A website dedicated to bring you the most accurate news and information about the Boston Bruins organization from a fans perspective. This site is not affiliated with the NHL club in any way.
By: Patrick Donnelly | Follow me on Twitter @PatDonn12
Bruins general manager Don Sweeney announced the first round of cuts from Boston’s training camp this afternoon. Axel Andersson and Wiley Sherman have been assigned to Providence while Cooper Zech, Samuel Asselin, Chris Breen, Alexey Solovyev, and Brendan Woods will report to Providence training camp. Andersson and Sherman were “assigned” to the P-Bruins since they are on NHL entry-level contracts compared to the others, who are all on AHL deals.
The 21-year-old Andersson was selected by Boston with the 57th-overall pick in the second round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft and will likely play his first season in North America this year, whether he skates with Providence or with Moncton of the QMJHL remains to be seen. However, returning overseas is also still an option for the Swedish defenseman.
Sherman was drafted by the Bruins in the fifth round of the 2013 entry draft (150th-overall). The Harvard product inked his ELC in the spring of 2018 and played his first full professional season last year, posting 2-3-5 totals with Providence as well as a minus-seven rating. The 6-foot-7 defenseman 33 total points (seven goals and 26 assists) in 137 NCAA contests.
Asselin (21) signed with Providence after a standout year with the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL where he totaled 48 goals and 38 assists for 86 points in 68 games. Breen has been a mainstay on the Providence blue-line over the last five seasons, donning an “A” during each of the last four campaigns. During his tenure with the P-Bruins, the 30-year-old has 49 total regular season points as well as seven playoff points.
The Bruins won the bidding war for Zech, signing him to an AHL deal after the 20-year-old registered 8-20-28 numbers in 36 NCAA games during his first season with Ferris State. After joining the P-Bruins at the tail-end the season, the defenseman notched four assists in 12 games before tallying two goals in four playoff contests.
Woods, selected in the fifth round in 2012 by Carolina (129th-overall), has been a career AHL-er, posting 85 points in 262 regular season games between the Charlotte Checkers and the Utica Comets. The 27-year-old forward has seven penalty minutes in seven NHL games. Solvyev spent the last four years at Bentley University, where he recorded 46 points in 109 career NCAA games. The 25-year-old Russian is un-drafted.
Check out the Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 146 that we recorded on 9-22-19 below! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.
Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE for exciting Black N’ Gold online content!
By: Yanni Latzanakis | Follow Me On Twitter @yanlatz
Fans going to TD Garden to attend Bruins and Celtics games as well as other events will notice multiple changes to the building. The TD Garden has been giving fans plans throughout the past season as to what to expect but just recently gave fans a bigger glimpse into what to expect at the Garden this season.
On Tuesday, TD Garden unveiled the first look at the first round of changes to the Garden coming as part of a $100 million upgrade which includes new seats, expanded parking garage, Garden HDX upgrade, “Rafters” club, and concourse expansion.
New look, who dis? 🤩
Nearly three months later, #TDGarden’s first round of upgrades are nearly complete, including all-new seats, HDX enhancements and Rafters, #BostonGardenSociety’s newest level of entertainment! #ExperienceLegendary
Arguably the most noticeable change coming this season is the removal of the iconic yellow and black seating in the arena which was installed in 1995 when the building was built. These seats have been replaced with all-black seats that are more modern and designed for comfort for the best possible experience for Bruins fans. Even in the balcony seats, fans will sit in cushioned seats that are a much improvement of the hard plastic seats that called the balcony home. Select old yellow seats will be reserved by the Boston Bruins Foundation and other foundations for future charitable endeavors.
Some fans, however, are unhappy that the yellow seating is gone in the arena as they were a staple for the TD Garden ever since the building replaced the Boston Garden which also featured yellow seating. The new black seats do in fact take away the unique look that the TD Garden possessed over the past 23 years.
Garden HDX Upgrade
The TD Garden center-ice video boards have been upgraded as well. Although to the eye the physical jumbotron will not look much different to B’s fans, it was upgraded to 4K screens which will be much clearer and easier for fans to see.
Rafters
Opening in November of 2019, the new Rafters club on level 9 will feature an extremely unique experience. This is a membership plan that is apart of the new Boston Garden Society and includes a communal bar area, food stands, and seating that allows fans to sit virtually above the ice surface.
Join Rafters and enjoy member amenities including access to two expansive bars, which will feature craft cocktails and a wide beer selection, exclusive private entrances, and more!
The concourse area is also being expanded and is expected to also be completed in November 2019. The areas will be enlarged by 20% on the loge level and 30% on the balcony level. This all with the aim to give fans more room to meet friends, sit down and have food and drinks, and also add more merchandise pop-up stores, quick food options, and bar areas.
The Garden will look much different this year to Bruins fans as the expansion, upgrade, and renovation of TD Garden is ongoing as part of the Jacobs’ family’s $100 million dollar investment with the Garden is entering its 24th season as the proud home of the Boston Bruins and Boston Celtics. Fans will get to experience some of the new changed for the first time at the TD Garden when the Bruins host the Philadelphia Flyers in a preseason game on Monday, September 23.
By: Max Mainville | Check me out on Twitter @tkdmaxbjj
It has been a successful week for General Manager Don Sweeney and the rest of the Boston Bruins management staff. On Sunday, the Bruins re-signed RFA defenceman Charlie McAvoy to a three-year contract with an annual average salary (AAV) of $4.9 million and also managed to lock up the other RFA defender – Brandon Carlo – to a two-year contract worth $2.85 million per season.
Are you kidding me?
