The 2019-20 NHL season is almost here. Want to know what that means? It means it’s time for a very pissed off team to absolutely go off on the rest of the league. It’s time for the Boston Bruins Revenge Tour.
There has been speculation about whether the 2019-20 Bruins are going to be as good as the 2018-19 Bruins were. Obviously no one can say for certain, but as someone who generally knows as much about this team as anyone short of an insider, I’m confident.
The idea that the Bruins will be worse this season tends to assume that last year’s team was better than it actually was. They honestly weren’t close to the second most talented team in the league. The team’s motor and team chemistry were what made them special last season. People seem to be forgetting this since if they remembered, they’d know that both of those things tend to improve over time. You can certainly expect these two things to improve with this team since they lost minimal important pieces and are even hungrier this year than last.
The Bruins didn’t acquire any major pieces throughout the offseason, which is fine with their core being as solid as it is. All the organization needs to move forward is for those core pieces to continue to take steps in their game. Let’s go down the Bruins’ expected lines and see where those pieces are currently at as we kick off the “Boston Bruins Revenge Tour”.
The Forwards.
Brad Marchand – Patrice Bergeron – David Pastrnak
Perfection line. The holy trinity. The Father, the Pasta and the Holy Rat. I literally cannot say anything about this line that hasn’t been said before. These guys have been doted upon as the most dominant line in all of hockey for over two years now. No one can stop them at either end. They’re going to score, and you’re going to have yourself a tough time scoring when they’re on the ice.
The thing about this line is that it hasn’t actually reached its ceiling yet. The chemistry is already there and it will get better over time for sure. However, these three also have room to grow individually as players.
As effective a goal scorer as David Pastrnak is, he is not yet fully developed in his game and was exposed for it during stretches of last year’s playoffs. I fully expect him to keep progressing over the next few years into the Hart Trophy candidate that he has the potential to be.
Marchand and Bergeron are both pretty fully developed in their games. Marchand’s most recent step was to improve his discipline (0 suspensions or fines last season). The next step that they are about to take is improving their abilities to stay healthy. Injuries were the only thing that slowed them down last playoffs, and they know it. You can expect them to do something about it, and be a big part of the Boston Bruins Revenge Tour.
Jake DeBrusk – David Krejci – Karson Kuhlman
We already know that David Krecji is one of the best playmaking centers in the league (even if we forget sometimes). We also already know that Jake DeBrusk is an 40 goal scorer in the making. The thing that we haven’t known for a long time is who is going to play on the right wing on this line. The Bruins seem to be convinced that Karson Kuhlman is the answer.
We have to be honest with ourselves about this one. Karson Kuhlman right now is not a top 6 winger. What I’m hoping is that he is at least close. Kuhlman has plenty of desirable skills, with his skating at the top of the list. To go with it, he’s great along the boards and always goes right for the greasy areas of the ice where no one else wants to go.
This line put up incredible advanced numbers with Kuhlman playing on the right last regular and post season. The thing is that I’m still not totally convinced that Kuhlman is ready to play nightly top 6 minutes. His legs are good but he hasn’t been around that long and his shooting isn’t enough to push him to a top 6 level. However, Bruce Cassidy has made it clear that the 2RW position was Kuhlman’s to lose this preseason, obviously seeing something special.
We’re probably looking at another season of a subpar second line. The good news is that this line is getting better over time. Jake DeBrusk is nowhere near his ceiling and will keep developing, and David Krejci just set new career highs in points and assists last season. Also, the rest of this team is so stupid good that it can still win a lot of hockey games despite this softer spot.
Danton Heinen – Charlie Coyle – David Backes
People are going to be shocked at how good this line is.
We already saw some of what Charlie Coyle can do last postseason. From what I’ve heard and seen, his playoffs were no anomaly. It has been reported that Charlie Coyle has been phenomenal throughout training camp and the preseason. I can’t wait to see what he brings to a full season with the Bruins.
Danton Heinen has developed into a solid two-way player over his first two seasons. Even though people don’t like that he doesn’t score enough, his defense more than makes up for it. People forget that a goal saved is just as good as a goal earned. Not only that, but his offense seems to have taken several steps based on what I’ve seen in the preseason. However, this is to be taken with a grain of salt, as everyone looks immortal on offense during the preseason.
David “cement hands” Backes has been bad. We all know it and so does he, which is why he decided to do something about it this offseason. I’m willing to bet that from late June through September Backes worked harder than anyone else on the Bruins roster. His skating has taken a thousand leaps and then some. He revealed late in the postseason that he worked with a figure skating coach and it was “like a divine intervention.” This skating improvement has opened so much in his game, from his ability to produce some offense to allowing him to expand his physical presence on the ice. David Backes looked more dominant in the preseason than I ever expected to see him.
