After two video games, we’re a 3rd of the way in which by the preseason schedule and the Bruins are nonetheless one thing of a thriller.
However some issues are coming into focus and roster selections – some robust ones – must be made within the not-too-distant future.
Listed below are just a few ideas and observations gleaned from the primary week of camp:
* John Beecher has his work minimize out for him to make this crew. On Tuesday, he coughed up the puck on the blue line and it led to a purpose in opposition to. He had no shot makes an attempt or hits recorded and was minus-2 in 11:50 of icetime. The fourth line is projected to include Mikey Eyssimont, Sean Kuraly and Mark Kastelic. I can’t see him pushing any of these gamers out and he doesn’t have the scoring contact to play any increased within the lineup. He doees have some issues working in his favor that weree not on show on Tuesday. One factor is faceoffs – he received all three of his attracts. His velocity and attain can be useful on the penalty kill, which is a serious space of main concern for brand new coach Marco Sturm. However the 2019 first-round choose must be extra impactful than he was on Tuesday to earn a roster spot. The nice performances of Jeffrey Viel and Riley Duran shouldn’t be discounted, both.
* One participant who can be on the penalty kill is Eyssimont. He was every thing that was marketed and extra in Tuesday’s win 5-4 OT win in New York. He singlehandedly began the comeback on the PK, stripping Adam Fox within the Ranger zone and scoring a fairly backhander purpose. He added one other purpose after which an help on Marat Khusnutdinov’s equalizer. He appears decided to point out that he can produce extra offensively and if he can provide this crew greater than the career-high 11 he had in Tampa, that might be nice. However earlier than the apparent third-period heroics, Eyssimont made his presence felt, drilling a Ranger into the boards early within the first interval. If his private historical past holds true, these three-point durations is not going to occur rather a lot. However that tone-setting physicality is one thing he can convey each night time. The B’s younger gamers have to emulate that readiness for battle.
* Fabian Lysell has been extra engaged in his first two preseason video games than he has been in previous camps. He’s been a far cry from the participant who was a no-show within the first preseason recreation final season and couldn’t dig out of it in time to make the membership. That mentioned, a participant of his ilk wants to provide numbers and he hasn’t gotten on the board. The truth that he’s nonetheless waiver-exempt means he has to obviously outplay fellow bubble inhabitants that aren’t exempt and he hasn’t accomplished that but. There’s nonetheless a while for him. But when he has to go to Windfall he ought to accomplish that with the data that he’s on the cusp.
* Of all of the waiver-exempt gamers vying for a spot, Fraser Minten seems to be essentially the most NHL-ready. Whereas his offensive manufacturing can be a piece in progress, his line (and it must be famous Lysell has been with him each video games) has not given up a lot in six durations. It was his test down low within the offensive zone that prompted the turnover, giving the puck to Jordan Harris who in flip arrange Eyssimont for his second purpose. Minten seems to be like a participant who can proceed to study on the job on the NHL degree whereas not hurting the crew.
* Perhaps we have to see the Mason Lohrei-Charlie McAvoy mixture for one more preseason recreation, however I’m not shopping for it but. If Lohrei skates with McAvoy, he can be seeing high line matchups like he did final 12 months and it didn’t finish properly for him (minus-43). The perfect plan of action could be to play him on a 3rd pair with the ever-reliable Andrew Peeke and let him regain some confidence as an alternative of forcing him into the deep finish once more.
* The agency perception right here is that Matt Poitras can be a daily NHL participant some day. And who is aware of? Perhaps that day comes by Christmas. However as a centerman he has struggled in his D-zone protection in his first two preseason video games and is minus-5. It additionally appears he leaves himself open for giant hits at the least as soon as a recreation. One optimistic from the New York recreation was his improved work within the faceoff circle, profitable 9-of-15 after dropping 6-of-10 within the opener. However for the time being there’s not a have to rush him. Let him go to Windfall and be a catalyst down there for some time.
* Pavel Zacha is already being bandied about in commerce rumors and I don’t get it – at the least not but. He’s a great three-zone participant who wins greater than his share of battles, can play heart or wing and has an affordable cap hit ($4.75 million) by subsequent season. If the B’s fall out of playoff competition, then positive, the crew must hearken to affords, particularly with the upcoming draft believed to be deep. He’ll have good worth within the deadline market. However even in that state of affairs, is it so outlandish to assume the 28-year-old Zacha might be part of the persevering with rebuild?
* Listed below are my 13 forwards for the time being: First line – Morgan Geekie, Elias Lindholm, David Pastrnak; second line – Zacha, Casey Mittelstadt, Viktor Arvidsson; third line – Tanner Jeannot, Fraser Minten, Matej Blumel; fourth line – Eyssimont, Kuraly, Kastelic. Further – Khusnutdinov. Khustnutdinov will get the nod over Lysell as a result of the Russian is just not waiver-exempt.
Let’s see if that holds.