The #NHLBruins retain Charlie McAvoy & Brandon Carlo for a combined $7.7M?
Throughout the league, the Bruins are being praised for their “genius” work to re-sign both of these future franchise defensemen while keeping forward David Backes and not making any other trades to free up cap space and rightly so. I was one of the people who was convinced that Boston would be forced to ship out a body in order to make room for both players. Evidently, Sweeney knew he could sign both without making other adjustments and he proved it.
However, things might not seem so perfect after taking a further glance. In the lead-up to the signings, it was made clear that Charlie McAvoy wanted to stay in Boston for the long-term and it was clear that the organization felt the same way. In that case, many imagined that when the details of the contract would be released, it would lock up the 21-year-old for the next seven or even eight years.
Due to the fact that people assumed the length of McAvoy’s deal, it was expected for Carlo to have a shorter, bridge-type deal because of the lack of cap space available to spend on Carlo. In a perfect world, Boston would have traded David Backes and signed both Carlo and McAvoy to contracts with long terms to solidify the defensive core for years to come.
Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world and in some cases, we have to be thankful and settle for what we do have. As we look ahead for the 2019-2020 NHL season, the Boston Bruins have a true chance to contend again for the Stanley Cup or at the very least, contend in the Eastern Conference. Regardless, it is good to keep an open mind on the future and the next half-decade for Boston could be a stressful one.
2020 Expiring Contracts:
Forwards:
F Charlie Coyle (UFA)
F Jake DeBrusk (RFA)
F Karson Kuhlman (RFA)
F Chris Wagner (UFA)
F Joakim Nordstrom (UFA)
F Brett Ritchie (RFA)
F Anders Bjork (RFA)
F Zach Senyshyn (RFA)
F Ryan Fitzgerald (RFA)
F Brendan Gaunce (RFA)
F Peter Cehlarik (RFA)
Defensemen:
D Torey Krug (UFA)
D Kevan Miller (UFA)
D Zdeno Chara (UFA)
D Matt Grzelcyk (RFA)
D Jakub Zboril (RFA)
D Wiley Sherman (RFA)
D Jeremy Lauzon (RFA)
Goaltenders:
G Jaroslav Halak (UFA)
G Daniel Vladar (RFA)
G Maxime Legacé (UFA)
If you thought that this past off-season was hectic and stressful, just wait for the stress a year from now. The Bruins will have big-name players such as Torey Krug, Jake DeBrusk, Jaroslav Halak, and Charlie Coyle that will have an expiring contract. According to CapFriendly, the Bruins are projected to have $25,158,334 in available cap space for the 2020 offseason, so it is inevitable that players will have to be let go – whether it is in a trade or just leaving on July 1st.
However, there are a few players that I’d imagine are guaranteed to return to Boston – forward Jake DeBrusk, defenceman Matt Grzelcyk, forward Karson Kuhlman, forward Anders Bjork, defenceman Jeremy Lauzon, and forward Zach Senyshyn. The remaining players are up in the air and their performance and/or development in the 2019-20 campaign will prove their worth.
Sticking to NHL roster, Torey Krug, Kevan Miller, Zdeno Chara, Charlie Coyle, and Jaroslav Halak are the biggest pieces that are question marks for me. In regards to the captain, Zdeno Chara, his decision on whether or not he wants to continue playing hockey is still up in the air. When his current deal expires this July, he will be 43 years of age.
Kevan Miller has dealt with numerous injuries and with the rising defensive prospects, I don’t see him returning. Charlie Coyle was great in the playoffs last season, but a full year wearing the Spoked-B sweater will really show what he is worth contract-wise. Jaroslav Halak is a big piece, but same thing with Coyle, this season will show what he can demand in the negotiations. Finally, Torey Krug could be a player for trade bait, but he brings a high-level of play to Boston’s defense and it is likely that he returns.
Don Sweeney said he's expecting "to have conversations" with Torey Krug about his contract now that the Bruins have taken care of Brandon Carlo and Charlie McAvoy https://t.co/o9HeMBxutU
For Chris Wagner, Joakim Nordstrom, and Brett Ritchie – I personally don’t see them re-signing with the organization mainly due to the plethora of talent in the AHL that Boston can use to fill those bottom-six roles.
2021 Expiring Contracts:
Forwards:
F David Krejci (UFA)
F David Backes (UFA)
F Danton Heinen (RFA)
F Sean Kuraly (UFA)
F Par Lindholm (UFA)
F Trent Frederic (RFA)
F Cameron Hughes (RFA)
F Anton Blidh (RFA)
F Paul Carey (UFA)
Defensemen:
D Brandon Carlo (RFA)
D Steven Kampfer (UFA)
Goaltenders:
G Tuukka Rask (UFA)
After the Bruins make some difficult decisions in the 2020 offseason, the 2021 offseason proves to be one of the biggest in a long time for the organization. Core players such as David Krejci, Brandon Carlo, and superstar goaltender Tuukka Rask have expiring deals. However, the Bruins will be free of $6 million due to David Backes’ contract and the likely departure of Steven Kampfer, Paul Carey, and Par Lindholm.
I’d imagine that Krejci and Rask take a decrease in pay when they negotiate a new deal, as both will be in their mid-30s at the end of the 2020-2021 season, (Krejci – 35, Rask – 34). That saved salary will likely be thrown right back into Brandon Carlo’s deal which will hopefully be a longer contract in comparison to the two-year deal that he recently agreed to.
It’ll also depend largely on the success of the young players like Danton Heinen, Trent Frederic, Anton Blidh, and Cameron Hughes – but I don’t see any of them earning a large deal with only Heinen in my eyes making more than $1.5 million.
