Why the Boston Bruins need to extend Charlie Coyle
By Mason Roy
With Charlie Coyle set to become a free agent after the season, the Boston Bruins should focus on giving him an extension before he hits the open market.
The Boston Bruins have looked fantastic to start the season. The Bruins are 11-1-2 with 24 points, the second-most points by any team in the league. This historic start might possibly have gone differently if it wasn’t for the unsung hero in Charlie Coyle.
While he is stats may not show it, Charlie Coyle has been an integral part of the team so far. The Weymouth native has recorded five points to begin the season with two goals and three assists. Even though that seems low, his stats are not showing the full picture.
Throughout the season, Charlie Coyle has had an added energy to his game. He has been able to tire out opponents by adding speed to plays and bringing the puck deep into the zone. He has also exhausted goalies by piling on shots and getting in on them early on.
Charlie Coyle has also stepped up big when it has come to filling in for crucial roles. After the revolving door that was last year, it looks like the Boston Bruins are struggling with injuries again this year.
Coyle has already had to step in for David Krejci after he went down with an injury. Coyle filled in the second line center role really well and was able to show his potential as a leader of the team during that time.
The potential that Charlie Coyle shows is too big for the Boston Bruins to give up. Coyle is a free agent at the end of the season. He is set to hit the open market with the likes of Torey Krug and Jaroslav Halak. With that free agency class, the Bruins can’t afford to let Coyle make it to the open market.
Extending Charlie Coyle will bring some stability to the center position. With David Kreji and Patrice Bergeron both missing significant times at various points within the past two seasons, Coyle also provides good depth if they need to fill a top 6 center position.
As the season progresses, the Boston Bruins will look to continue their strong play and try to stay atop the Atlantic Division. A key to their success will be Charlie Coyle and the rest of the third line helping in secondary scoring.
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If Coyle’s game continues to progress this season, don’t be surprised if the Boston Bruins scramble to lock him up long term as soon as they can.