If you had been told in September that the Boston Bruins would be entering the Stadium Series game against the Tampa Bay Lightning with Pavel Zacha and Elias Lindholm on the injured list, you might think about skipping the game. However, no one could have predicted that the Bruins would actually be in great hands with their center depth with those players out of the lineup.
The Bruins are a better team with Zacha and Lindholm in the lineup, and the hope is that both players will be back for the special event on Sunday. Not only to play in that game, but also because their chances to represent their respective countries at the Olympics are quickly approaching.
If they don't play, there is a significant probability that Marat Khusnutdinov will be the first-line center, Fraser Minten will be the second-line center, and Matt Poitras will be centering the third line. Khusnutdinov is the elder statesman of the group at 23-years-old, while Minten and Poitras are both just 21.
The trio stepped up on Thursday night when the Bruins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 6-3. Zacha left the game with six minutes remaining in the second period with an upper-body injury, and Khusnutdinov stepped in admirably between David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie in his absence.
Khusnutdinov played well all night, but Minten stole the show with a goal and two assists while playing with two new linemates in Casey Mittelstadt and Viktor Arvidsson. Poitras didn't have as much ice time as people might've wanted, but he also showed that his game is rounding into form in the AHL in his NHL season debut.
Who else could enter the Bruins' lineup?
The easy decision for Marco Sturm would be to insert Alex Steeves into the lineup alongside Poitras and Mikey Eyssimont. Steeves sat in the press box during the last two games to give Eyssimont a chance, and with Zacha out, bringing him back into the lineup would make the most sense.
However, I'm here to offer an outside-the-box suggestion. Eyssimont played fine for the Bruins, but a third line of him, Poitras, and Steeves doesn't sound too inspiring. Would it be an intriguing option to give Fabian Lysell his first recall of the season to form a line alongside his former teammates in Providence with Steeves and Poitras?
The Bruins' lineup on Sunday is going to be youthful down the middle. Why not give the fans what they want and throw Lysell into the fire, as well?