2022 Expiring Contracts:
Forwards:
F Patrice Bergeron (UFA)
F Pavel Shen (RFA)
F Oskar Steen (RFA)
F Jakub Lauko (RFA)
F Jack Studnicka (RFA)
Defensemen:
D Charlie McAvoy (RFA)
D Urho Vaakanainen (RFA)
D Axel Andersson (RFA)
Goaltenders:
G Kyle Keyser (RFA)
The list takes a dramatic decrease in the number of players and that is a result of all the short-term deals or the longer deals that are nearing the conclusion. At this point, it is nearly impossible to predict the numbers and the results, especially because of all the restricted free-agents in this class. Everyone but Patrice Bergeron and Charlie McAvoy have something big to prove if they want that NHL contract. I expect everyone to sign in this free-agent class, but who really knows.
Another thing to note is that at this point, previous players on the list could be expiring this year too due to the possibility of one or two-year deals signed as well as free-agents and acquisitions in trades.
Players Extended Past 2022:
Forwards:
F Brad Marchand (2025-26)
F David Pastrnak (2023-24)
Defensemen:
D John Moore (2023-24)
D Connor Clifton (2023-24)
With only four players signed past 2022, the Boston Bruins franchise as we know it will be completely different. Retirements, departures and arrivals are going to be surrounding the management team and for Don Sweeney, his job will be the most difficult as it ever has been. These next three years will prove how good of a General Manager he is.
A lot of this will also come down to the players. Now is the time to prove yourself for that contract – big or small. If you want to remain a member of the Boston Bruins and skate on that TD Garden ice with the historic Spoked-B on your chest, this is your moment. No pressure.
Check out the Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 145 that we recorded on 9-15-19 below! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.
Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE for exciting Black N’ Gold online content!
By: Max Mainville | Check me out on Twitter @tkdmaxbjj
Boston has always had a close connection to forward Charlie Coyle, considering he was born just 16.7 miles south of Boston in Weymouth, Massachusetts. Similar to other young kids that live near an NHL city, Charlie always had a dream to play for the Bruins, in the TD Garden, in Boston, Massachusetts. In an article for the Player’s Tribune back in May, Coyle shared his thoughts when he heard of the trade that sent him to the B’s.
“Boston is in my blood. Boston raised me. This place is my home.” Coyle said, “Me on the Bruins? My hometown team? Playing next to guys like Zee and Bergy? Come on that’s like fairy-tale stuff.” – Charlie Coyle, Player’s Tribune
Coyle, drafted 28th overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks, was traded to the Minnesota Wild in the off-season of 2011 where he, Devin Setoguchi, and a 2011 1st Round Pick (Zack Phillips) were sent to San Jose in exchange for Brent Burns and a 2012 2nd Round Pick.
The trade allowed Coyle to make his National Hockey League debut in the 2012-13 campaign, skating in 37 games, putting up 8-6-14 numbers for his first NHL season. Over the course of the next seven seasons, Coyle played in a combined 479 games for the Wild, ending his tenure with 91-151-242 totals and an additional 15 points in 44 playoff games for the franchise. Coyle’s time with the Wild placed him in the top ten for games played, assists, and points in franchise history, cementing his name in Minnesota history books.
However, with the Wild on pace to miss the postseason for the first time in six seasons, management decided to part ways with Coyle, trading him to the Boston Bruins just days before the NHL Trade Deadline in exchange for prospect forward Ryan Donato and a conditional 2019 5th Round Pick.
The trade caught many Bruins off-guard, especially when they saw who they were sending back to Minnesota – forward Ryan Donato. Donato had been one of the most anticipated prospects to come into the organization and many fans had imagined him being a future top-six player as we now look at Pastrnak or DeBrusk. However, after a struggling season for the young forward, it was best for the Bruins to move away and get more of an experienced player in return.
Coyle came into the lineup and played in 21 regular season games, putting up 2-4-6 numbers and averaging just under 16 minutes per game. At this point, it seemed like the acquisition of Coyle was nothing too special, until the playoffs came around. In the first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the 27-year-old scored three goals and added an assist for four points in seven games – scoring the first of two empty-net goals in Game Seven.
“That Game 7 environment against the Leafs was just about the craziest thing I’ve ever experienced in my life. Like Roman Coliseum s***, with thousands of people screaming for blood. There’s no better atmosphere in hockey, and that’s not up for debate.” – Charlie Coyle, Player’s Tribune
He was not done there. In Game One of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Charlie Coyle stole the show on home-ice, scoring the game-tying goal with less than five minutes left in the third period to cause an uproar in the TD Garden. Not as loud, however, when he scored the game-winning goal in overtime to give Boston a 1-0 series lead.
Coyle finished the series against the Blue Jackets with 2-2-4 totals in six games, then went on to score four points in the four-game sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals – including an impressive three-assist night in the 6-2 victory in Game Two. In the Stanley Cup Finals against the Blues, Charlie buried three goals and assisted on one goal to finish the best-of-seven series with four points. All in all, Coyle proved to be one of the most valuable players in Boston’s playoff run in 2018-19, ending the post-season with 9-7-16 numbers in 24 games.
Entering this upcoming campaign, the current role of Charlie Coyle is undecided by some, but for me, it makes clear sense where he should be playing – third line center. His success that he found throughout those playoffs were because of his third-line time with wingers Danton Heinen and Marcus Johansson (who signed with the Sabres in the off-season). Coyle does a great job battling in the boards and during the post-season, he recorded 14 takeaways and only 9 giveaways – the type of ratio you want to see from your third-line center.
