Boston Bruins 2020-21 Depth Chart: Center

The Bruins’ deepest position could very well be up the middle with their centers.

If there is one position that the Boston Bruins have plenty of depth at, it’s with their centers. They have plenty of veterans and prospects ready to make the jump to being a full-time NHL center. In today’s depth chart edition, let us take a look at the deep position actually is.

Patrice Bergeron

The longest-tenured Bruin, Bergeron has had the best position in the league over the last couple of seasons. Centered between Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak, he has seen his share of goals. Winner of four Selke Trophies, Bergy begins his 17th season with the Black and Gold, and would not be surprising to see him don the “C” with Zdeno Chara leaving in free agency for the Washington Capitals. He had 31 goals and 25 assists last season and he will need to supply more production while Pastrnak is out to begin the season.

David Krejci

One of the league’s better playmakers, Krejci had maybe his most frustrating season last year with the Bruins and their revolving door at right wing, but you never heard a peep out of the 14-year veteran. One of six remaining active players from the 2011 championship team, Krejci enters the final year of contract with a lot of uncertainty beyond 2021. He is in line for a better season if Ondrej Kase and Craig Smith can add stability on the right wing with Jake DeBrusk on his left. The Bruins will need Krejci to carry over his play from the Toronto playoff bubble that saw him score four goals and dish out eight assists.

Charlie Coyle

Acquired from the Minnesota Wild at the 2019 trade deadline, he has solidified the third-line center position. The Bruins signed him to a six-year contract extension in November of 2019. He provides Cassidy with flexibility as he can play spot power play duty and kills penalties. Last season he had 16 goals (two shorthanded) and 21 assists in 70 games. Before the trade to acquire Kase, Coyle spent time filling in on the right next to Krejci, but his best position for the Bruins is centering the third line.

Sean Kuraly

Kuraly has become one of the better bottom-six pieces to the Bruins. He doubles between center and left wing, mostly on the fourth line. In his first three full season in Boston, he has 20 goals and 38 assists. He has proven to be one of the better penalty killers and it was never more evident than in the playoffs. In the first two games against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Bruins did not allow a power play goal. In the final three games of the series, all Bruins’ losses, and without Kuraly in the lineup, they gave up four power play goals.

Jack Studnicka

The Bruins’ top overall prospect, Studnicka is the center in waiting once Krejci and/or Bergeron move on at some point. He had a breakout season in 2019-20 with 23 goals and 26 assists with the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League. He made the trip up Route 95 to Boston from Providence for his NHL debut in the 2019-20 season. He was part of the playoffs last summer in Toronto and the 21-year-old proved he belonged. He played right wing in five games and registered 10 shots on net. If he makes the team out of camp, it will be at right wing, but make no mistake, he is not too long from an NHL career as a center.

Par Lindholm

Lindholm will be on the second year of his two-year deal he signed in the summer of 2019 for $850,000 and provides fourth line depth. He played in 41 games last season while also being a healthy scratch. When in the lineup, it provided Kuraly the flexibility to move to the wing.

Greg McKegg

This is a name to keep an eye on after Sweeney signed the former New York Rangers forward to a one-year, two-way deal for $7000,000 deal in October. He can both wing and center, which he did for the Rangers last season with five goals and four assists. He could find himself in the bottom-six or as a member of the taxi squad.

Without question, center is the deepest position that the Bruins’ have going into 2021 and it is one position that can survive an injury or two during the season.