3 Bruins Who Need to Rebound in 2021-22

Matt Grzelcyk

When Torey Krug left in free agency for the St. Louis Blues last October, many people thought despite Charlie McAvoy taking on a bigger role on the Boston defense, Matt Grzelcyk was most people’s choice to take over Krug spot on the power play.

Unfortunately for Grzelcyk, the 2020-21 season was won where he battled injuries and some inconsistent play. In 37 regular-season games, he had five goals and 15 assists with a plus/minus of plus-11. While Grzelcyk is not expected to put up big-time numbers, 15 assists in 37 games is not too bad.

Grzelcyk re-signed with the Black and Gold last October for a four-year, $14.75 million contract that carries a cap hit of $3.6 million a year. Not a bad deal for someone who ended up slotting next to McAvoy on the Bruins’ top pairing in the second half of the season.

The playoffs left a sour taste in Grzelcyk’s mouth as Game 6 against the New York Islanders is not something that should sit well with him. He had two second-period turnovers that led to New York goals that sank Boston. Assuming the Bruins protect him from the Seattle Kracken Expansion Draft and he’s not selected if left unprotected, Grzelyk having a better 2021-22 season is almost a must if the Bruins are going to be able to make another run at a championship.

Charlie Coyle

This one gets very, very interesting if David Krejci leaves in free agency to sign with another team or he decides to go play in the Czech Republic. If that happens, that means Charlie Coyle slides up to the No. 2 center slot behind Patrice Bergeron, and based on this past season and his contract, that’s not good for the Bruins at this present time.

Following a trade that landed Coyle from the Minnesota Wild at the trade deadline in 2019, Coyle played a big part in the Black and Gold’s run to the Stanley Cup Final against the Blues with nine goals and seven assists in 24 games. In November of 2019, the B’s signed the East Weymouth, Massachusetts center to a six-year, 431.5 million extension.

This season, Coyle hardly seemed like he was a $5.25 million a year player.

In 51 games, he had six goals and 10 assists, but he was moved around between center and wing by coach Bruce Cassidy to try and get the 29-year-old going. Nothing really worked.

With four years remaining on his contract, 2021-22 is going to be a big season for Coyle. If Sweeney tries to move that contract, good luck. If Krejci returns, Coyle will stay on the third line, but if Krejci leaves, then the Bruins could be in a pickle behind Bergeron.

Jake DeBrusk

Ok, so if the Bruins can get a trade worked out to move on from Jake DeBrusk, then I’m sure they would pursue it. If not, here’s hoping that he can find his goal-scoring touch from a couple of seasons ago.

At his end of the year media availability, Cassidy expressed working with DeBrusk to get him better for next season. That doesn’t sound like a comment about a player who the origination might be moving on from this summer. DeBrusk will be in the final year of his two-year bridge deal with a $3.675 million cap hit.

This season saw DeBrusk a healthy scratch twice, while dropping all the way down to the fourth line in the postseason. That’s a far cry from two seasons ago when he potted 27 goals in 2018-19 and 19 more in the shortened 2019-20 campaign. In 41 games in the regular season, DeBrusk had just five goals and nine assists.

Is DeBrusk going to be on the roster when training camp begins? Most likely. How will he come back next season and will he find his goal-scoring touch? That remains to be seen. The Bruins might need to find the goal-scoring touch again, depending on what the roster looks like in September.