One concern for him playing in that position is his face-off percentage. Due to lack of regular season games, I once again go to his playoff numbers to tell the story. Coyle took a combined 257 face-offs, winning 122 of them, for a face-off win percentage of 47.5%. Although, that percentage is not too far off from second-line veteran, David Krejci, who had a 48.4% success rate on the face-off dot.
The alternative option would be to play Coyle on either the second-line right-wing, alongside David Krejci or on the first-line with Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron with David Pastrnak playing on the second-line instead. With that said, it would only create another hole at third-line center, an important position. Also, Coyle and Heinen showed great chemistry and separating that forces the third-line to have brand new chemistry, which is not always in the best interest.
Oftentimes, when a player is traded to a contender at the Trade Deadline, he only has one year remaining on his current deal. It is a way for a team to make a strong push without constraining the cap for the next season. However, the Bruins were able to acquire Coyle with another year left on his contract. For the 2019-2020 season, Charlie Coyle will make $3.2 million – the final year of his five-year deal that he signed in 2014.
Now, with the opportunity to play a full season and post-season with the Boston Bruins, it is Charlie Coyle’s time to shine. Regardless of his exact position in the lineup, he will bring his very best to every single game and will play a big role, no matter where Head Coach Bruce Cassidy decides to play him. Boston is his home and he wants to make his home proud.
“I want to win a Cup for Boston and Weymouth — for all the great people from my town who’ve supported me every step of the way. And I want to win one for all my cousins back home who I know are going to be losing their minds as soon as that puck drops.” – Charlie Coyle before Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals, Player’s Tribune
Check out the Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 144 that we recorded on 9-8-19 below! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.
Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE For Link To Our YouTube Channel!
By: Patrick Donnelly | Follow me on Twitter @PatDonn12
Anders Bjork has not had the start to his professional hockey career that he, or anyone else for that matter, likely envisioned. Between inconsistency at the NHL level, a demotion to Providence that led him to miss the Winter Classic at his alma mater, and two season-ending shoulder surgeries, the forward is basically starting from scratch this season.
Surprising or not, the fact that Bjork was included on the Bruins’ rookie camp and Prospects Challenge roster should have been beneficial to his chances of having a good showing at training camp. The Notre Dame product said he was fully cleared to play in July and trained hard all summer; however, few things can simulate game speed, but the Prospects Challenge should have served as a great chance for Bjork to get his legs back under him ahead of what looks to be an extremely competitive training camp. From the way things sounded on Twitter (because most of the games were not streamed, of course), Bjork was among the standouts during the games in Buffalo.
Anders Bjork looks focused & renewed— impressive first period and he’s been bringing it every shift. Playing some intense, physical hockey along the boards. He’s skating with his head-up and utilizing his teammates very well. Wouldn’t know he had season-ending surgery. #NHLBruins
With 1.9 seconds left in a tied game, Anders Bjork fights through two Pittsburgh players in the slot, maintains possession, shoots and scores. Top-corner, glove-side. Pretty goal with some real nice velocity on it. #NHLBruins
The Mequon, Wisconsin, native is among other prospects, like Jack Studnicka, Zach Senyshyn, Peter Cehlarik, and more, who are looking to make a strong impression at camp and seize one of the two forward spots that are up for grabs. With 50 games of NHL experience under his belt, Bjork has a leg up on most of the others, likely aside from Cehlarik and Karson Kuhlman, though.
In those 50 games (5-10-15 numbers), Bjork has shown flashes of the skilled, speedy, all-zones force that many thought he would become in time with the Bruins. He looked most promising when playing on Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand’s right wing during his rookie season, but struggled when suiting up further down the lineup in a bottom-six role last season.
Entering the last year of his entry-level contract, the 23-year-old will not only be looking to stand out to secure a spot in the NHL, but also to earn a decent pay raise this off-season when his deal is up. So, if Bjork wasn’t motivated enough to prove that he still has the potential to become the player everyone once thought he could be after shining at Notre Dame, the added factor of it being a contract year almost certainly adds to the fire under him.
So where exactly does Anders Bjork fit within the Bruins’ organization? The answer to that question is hard to pinpoint. In an ideal world, the Bruins have the two wide open forward spots sorted out, which would allow Bjork to start the year in Providence to regain his confidence and get up to speed. However, this is not a perfect world, so it remains to be seen who might step up during training camp and seize the spots. Head coach Bruce Cassidy even specifically named Bjork as one of the guys in the running to slot in on David Krejci’s right on the second line; you can read about that in my last article here.
On paper, based on Bjork’s skillset alone, the obvious choice for where he would go in the NHL lineup would be in the top-six next to either Krejci or Bergeron, whom he has found success with in the past, as I previously mentioned. However, a third-line role next to Charlie Coyle would not be the worst thing in the world, especially considering Bjork would be making a significant upgrade from the start of last season when he flanked David Backes.
Long story short, Bjork needs to play meaningful minutes, whether it is in top-flight role in Providence, or a top-nine spot in Boston. With training camp beginning tomorrow, there is no doubt that he needs a strong showing at camp to ensure that he is still in the organization’s future plans.
By: Patrick Donnelly | Follow me on Twitter @PatDonn12
Among several stories to come out of the Boston Bruins Foundation golf outing Monday afternoon was head coach Bruce Cassidy’s comments regarding the state of the second line right wing situation, which has been a glaring issue for the better part of five seasons now. Cassidy told the media that Anders Bjork, Karson Kuhlman, Zach Senyshyn, Brett Ritchie, and potentially more are all among options he will consider to fill the open roster spot on David Krejci’s right.
Updates from Bruins golf:
Bergeron (groin) said he had a PRP injection in July and hopes to start season on time, though it’s been bugging him.