Sean Kuraly – Par Lindholm – Chris Wagner
Here we have two thirds of the best 4th line in the 2019 Playoffs. I can’t even put into words what Sean Kuraly does for this line. He is truly a one-man cycle and has probably the highest motor on the team. Opposing teams hate playing against him and Chris Wagner, since it’s tough to keep the puck and even tougher to get it back. Not only that, but both guys have great offensive instincts, especially in key moments.
Par Lindholm can play. I was skeptical of this signing because it seemed unnecessary, but from what I’ve seen in the preseason, Lindholm will be a great piece and some key depth once Nordstrom comes back. Every single time Don Sweeny signs one of these cheap bottom six guys people end up wondering where he found them by the end of the season. I expect nothing different out of Par Lindholm.
The Defense.
Zdeno Chara – Charlie McAvoy
This is a lockdown defense pair if I’ve ever seen one. Can you even imagine how much opposing teams must hate playing against these guys?
On one side you have the tallest man in the history of professional hockey. Zdeno Chara also thinks the game faster than anyone else in the league because of his experience. Not only that, but he can just stand in one spot and take away a sixth of the zone. Oh, also he’s still the best penalty killer in the league at age 42.
Mark my words, Charlie McAvoy will be a Norris Trophy candidate this season, barring injury. He has superstar written all over him, and the game 7 loss will continue to push him further. As good as he is, he is nowhere near his ceiling, which is good since he just got his bridge deal this offseason. Within the next few years, you will see Charlie McAvoy recognized as one of the best-skating defensemen in the league. I think he is already the best neutral zone defenseman in the NHL except for Erik Karlsson.
These two have played together for two seasons now, so the chemistry is there. The only possible concern for this pair is the possibility of Chara’s play declining with age. If it does turn out that he can’t handle top-pair minutes anymore, the solution is simple. We bump Grzelcyk up to play with McAvoy (mostly just so that BU alums can run their mouths) and then we have Chara play bottom pair with Clifton. I don’t hate either scenario, and it will work fine during the Boston Bruins Revenge Tour.
Torey Krug – Brandon Carlo
This pair consists of the Bruins’ best offensive defenseman and probably the Bruins’ best defensive defenseman. I expect noticeable improvement from both of these guys this season. In Krug’s case, it’s going to be because he’s in a contract year. As an offensive-minded defenseman, his value is largely judged on production. You can expect him to have the same kind of success that he’s always had on the power play, but I think his 5-on-5 play takes a serious leap this season. He’s an elite defenseman and plays as hard as anyone. My only concern with him is that I want him to stay healthy throughout this season and especially through the postseason.
Brandon Carlo is going to have a career year. It won’t show up on the stat sheet, but he is as good a lockdown defender as you can get. His offensive numbers are bleak, but that’s part because he plays with Krug and part is because his defense is so good that it more than makes up for it. In 1-on-1 situations I can’t think of a single forward in the NHL who can beat him. Against the rush, he can be just as effective by using his size while being a top-tier skater. He also always makes the correct decision with the puck no matter how bright the lights are. You will be amazed at the Corsi numbers Brandon Carlo puts up this year.
Matt Grzelcyk – Connor Clifton
This is a pairing of a known and an unknown.
Matt Grzelcyk is easily a top 4 defenseman and probably a top pair defenseman on some teams. He is every bit as good a skater as McAvoy and plays astonishingly big for his actual size. Not to mention that for a defenseman, his wrist shot is quite good. He gets better every year and will continue to this season, especially now with a partner that can play at his speed.
It’s really hard to tell what Connor Clifton is going to be this season, but I am quite optimistic. Clifton was part of the entire playoff run last season and played 19 regular season games while filling in for injured players. The interesting thing about Clifton is that he plays 100% on instincts. There’s a reason they call him “Cliffy Hockey” in the locker room, and it’s because no one plays like him. When defending in a 1-on-1 situation, it’s amazing how Clifton just absolutely attacks the puck carrier, seemingly from all sides at once. The thing I wonder is if this style of play is actually something he can develop into elite play or just something that opponents have to take a second to figure out. This is a prove-it year for Clifton and if he pulls through, the Bruins are going to put up some monster defensive numbers.
The Boston Bruins Revenge Tour.
The Bruins got punched in the mouth in game 7, but it wasn’t the only time. It was just the last time. We have seen this core get up after tough losses too many times to count. Resiliency was a key part of their identity throughout last year’s playoff run. If we step back further, look at the last time the Bruins lost a cup final. The next season they won the President’s Trophy and Tuukka Rask won the Vezina (which I fully expect him to be a candidate for this year).
They aren’t the most talent team in the league this season. They aren’t even the most talented team in their own division this year. A compelling argument could be made that the Leafs and Lightning are both better teams on paper this season than the Bruins.
The same thing was the case last season. This almost exact team faced these exact circumstances last season and still came just one game short of winning it all. You can never have enough talent, but I would take the intangibles of this Boston Bruins team over any other in the league. When you add the fact that they’re also pissed off and determined, this is going to be one hell of a season. Welcome, to the Boston Bruins Revenge Tour.
