By: Declan Flavin | Follow me on Twitter / X @FlavinDeclan
With the Boston Bruins’ third and fourth lines, it will be a wait-and-see game to determine which unit comes together. For the third line, though, it will most likely be the lighter and more offensively minded players from the depth pool. Although it’s possible, it’s hard to imagine a player like Tanner Jeannot starting on the Bruins’ third line come opening night. At the same time, GM Don Sweeney will definitely want a little more forechecking from this line, so whoever is on this unit will have to step up in some way.
Regardless of the combination, there will be a mix of recent acquisitions needing to prove themselves and tenured youth needing to progress beyond sporadic success. For now, let’s roll with a Matej Blumel, Fraser Minten, and Fabian Lysell line as the projected third unit.
Blumel’s 2024–2025 season with the Dallas and Texas Stars totaled 40 goals and 33 assists, with 67 of those games played in the AHL. Weighing 205 pounds at 6’0″, he has the size to throw his weight around during a more aggressive forecheck. As the stats show, Blumel has the ability to produce, but he needs to put it all together at the NHL level for a team known for finding players on the ascent.
Blumel’s sniping ability could be a welcome sight, as the Bruins have not had many pure shooting threats in recent years. A spot in the lineup after training camp will depend on the work he puts in, as the team would love to have a scoring threat for both five-on-five and special teams.
Minten’s 2024–2025 season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Marlies, Boston Bruins, and Providence Bruins produced a combined 12 goals and 13 assists. His youthful two-way game should excite the organization, and because of it, he appears to be a perfect fit for a third-line role.
The center position on that line is, in many people’s opinion, his to lose. There is potential for Minten to provide the foundation for whoever is on this line, bringing a persistence on both sides of the ice that fits well in the modern NHL.
Fabian Lysell’s season last year with Boston and Providence featured 12 goals and 25 assists. Lysell finally got his chance with the big squad, showing both positive flashes and areas that need improvement in his game.
He has the speed and skill to compete with the NHL’s pace of play, but his off-the-puck positioning and pesky attitude need to be more consistent. If Lysell can carry elements of those two traits in his game, the rest should take care of itself, as he is another player the Bruins surely view as possessing a skill set the team has lacked.
This execution on progression is much easier said than done, but just as these players can ruin their chance for a starting spot in training camp, they can also secure their future in the NHL in as short an amount of time.
All in all, there is a chance for this line to present emerging talent, but the players have to be ready for training camp in September. Players like Matthew Poitras will be in the mix as well, although it is harder to see a spot for him even aside from his production, as he is a natural center who would interrupt Minten’s role.
The bottom line is that any of the bottom-six options have the opportunity to fill a spot on the third line with the skills they bring, and that is what will make training camp intriguing. There is both youth and veteran toughness in abundance, and it will be interesting to see who can bring the production for this line.
Leave a Reply