Moore’s shoulder surgery was June 26, 4-6 month recovery.
At 2RW, Cassidy says he’ll try Kuhlman, Ritchie, Bjork, Senyshyn…
All of the guys mentioned above are also assumedly in the mix for the open spot on the third line with Charlie Coyle and Danton Heinen, barring a shift in the lineup for either of those two; however, the main concern is obviously who will take the third spot alongside Krejci and Jake DeBrusk.
The clubhouse favorite seems to be Kuhlman as he had success with the aforementioned duo last season and even came up huge in the playoffs. In 11 regular season games, the Minnesota-Duluth product posted three goals and two assists for five points, spending most of his time on the second line.
Leading into the postseason, the second line with Kuhlman on the right posted eight five-on-five goals in 68:21 of ice-time, and the 23-years-old stepped in seamlessly when asked to either slot in on either the third or second line during the playoffs, notching 1-2-3 numbers in eight games, including this SNIPE in Game Six of the Stanley Cup Final:
I think about Karson Kuhlman’s goal in Game Six no less than three times a day. My goodness. pic.twitter.com/Xd1nbgqCXe
Next on the wheel of possibilities is Anders Bjork, who, after a strong showing at the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo, is looking to prove that he is ready for an NHL role after his first two seasons were cut short by a pair of shoulder surgeries. Bjork is essentially starting from scratch this season, and the Prospects Challenge should have served as a good opportunity to help get his legs under him ahead of camp.
With 15 points in 50 games with the varsity club, Bjork has shown flashes of what many thought he could be when given the chance to actually play in the top-six. However, starting the year off in Providence may not be the worst thing for him as far as his confidence and conditioning goes. The 23-year-old’s NHL experience likely gives him leg up on guys like Senyshyn and even Jack Studnicka or Oskar Steen, both of whom may also get a chance to show what they can do on the second line.
Speaking of Senyshyn, the 15th-overall pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft is an interesting case. Boasting gobs of speed, tenacity, and skill, Senyshyn has not quite lit the world on fire at the AHL level (26-24-50 in 132 games) after going off in the OHL (114-63-177 in 195 games).
However, in two NHL games at the end of the regular season last year, the 22-year-old was quite impressive and even scored his first NHL goal against Minnesota; although it was an empty-netter. The speedy Ottawa, Ontario native certainly has the skill set for potential success next to David Krejci, and he’ll get a shot to show he’s the man for the job in what will surely be a “prove it” year.
Ritchie was already going to be an interesting guy to keep an eye on during training camp, but with Cassidy specifically mentioning him in the running for second line right wing, the intrigue has only heightened. The 26-year-old signed with the Bruins at the start of free agency for a one-year, $1-million deal–a pretty low-risk, potentially high-reward signing.
It is unlikely that Ritchie will miraculously become the player that the Dallas Stars thought he could have turned into, a bruising middle-six, or top-six, winger, but he does fit the mold of guys who have found success next to Krejci in years passed (Lucic, Horton, and Iginla–not to say he is or will be as good as those guys, but the comparison is there). Ritchie’s best season was two years ago with Dallas where he scored 24 points (16 goals and eight assists); he moved around in the top-nine, but also spent a decent amount of time with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin.
The 16 goals he scored three years ago is the key stat. If he can tap into that goal production playing with skilled guys like Krejci and DeBrusk, the Bruins may have found something, so we’ll have to see where this goes during camp.
Cassidy only explicitly mentioned the four guys I talked about above, but that’s not to say someone like the aforementioned Steen or Studnicka won’t get a look either. Although, Steen is still likely a few seasons of way from being fully ready to make the leap to the NHL since this will only be his first professional season in North America.
Likewise with Studnicka, the 20-year-old is set to begin his first full pro season since joining Providence’s playoff run after lighting up the OHL. The former Oshawa Generals captain has experience playing wing even though he is a natural center, and he has made it clear to the organization he will play wing if needed–the skillset on this kid increases the possibility of making an impact with the big club. However, it may be best for him to get even more seasoning playing center in Providence; more on where Studnicka might fit in a future article to look out for. Also, I haven’t even mentioned Peter Cehlarik, but rest assured he’ll probably get a shot considering the flashes he’s shown in his NHL experience.
With training camp set to kick off this week, the ongoing saga at second line right wing is certainly among the top storylines, and Cassidy’s comment only increased the interest around the open roster spot. It really is anyone’s guess as to who will seize the two open roster spots up front. Everyone will surely be curious to see where this goes and who steps up as the next man for the job.
Check out the Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 144 that we recorded on 9-8-19 below! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.
Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE For Link To Our YouTube Channel!
By: Max Mainville | Check me out on Twitter @tkdmaxbjj
September has always been one of my favorite months of the year. The summer is winding down, the students start heading back to school, the leaves begin to fall off the trees, the sweaters and pants come out of the drawers while the tank-tops and shorts go back until next year. However, best of all, the return of the NHL hockey season is right around the corner.
Before the season officially begins in October, the events that come before the first puck drop of the year fall one after another. Rookie camp, training camp, preseason games – all while management scrambles to find the players who have proven enough to make it to the big leagues, to earn a spot in the NHL, but also send the players who failed to reach those expectations to lower levels of hockey.
This time last season, I published my official 2018-19 in-depth predictions – going over my lineups, statistics, final standings, and of course, the success of the playoff season. Taking a glance back at that article showed that I was wrong about a few things, but regardless, it is fun to do just that and look back. So without further ado, here are my official 2019-20 Boston Bruins Predictions.
