Can the Bruins repeat their power play success in 2020-21?

Can the Bruins repeat their power play success in 2020-21?

Last season, only the Edmonton Oilers had a better power play in the NHL during the regular season than the Boston Bruins. The Oilers finished the shortened regular season at 29.5%, well ahead of the Bruins at 25.2%.

Edmonton returns their top power play point producers in Leon Draisaitl (16 power play goals and 28 power play assists), Connor McDavid (11 PPG and 32 PPA), and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (7 PPG and 17 PPA). There is no reason to think they won’t pick up where they left off in 2019-20.

The Bruins, however, are in a different situation, and repeating last season’s success could be very difficult, especially early in the 2020-21 season.

Sure, they return David Pastrnak and his 20 power play goals and 18 assists as well as Brad Marchand with his five goals on the man advantage with 23 assists, but they could begin the season without one or both players as they recover from offseason surgeries. The Bruins can plug those spots until their talented wingers return, but the real question is, can they replace the quarterback of the top unit in Torey Krug to keep the success going this season?

When the Bruins power play was at its best last season, Krug was running the show from the point on the four forward, one defenseman grouping. Krug had a team-high 26 assists, three ahead of Marchand. Nobody benefitted more from Krug’s spot on the ice than Pastrnak.

When the puck was moving, the Black and Gold were the most dangerous. Pasta would set up shop between the circle and blue line in the offensive end and just wait for a pass from Krug for his pattened one-time slap shot.

While that duo won’t be connecting like that this year, the Bruins still return four of their five-man unit. Along with Marchand and Pastrnak, Patrice Bergeron and his 11 goals and nine assists return along with a combination of Jake DeBrusk, Charlie Coyle, and David Krejci. The question is, whoever they replace Krug with, can the Bruins continue their power play dominance when healthy?

The choice that coach Bruce Cassidy decides to go with most likely is Matt Grzelcyk. He saw time on the Bruins’ second power play unit last season during the regular season and in the Toronto playoff bubble. Grzelcyk did finish the regular season with one power play goal and seven assists.

Asking Grzelcyk or anyone else to replace Krug’s production on the power play is nearly impossible. However, if the Bruins are going to come close to repeating last season’s success on the man advantage and remain near the top of the league with the Oilers, they will need everyone to play as well, if not better, than they did last season.