The Boston Bruins can’t find much offense beyond the first line. Can they find help down in Providence?
The Boston Bruins headed into the holiday break on a high-note with a seven-goal effort against the Washington Capitals. However, based on the first five games back, it’s clear the Bruins left their offense on break.
The Bruins only scored 10 goals in the last 5 games. Six of those came in the first two games against the Buffalo Sabres. No surprise that those are Boston’s only two wins.
What’s worse is that the Bruins scored six of their 10 goals while on the power play. And of the four non-power play goals, one was an empty-netter.
Boston’s forwards clearly need to be better at even strength, but right now there’s no solution. As such, the Bruins need to call up some talent from Providence to inject something new into the lineup. Jack Studnicka and Zach Senyshyn are the top candidates.
Give Senyshyn and Studnicka looks before the deadline
Boston’s biggest problems lie in the middle-six of the forward group. The first line continues to produce, but the second and third lines are wildly inconsistent.
Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen are two of the culprits, as they both cannot find their games on the ice. Plus, the Bruins still don’t have a right wing to play with David Krejci.
Bruce Cassidy tried Charlie Coyle at right wing, but he’s a better fit at center. We also saw Heinen and Brett Ritchie in that right wing spot, but neither look like long-term options.
Given all this, the Bruins should try Zach Senyshyn at right wing. After he missed time with an injury, Senyshyn went back down to Providence. He doesn’t have any points in his first few games back, but most people who watched him say he looks good.
Senyshyn looked comfortable in his cup of tea with Boston earlier this year, so why not give him a shot with Krejci? He certainly won’t look as fatigued (or disinterested) as some of the current Bruins’ forwards.
If the Bruins are more comfortable with Coyle at wing for now, then they need a center for the third line. Sean Kuraly and Par Lindholm don’t offer enough offense, so Jack Studnicka is a better option.
The Bruins originally wanted Studnicka to get a full season in Providence, but he continues to excel there. He has 26 points in 35 games, enough to warrant a closer look in Boston.
At the very least, the Bruins need to see what they have in Senyshyn and Studnicka before the trade deadline. How they fit in Boston can tell Don Sweeney exactly what he needs to add to make this team a more viable contender.
The Bruins remain comfortably in first place in the Atlantic Division, but teams like Tampa Bay and Toronto started to catch up. Sweeney and Cassidy must take some action to ensure Boston maintains its position as one of the league’s top contenders.
Senyshyn and Studnicka may not be ready to make a big difference, but they could certainly help.