Lineups
This season more than ever, predicting the lineup of the Boston Bruins is a difficult task. The Bruins still do not have a proven top-six right-winger to play alongside David Krejci on the second line and with the loss of Marcus Johansson and Noel Acciari to free agency, the Bruins have some more holes to fill from their Stanley Cup Finals appearance this past June.
Forwards
Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak
DeBrusk – Krejci – Kuhlman
Heinen – Coyle – Ritchie
Nordstrom – Kuraly – Wagner
(Lindholm)
Defense
Chara – McAvoy
Krug – Carlo
Grzelcyk – Clifton
(Moore – IR, Miller – IR)
Goaltenders
Rask
Halak
Earlier this off-season, I published an entire article on Black N’ Gold Hockey regarding this dilemma and this was the lineup that I had settled on. For this current moment, I am going to leave it this way but let it be known, that I would without question, substitute a prospect from the system into Brett Ritchie’s third-line role. However, due to the fact that it will come down to performance in training camp, I will leave them off. I do see Anders Bjork making an entrance on that third line, so do not be too surprised if that comes to fruition as well.
PHOTO CREDITS: (Scott Rovak/NHLI via Getty Images)
Individual Statistics
Without a single ounce of doubt, the Boston Bruins have a plethora of talent in the system that can not only hold their own, but can put up numbers over the course of the 82-game NHL season. When it comes to making predictions a month out, individual statistics of these players are always the most difficult for me. Last season, I had Brad Marchand leading the team with 85 points – yet he turned in a 100-point season. Regardless, here we go.
Note: For these predictions, I am going to assume that no injuries are going to play an impact on any player and that Charlie McAvoy agrees to a contract before the season begins. Of course, both are not certain but it would be impossible to predict otherwise.
Top Three Scorers (Forwards)
Brad Marchand – 38G – 57A – 95P
David Pastrnak – 42G – 50A – 92P
Patrice Bergeron – 28G – 45A – 73P
Top Three Scorers (Defense)
Torey Krug – 5G – 45A – 50P
Charlie McAvoy – 14G – 35A – 49P
Matt Grzelcyk – 4G – 20A – 24P
I simply cannot put any other forward than the three superstars on the Bruins forward core when it comes to the highest point totals at the year end. Marchand had a tremendous 100-point season in 2018-19, but I do not think he will meet that mark. Pastrnak, on the other hand, will see a large increase from his 81 points last season due to his chance to play more than 66 games this year. Patrice Bergeron will increase in points as well for the same reason.
On defense, Charlie McAvoy could very well surpass Torey Krug this season for point totals as he only skated in 54 games in ’18/’19 – ten less than the veteran Krug. McAvoy will find his game, but I think with the power-play time of Krug, he will remain ahead of the young blueliner.
Regular Season Standings
Even with the changes throughout the league in the off-season, not too much should change in April when the final league standings on NHL.com are published. In the Eastern Conference, the Atlantic Division is one filled with three powerhouses in the Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs. Aside from them, the talent drops off but will be picking up this year.
The other Eastern division, the Metropolitan, is one giant question mark. Franchises such as the New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes can see large jumps in the standings while the Columbus Blue Jackets and even the Pittsburgh Penguins can see a worse position for the playoffs. My predictions for the standings here may be a little crazy, but truthfully, anything can happen. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this as well.
Atlantic Division:
Tampa Bay Lightning
Boston Bruins
Toronto Maple Leafs
Florida Panthers (1st WC)
Montreal Canadiens
Buffalo Sabres
Ottawa Senators
Detroit Red Wings
Metropolitan Division:
Washington Capitals
New York Islanders
New Jersey Devils
Carolina Hurricanes (2nd WC)
New York Rangers
Pittsburgh Penguins
Columbus Blue Jackets
Philadelphia Flyers
Possible Milestones for the Boston Bruins
Milestones are all over the sports world. Players breaking records set decades prior, teams reaching new marks that have never been seen before, or a player setting a new career-high or finally reaching that career goal total. With aging veterans, the Boston Bruins have quite a few players that can reach large career milestones.
Skaters:
F David Krejci – 200 Career Goals (Current: 194)
F Charlie Coyle – 100 Career Goals (Current: 93)
F Patrice Bergeron – 500 Career Assists (Current: 492)
F Brad Marchand – 300 Career Assists (Current: 297)
Goaltenders:
Tuukka Rask – 500 Career Games Played (Current: 495)
Jaroslav Halak – 50 Career Shutouts (Current: 47)
Tuukka Rask – 50 Career Shutouts (Current: 45)
Playoffs:
Not one person genuinely thought the Boston Bruins would finish 2018-19 as the NHL’s Eastern Conference Champion, let alone pushing the St. Louis Blues to Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Finals. With that said, it happened. The Boston Bruins are not favorites to win the Cup this season, but there is absolutely nothing that says that they cannot contend again.
Do not be surprised when the Bruins and Maple Leafs once again battle it out in the Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals and it will go seven games and yet again, Boston will pull through on top. Toronto’s defense did not drastically improve and they have some holes around the lineup as well. I imagine the Bruins taking the series until Toronto improves defensively.
Everyone and their mother expected the Lightning to be a Finals-guarantee, but the defending President’s Trophy winners failed to win a single game in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, getting swept by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Look for them to comeback with a vengeance this season and I see them defeating the Bruins in the second-round. When at the very top of their game, Tampa Bay has given the B’s trouble and unfortunately that will be showcased in their best-of-seven series.
There you have it, my full prediction article for the 2019-2020 Boston Bruins season. Agree or disagree with any of it? Let me know via Twitter @tkdmaxbjj, I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Check out the Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 142 that we recorded on 9-8-19 below! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.
Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE For Link To Our YouTube Channel!
By: Patrick Donnelly | Follow me on Twitter @PatDonn12
Longtime owner of the Bruins Jeremy Jacobs has informed Kevin Paul Dupont(@GlobeKPD) of the Boston Globe that he is giving control of the organization to his children. Jacobs, who will turn 80 years old in January, informed the Globe that all six of his children Jerry Jr., Lou, Charlie, Lisann, Lynn, and Katie, will officially step in.
Charlie, the youngest of the six children, has been involved with the Bruins and Delaware North since 2000, and was named CEO of Delaware North’s Boston holdings (the Bruins, TD Garden, NESN, and the Boston Bruins Foundation) in 2015. He has served as the Bruins’ Alternate Governor to the National Hockey League’s Board of Governors since 2000.
Jacobs told the Globe that he had been planning this passing of the torch for a while before finally putting it into motion this year under the expectation that the team will continue to be owned and operated under the Jacobs name.
“I have given it to my kids,” Jacobs told Dupont. “They are paying me some of the proceeds that come out of this. It happened this year. This was done on the basis that the longevity is going to continue in the hands of the Jacobs children and the next generation will have it.”
Jacobs, chairman of Delaware North and owner of the Bruins for 44 years, purchased the team for a mere $10 million (by today’s standards) in 1975. Since, under his control, the Bruins brought the Stanley Cup back to Boston in 2011, and made six other trips to the Stanley Cup Final (1977, 1978, 1988, 1990, 2013, and 2019). The billionaire was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017 under the builder category.
By: Max Mainville | Check me out on Twitter @tkdmaxbjj
The 2019 Boston Bruins Rookie Camp begins on September 5th and a week later on September 12th, the official Bruins Training Camp begins. During these two main events of the offseason, players break-out and impress the likes of Don Sweeney and the other members of Boston’s management staff while others fail to meet the expectations and are cut from the camp or are sent down to the American Hockey League.
Lately, on the Black N’ Gold Hockey website, my fellow teammates have been listing their top-10 prospects within the organization and there are some great names to watch out for in the future. Urho Vaakanainen, Jack Studnicka, Kyle Keyser, Oskar Steen, and John Beecher are in the minds of most Bruins fans while others such as Anders Bjork and Zach Senyshyn are the players just on the cusp of making it, with their fair share of doubters surrounding them. On my own personal list, forward Karson Kuhlman is always on the top, or close to it at the very least.
Karson Kuhlman first caught the eye of the Boston Bruins during his time with the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs where he spent four seasons. After only one season with the Bulldogs, Kuhlman was handed the “A”, becoming assistant captain – a position he held for two seasons before being promoted to team captain in the 2017-18 season.
That campaign was a solid one for the Esko, Minnesota, USA native, as the forward scored 13-7-20 numbers in 44 games but it was during the NCAA Championship where he really had a successful run. Kuhlman was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2018 NCAA Tournament following a goal and an assist in the 2-1 win over Notre Dame to win the championship. The now 23-year-old center was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team and also won the NCAA Sportsmanship Award.
On April 10th, 2018, General Manager Don Sweeney announced that the Bruins had signed Kuhlman to a two-year NHL contract and that he would be sent to the Providence Bruins on an Amateur Tryout Agreement, playing only two games, but did record an assist in the process.
In this past 2018-19 season, Kuhlman spent the majority of the hockey year with the P-Bruins, scoring 12 goals, 18 assists for 30 points in 58 games played. At the same time, Karson scored an additional five points in eleven games up in the big leagues, scoring his first career goal in only his second NHL game.
Karson’s speed and dangerous shot earned him some playing time in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, playing in a combined eight games. Kuhlman recorded one assist in five games against the Maple Leafs in the opening round, scored another assist in Game Three against the Columbus Blue Jackets and would not play another postseason game for Boston until Game Six of the Stanley Cup Finals against the St. Louis Blues.
The Bruins were down the series three-games-to-two and the play of David Backes on the second line was not up to the standards required so Head Coach Bruce Cassidy went faster and put the youngster in with Krejci and DeBrusk and stepped up to the plate and put up Boston’s third goal of the game with a total of 13:07 of time on the ice. Kuhlman displayed his rocket of a wrist shot and showed his chemistry with Krejci and DeBrusk as the line finished the do-or-die night with three points.
— PointsBet Sportsbook (@PointsBetUSA) June 10, 2019
For a brief time, we saw that the trio of DeBrusk-Krejci-Kuhlman has the combination of speed and skill along hockey IQ that can bring some additional scoring to the line. It has been a long time since Krejci has had a legitimate offensive threat on the right-wing, some would argue that he never has had one, but Kuhlman could eventually grow into that player that is so desperately desired with that leadership and veteran experience of Krejci.
Earlier this offseason, I published an article that outlined by ideal opening night lineup for the Boston Bruins and I had Kuhlman in that competitive spot. This allows the Bruins to keep David Pastrnak on the first line in an effort to continue the dominance that was found with his linemates, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. The fourth line can also stay the same, leaving the third line up for debate.
Having Kuhlman’s speed and skill on the second line would leave an opening for a young rookie on the third line alongside Danton Heinen and Charlie Coyle. Whoever that ends up being will get the playing time but will not have the large responsibility as they would have in the top-six. Regardless, the upcoming Training Camp will be the time for these players to battle for their spot on the NHL roster. In my books, Kuhlman’s performance in the Finals was enough to earn him a little bit of an advantage over the other candidates listed above.
