When looking at the new additions for the Boston Bruins this season, one player who has not had his big first game for the team is Erik Haula.
Although you technically could argue that Nick Foligno hasn’t yet either, it’s important to remember that he’s only played in two games and did have an assist. Haula, on the other hand, has played in all seven of the Bruins’ games this regular season. During them, he has an assist and a -4 rating. His only point came in the season opener as well.
With all of this, it is fair to state that this isn’t how Haula wanted his first impression with the Bruins to be. However, the season is still very young and he has the tools to be an effective third line center. Although the points haven’t come, he has had chances and is visible when on the ice. The best example of this is from last game when he beat Sergei Bobrovsky on the breakaway, but his shot went just wide.
The third line as a whole has had a bit of trouble this season with scoring. Yes, we’re well aware this has been an ongoing issue for years now. However, before we can fully judge what they will be, the team needs Foligno to be back. Since he’s been out, the line has been switched up a good amount. This also could be impacting Haula’s production right now, as it isn’t allowing chemistry to be built amongst a full trio.
Here’s the thing – I do believe Haula’s big first game with the Bruins is on the way. Who knows? Maybe it will happen on Thursday night when the B’s take on the Detroit Red Wings. That is not a knock on the Red Wings in the slightest, as they of course are off to a decent start and have a 4-3-2 record. Yet, having these next few days off could be just what the doctor ordered for Haula.
Furthermore, Haula has shown in the past that he’s capable of being a threat offensively. He may not have been a star last season with the Nashville Predators, but he did score nine goals and record 21 points in 51 games. And what about the season before? He scored 12 goals and had 24 points in 48 games between the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers. That kind of production would be massive for the Bruins and it isn’t too late for him to turn it on.
We will have to wait and see what’s up next with Haula, but I do envision a multi-point game for him in the near future. He had a strong preseason and now it’s time for it to translate to the regular season.