The Boston Bruins return home after their 4 game road trip to start the season Saturday night. The last time they were home was that fateful Game 7 loss. But this is a new season and with it comes new optimism. The Bruins largely took care of business on their road trip going 3-1, with a frustrating game in Colorado as their lone loss. The team has been playing well early on, getting points along the way.
The Bruins next six games have some marquee matchups including a rematch with the Blues. We will see early on how they perform with Toronto and Tampa coming in for a game. The season is early, but points are crucial in what could very well be another tight division. What we have to remember as fans is ‘it’s marathon and not a sprint.’ There are a few things I wanna zero in on during this stretch though.
What will the Bruins be like at home this season? The Bruins in years past always played well at home, but last year in the playoffs wasn’t ideal. The season is new though – enough harping on last year. The Bruins need to protect their home at all cost with them playing 41 games there. What type of lineup will we see during this mini homestand?
With the way Bruce has shuffled his lineup in the bottom six, we might have an early indication on what he’s thinking. There are questions in this Bruins lineup, especially early on. What does everyone think so far about Kuhlman on the second line? What I wanna see is who ultimately ends up on Coyle’s right. The revolving door at right wing needs to stop on this team. We know the first line is gonna do their thing. But after them, how comfortable are you with the new look?
The Bruins fourth line appears to be back, intact with Nordstrom returning to the fold along with Kuraly and Wagner going forward. There could be times when Wagner sits out for Ritchie, Backes, or maybe even Par Lindholm. The line right now that is causing me some concern is that third line. What Charlie Coyle brings to the table cant be underscored. He is versatile in all phases of the game along with Heinen, who has looked really good early on this season, but that right wing again has been a turn table.
With the season being so young, it gives the Bruins time to explore all options to figure out who goes where. The Bruins have options in Providence, if need be, in a pinch. The move for me ultimately would be Bjork if they need him, but you can’t bring him up for ten minutes a night. The player still has to hone in on his skills especially in the defensive side of the game. What I don’t want is players being brought up if there isn’t a strong need. The Bruins have depth in the organization overall. Let them develop for when you really need them.
With all of that being said, who do you want at the right of Coyle? What are your overall thought on the lineup currently? The answer for me is pretty clear right now, but all of us have varying opinions and that’s ok. The Bruins are pretty well set on the back end of things for the time being. What happens when Moore and Miller are back though? Would anyone be shocked if one of them gets moved for a piece? With the way Cliffy Hockey has played, how could you even consider swapping him out right now for a Moore/Miller? We know what Miller brings to the table in toughness, but when you look at the overall picture, would you want him in over Clifton?
There is a ton more we could sit here and discuss, but I’ll cut it off for now. The Bruins are back on the ice, and that is a good thing for all of us. We over here appreciate you reading our articles we put out and we look forward to having many more articles going forward on this site.
That’s it everyone. Enjoy your weekend! Go Bruins!
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