“Signed as a college free agent in 2018, Kuhlman enjoyed a successful first year of pro hockey, managing 30 points through 58 games with Providence in addition to five points in 11 NHL games while playing primarily on Boston’s second line. He captained the University of Minnesota-Duluth to the 2017-2018 National Championship, taking home tournament MVP honors in the process. Kuhlman’s offensive upside is limited, however, he has been touted as a strong leader everywhere he has played. He excels in board battles, has a decent shot and is seemingly always in position to make a play. Look for Kuhlman to push for a full-time role with the NHL Bruins next season.” – Chris Mazza
On my official Twitter page, (@tkdmaxbjj ), I posted a poll asking for your thoughts and opinions regarding the thought of throwing Kuhlman on the second line and the results were quite similar to mine. Either way, the efforts and production of the 2018-19 season for Kuhlman have created big opportunities – will he capitalize on them? Only time will tell.
#NHLBruins fans, what are your thoughts about forward Karson Kuhlman getting time with David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk on the second line. He has had success on that line including a big Game Six vs STL in the Finals. Vote here: #BruinsFam#GoBruins#HockeyTwitter
Check out the Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 143 that we recorded on 9-2-19 below! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.
Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE For Link To Our YouTube Channel!
By: Patrick Donnelly | Follow me on Twitter @PatDonn12
Credit to fellow Black ‘N Gold writer Mike Cratty for coming up with the idea for this article a few weeks ago; check out his article here. This lineup is how I would have things in a perfect world scenario to kick off the year, hence “ideal” in the title.
First Line: Marchand – Bergeron – Bjork
Keeping Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron together was the easiest thing about this hypothetical lineup. The two key cogs for the B’s have had unbelievable chemistry throughout their careers and have lit things up over the last few seasons while elevating the play of those around them.
Anders Bjork is the wildcard here. Like we saw with Danton Heinen for parts of last season, a good dose of action with these two guys may be all a player needs to get going. Now, there is still a high possibility that David Pastrnak ends up on the right side where he has been a mainstay and Bjork starts the year in Providence to get his legs under him again, but this combo is a low-risk, high-reward scenario.
Second Line: DeBrusk – Krejci – Pastrnak
Like Bergeron and Marchand, keeping DeBrusk and Krejci together proved to be a no-brainer as the two have formed a strong on-ice chemistry over the last two seasons. Moving Pastrnak to a spot where he has been successful in the past seemingly solves the problem that has been the gaping black hole at right wing over the last few seasons.
Third Line: Heinen – Coyle – Kuhlman
Charlie Coyle was among the missing pieces last season that, once settled in, really paid dividends for the Bruins as he played hometown hero for the Bruins throughout the playoffs. We also saw a major improvement in Danton Heinen with the arrival of Coyle, although his impact was not seen on the scoresheet as much as Coyle; keeping these two together will really help create consistency and production on the third line.
Karson Kuhlman played extremely well when called upon in the regular season and Stanley Cup Finals and established himself as an NHL-caliber player. his style of play should mesh well here.
Fourth Line: Nordstrom – Kuraly – Wagner
Another no-brainer here with Noel Acciari gone to Florida and given the chemistry these three displayed at times last season. The Bruins sorely missed Chris Wagner down the line last postseason. Hopefully, we can expect the same model of consistency out of both Joakim Nordstrom and Sean Kuraly this season. I would expect this fourth line to be nothing short of dominant once again.
Extras: Ritchie – Lindholm – Backes (IR)
Brett Ritchie should be a fine depth piece for the Bruins next season, and may even make a big impact like Nordstrom did last season as he’ll likely be able to slot in anywhere on the wing as needed. Par Lindholm will also be a nice reserve piece. With reports that David Backes may be injured to start the season, I’m projecting my lineup holding that assumption; once healthy I’d expect either he or Lindholm to be sent down to Providence.
First Pair: Chara – McAvoy
We have been seeing the passing of the torch in real time with this pairing over the last few seasons. Charlie McAvoy was on a different level during the Bruins’ long playoff run this past spring and Zdeno Chara remains an absolute workhorse on the backend. Assuming McAvoy signs before the season, we could witness something really special in terms of his growth as player this season. There are some question marks around Chara given his age entering this season off of a shorter off-season, but I would not expect too much of a drop off, if any.
Second Pair: Krug – Carlo
Speaking of a different level, Torey Krug and Brandon Carlo were arguably the Bruins’ best pairing during the latest playoff run. With Krug as one of the league’s premier offensive talents on the backend and Carlo as rock solid as ever in his own zone–and only getting better (assuming he signs, too)–this pairing should pick up right where they left off this season.
Third Pair: Grzlecyk – Clifton
Another steady pairing during the postseason run, Grzlecyk and Clifton proved that the spotlight is not too big for either of them. Clifton burst on the scene in the playoffs after having not played a game prior, and showed that he was ready. Meanwhile, Grzlecyk was arguably Boston’s best defenseman during the regular season and was solid throughout the playoffs.
Extras: Kampfer – Moore (IR) – Miller (IR)
Assuming Moore and Miller are still hurt to kick off the season, Steven Kampfer, fresh off signing his new extension this summer, is the seventh defenseman. Once Moore and Miller return, there will be some question marks regarding the top-six, but Kampfer is likely a perfectly adequate depth piece either way.
Goalies: Rask – Halak
Another given, Tuukka Rask was unbelievable in the playoffs last season after having a solid regular season in tandem with Jaroslav Halak. Rask showed that he is still able to compete at an elite level.
A lot of Rask’s success can be attributed to how well Halak played during the regular season as he was able to shoulder a good amount of for Rask, allowing both of them to be as sharp as possible.
