in the bottom-six. This really hasn’t gone as played.
Wagner suited up for all nine games this year, but he doesn’t have any goals. He has two assists and that’s it. Wagner hasn’t really generated many chances either.
Look, Wagner’s a fourth liner, so it’s not like the Bruins rely on him to win games. However, based on his performance last year, he has a lot more to provide to the team. He and Sean Kuraly have yet to generate the chances they did last season.
If Bjork remains in Boston and Ritchie continues to look decent, Wagner’s spot in the lineup could be in jeopardy once Krejci and Karson Kuhlman are back. He needs to find his game to prove his value to the team.
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