Biggest Offseason Question: Boston Bruins
How Do They Handle Life After Patrice Bergeron?
It's been looming in the distance for a few seasons now, always inching closer but never quite feeling like it would ever actually arrive. Well tomorrow’s problem became today’s disaster over the summer with not one, but two retirement announcements that ripped the spine out the reigning President’s Trophy winners’ top 6.
427 goals, 1,040 points, 6 Selke Trophies (it should be considered a federal crime if the NHL doesn’t re-name the award after him), and 1,464 regular season and playoff games of experience. Patrice Bergeron is the ultimate hockey player, a consummate professional and adored leader, and a staple centering Boston’s top line while suffocating opposing superstars for more than a decade. As he hangs up the skates to await his Hall of Fame induction, the Bruins are faced with the impossible task of replacing everything he brought to the table.
Overshadowed by the monumental loss of their captain, veteran second line pivot David Krejci’s departure amplifies Boston’s problem. With no money to go big game hunting in free agency and no reliable 2C to elevate to the top line, the cap strapped Bruins are now tasked with filling two of the most important slots in their roster with unproven internal candidates and bargain bin acquisitions.
Pavel Zacha is the early choice to be Bergeron’s replacement after posting a decent statline of 21-36-57 last season, his first in black and gold. He put up those numbers while playing on the wing, and increasing them to a top line level while taking on the additional defensive responsibilities of center ice will be a monumental task. Right now he’s the best option they have, and he’ll have solid support from the flanks in the form of superstar sniper David Pastrnak and newly minted captain Brad Marchand, but this situation is less than ideal for the team that broke the all-time wins record last season.
Below Zacha, the picture is not pretty. Charlie Coyle is penciled in at 2C, but the 31 year old veteran hasn’t approached the 20 goal mark in 7 years and is best suited for a bottom 6 role at this point in his career. Morgan Geekie was their big free agent acquisition (LOL) and he’s never even tucked home 10 in a single season. He’s only 25 and was once considered a decent prospect, so it’s possible (but unlikely) for him to figure it out and work his way up from his current position centering the third line. That brings us to Jesper Boqvist, a skilled Swede who scored 10 goals in back-to-back seasons for New Jersey while playing all 3 forward positions. He’s a savvy gamble on a 1 year deal at league minimum, and at 24 years old he’s still got some upside to carve out a bigger role now that he’s not blocked behind the Devils’ established group of centers.
This spine should fluctuate quite a bit throughout the season, as none of these centers are established in the roles they’ll be asked to play. The Bruins boast elite talent and depth in every other position, but without strength down the middle it’s nearly impossible to compete in the loaded Eastern Conference. They have to hope at least two of these guys can step up and surprise people, otherwise this team’s status as a cup contender will be sailing off into the sunset with one of the greatest to ever play the game.
