Boston Bruins: Three gifts on the team’s holiday wish list
What three things will the Boston Bruins ask for this holiday season?
We’re right at the end of the holiday season, and odds are you already created your holiday gift list. Did you ask for anything special this year? If you’re the Boston Bruins, we can probably figure out what’s on your gift list.
At the holiday break, the Bruins find themselves at the top of the Atlantic Division, a spot they occupied since the start of the year. David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand are in the midst of career years, and Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak make up one of the league’s premier goalie tandems.
Even with their current place in the standings, the Bruins aren’t a finished product. If these last 10 or so games taught us anything, it’s that Boston can certainly use some help. There are a few additions that can turn the Bruins into the top Cup contenders in the NHL.
1. Boston seeks a top-six right wing to play on the second line
The most obvious gift for the Bruins is a legitimate top-six right wing to play on the second line with David Krejci. This is something for which Boston asks virtually every year.
We all know the capabilities of Boston’s first line. Pastrnak and Marchand team up with Patrice Bergeron to give the Bruins a matchup advantage over almost every other team. The second line, however, is a different story.
Coach Bruce Cassidy tried a few different players in that role, but none seem to stick. Karson Kuhlman started there, but he lacks the offensive upside to be in the top-six of a championship contender. Same thing goes for Brett Ritchie.
Danton Heinen played on the second line most recently, and he appears to be the best choice currently on the roster. Cassidy probably prefers to keep him on the third line to balance out the lineup.
What can GM Don Sweeney put under the tree? He undoubtedly would love to add a winger like Tyler Toffoli to the team around the deadline. Even Ilya Kovalchuk is a low-risk option.
2. Bruins need extra size and toughness in the lineup
Monday’s game against the Washington Capitals was physical, and although they won the game, the Bruins still came out on the short end.
Torey Krug missed part of the second period and the entire third after a big hit from Tom Wilson. He suffered an apparent upper-body injury.
Then, in the third period, Wilson went after David Pastrnak, and a major scrum at center ice ensued. The referees tossed Wilson out of the game.
T.J. Oshie finished things off when he laid a hit on Charlie McAvoy late in the third. McAvoy struggled to get back to the bench, and he didn’t finish the game.
The Bruins didn’t back down against Washington’s physical play by any means; in fact, guys like Pastrnak showed some toughness against bigger opponents. That said, after the matchup with the Capitals, you can’t help but think the Bruins need some extra size and toughness in the lineup.
This especially was the case since Zdeno Chara was absent. He certainly makes a big difference when it comes to physical play, as we saw with his recent fights. However, given Chara’s importance on the ice, do the Bruins really want him to mix it up so much?
Sweeney would likely prefer to add some additional size to help bridge the physical gap with a team like Washington. Maybe a healthy Kevan Miller can help, but we don’t know when or if he’ll be good to go this season.
The Bruins don’t need a fighter or anything like that, but it’d be nice if Sweeney added a top-six winger with legitimate size and strength.
3. Most important thing for Bruins is health of top players
The number one thing on the Bruins’ wish list this season has to the health of the top players. Nothing is more important to the team’s success.
Boston already struggled with a few injuries this season. Krejci missed some time at the start, and it took him a few weeks to really find his game.
Jake DeBrusk was out for a few games as well, and this, coupled with Krejci’s injury, significantly limited his impact this year. The Bruins still wait for him to turn into another gear.
Most recently, the Bruins played without the services of Bergeron. He was in and out of the lineup with a lower-body injury. He looked good in his return, but the Bruins can’t afford to lose him again.
The Bruins need everybody in their top-six forward and top-four defenseman groups to stay healthy. Without them, Boston doesn’t have enough to make it through the Eastern Conference again.
We saw the impact of injuries last season. Pastrnak broke his thumb and never was the same player after. Even deep into the playoffs you could tell he wasn’t 100%, and that cost the Bruins in the Cup Final.
Next. Bruins finally take down Capitals. dark
The Bruins already are one of the league’s top contenders, and they have the record and stats to prove it. However, Boston needs to stay healthy and make some key additions to reach the ultimate goal: a Stanley Cup.