Boston Bruins: Three players who need a strong weekend

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.