Boston Bruins: Top 3 players that can replace David Pastrnak on the first line until he returns
With Boston Bruins’ top right wing David Pastrnak expected to be out of action until mid-February, who can replace him?
Before I begin, I want to say that the Boston Bruins just will not replace the elite level of hockey that David Pastrnak brings to the rink night in and night out. However, they still need to find a replacement to fill the hole that is their first line right wing until Pasta returns.
When Pastrnak first got his hip and labral surgeries, it was said that he would miss around five months. This put him at a mid-February return date, and so far, this is still the case.
So, with a Jan. 13 season start date for 2021, the B’s will have to find someone to slot into the first line right wing role until Pasta returns.
Just exactly who within Boston’s organization could the B’s choose?
3. Charlie Coyle could play the Boston Bruins’ first line right wing.
Before I get started with Charlie Coyle, I’ll admit I’m a firm believer in wings and defensemen playing on their strong side. This means that right wings and right defensemen must be righties and left wings and left defensemen must be lefties.
With this said, I will not suggest moving left wing Jake DeBrusk to first line right wing as he is a lefty. The same goes for any other forward that is a lefty.
As of right now, Coyle is expected to slot in as the Bruins’ third line center once again. But maybe for the month that Pasta is sidelined, he could play first line right wing.
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Coyle has scored 20 goals in a season once before and has even scored 55+ points in a season previously in his career. However, this issue is that these accomplishments happened four and five years ago and Coyle hasn’t broken 40 points in a season since.
But he has shown he can score with 16 goals in 70 games this past season for the Bruins. These 16 goals include one powerplay. two shorthanded, and three game-winners.
So, Coyle does have the talent level and ability to keep up with Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron on the Black and Gold’s first line.
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Coyle’s defensive style of hockey would fit in well on the first line, as well. This would allow Bergeron to play a more offensive game, basically replacing Pasta.
However, there are two issues with this solution. First, Coyle has never played first line minutes in his career. He has played top-six minutes, so I’m sure he could handle an extra minute or two a night. Second, moving Coyle to first line right wing creates another hole at third line center.
But, the B’s have great center depth in prospects currently in the AHL like Jack Studnicka and bottom-six centers that are currently in the NHL like Sean Kuraly. So, I think Boston would easily be able to fill this hole for a month.
2. Craig Smith could play the Boston Bruins’ first line right wing.
The Bruins signed Craig Smith to a three-year, $9.3 million deal in early October when free agency first began. This $3.1 million average annual value (AAV) is a pretty good deal considering Smith is basically automatic for at least 20 goals a season.
This deal could look even more of a bargain if Smith can slot into the first line right wing role and give us quality hockey for around a month until Pastrnak returns.
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Like I previously stated, Smith is almost automatic for at least 20 goals in a full 82-game season. In five of the last seven seasons, Smith has score 20+ goals, and he would’ve again this season if it wasn’t cut short due to COVID-19.
Along with scoring at least 20 goals, Smith is usually hovering between 35 and 45 points a season — with the exception of 2013-14 and 2017-18 where he finished with 52 and 51 points.
A problem with Smith moving up to the first line is that he has only played middle-six minutes throughout his nine-year career. Smith’s average ice time is just 14:52 over his career and playing over 18 minutes a game after playing just under 13 and half minutes a game last season could be too much for the 31-year-old.
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However, Smith is a professional and I’m sure he’s in great shape, conditioning-wise, and would be more than able to play these minutes. But, this is a great risk as Smith was just signed in October and has yet to practice and even meet his teammates. Smith could spend that whole month trying to find chemistry with Marchy and Bergy.
Like Coyle, Smith plays a defensive style of hockey, which as I mentioned earlier, could benefit Marchand and Bergeron.
1. Ondrej Kase could play the Boston Bruins’ first line right wing.
Ondrej Kase is not number one because he is the best and most proven option, but instead because he is the most logical option when you looked at the Bruins’ depth chart when the playoffs ended.
When Kase first arrived with the Bruins after being acquired via a trade deadline deal that saw David Backes and a first-round pick go to the Anaheim Ducks, he struggled.
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In six games before the regular season was stopped, Kase had just one assist. However, in the playoffs, playing on the second line with DeBrusk and David Krejci, Kase seemed to find his groove.
In 11 playoff games, Kase scored four points. His line was arguably the best Bruins’ line during the playoffs.
Although Kase has struggled to remain healthy throughout his short career, he has shown flashes of being a top-six forward. In 2017-18, he scored 20 goals in just 66 games. And in 2018-19, he scored 11 goals through just 30 games. This is a 0.37 goals per game pace and through 82 games is equivalent to 30 goals.
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However, like the other two forwards on this list, Kase has never played top-line minutes — his career average ice time is just 14:20. But, over the last two seasons with Anaheim, Kase was playing over 16 minutes a game.
Still being young at just 25 years old, I think Kase is more likely to be able to handle the extra playing time over Coyle (28) and Smith (31). Furthermore, with Kase finishing the playoffs as the team’s second line right wing, he should get the first shot at filling Pasta’s spot.
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While replacing what Pastrnak brings to the Bruins is basically impossible, the team still needs to slot someone in his position on the depth chart when the 2021 season begins. I believe these three players are the best options and also make the most logical sense.