The Bruins need a whole lot more from their third line

Author Ty Anderson

April 26th, 2021 5:42 AM

The 2021 trade deadline effectively solidified three of Boston’s four forward lines.

The Taylor Hall addition finally gave David Krejci the winger he’s wanted for half a decade now, and allowed the Bruins to reunite David Pastrnak with Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron on Boston’s superhero first line. The Bruins also used Craig Smith’s shoot-happy hot streak to plug him next to the playmaking stylings of Hall and Krejci. The latter has worked out tremendously. Curtis Lazar, meanwhile, has served as a much-needed life preserver to the fourth-line combo of Sean Kuraly and Chris Wagner, with the line looking like more of a factor in all three zones.

But while the B’s have seemingly found harmony on three of their four lines, the additions have also led to a Franken-line up front, with the already-slumping Charlie Coyle centering a third line with Nick Ritchie and Jake DeBrusk on the wings.

It’s a line that started off solid-but-snakebitten, but has since crumbled to borderline unplayable, and was ultimately broken up by Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy shortly into Sunday’s shutout loss to the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena.

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  "Probably a lack of production from a number of guys down there for extended periods of time now that you expect more from," Cassidy said of his bottom-six shakeup. "Quite frankly, I think they're all capable of giving a little bit more offensively. Some of the roles are not necessarily [offensive], but certainly create a little more. So we moved some pieces around and if you're not going to score, then you've got to keep the puck out of your net."
  
  (That last quote certainly seemed to be directed at Ritchie, too, as it was his icing that led to the lone goal of Sunday's loss to the Penguins, as Jake Guentzel scored just 21 seconds after the third-period icing.)
  
  Per Natural Stat Trick, DeBrusk (0.15), Coyle (0.16), and Ritchie (0.19) all finished with the one-through-three lowest expected goals for on Sunday. In other words, they did almost nothing at five-on-five offensively. But this has been the trend for the last three games, really, with the line posting a 34.8 Corsi-For percentage, six shots, and just one scoring chance (compared to eight against) in over 12 minutes of five-on-five work together since last Thursday’s game in Buffalo.
  
  "We just have guys that are not producing down there," Cassidy repeated. "So move 'em around, see if you can spark them another way. So that was the reasoning. But I still think it falls on a lot of those players to work a lot harder to attack the net with a little more will to get inside to do what it takes to score in this league. So but we'll address that [Monday] and keep preaching those points. And hopefully we get the desired result." 

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  Coyle's struggles are the major issue here.
  
  After establishing himself as a potentially team-changing, third-line possession beast in his first year and a half with the Bruins following his trade from Minnesota, the Weymouth, Mass. native has kicked off the first year of a six-year, $31.5 million extension with just five goals and 15 points in 46 games played. It's actually been a staggering 27 straight games without a goal for Coyle, too. We've seen glimpses of the old Coyle via near-goals and high-quality chances, but we've yet to see that build into an actual goal into the back of the net. 
  
  Not even a Friday night fill-in alongside Marchand and Pastrnak on Boston's top line could get Coyle out of his slump. So, yeah, it's been pretty bad for Coyle in 2021.
  
  One of 254 skaters to log at least 400 minutes of time on ice since Mar. 5, Coyle ranks 194th among that group in points, with seven. Only the Flyers' Scott Laughton (six points) has been a less productive forward over that span. Coyle is also the only forward out of that group to have zero goals, and one of just 20 skaters overall yet to light the lamp since then. 
  
  When Cassidy talks about not getting to the inside areas of the ice, it's hard not to think that's he's referencing Coyle, especially after a Sunday showing that included just two shots on goal, one of which came 100 feet away from the net. 
  
  "We had certainly some guys are willing to go and some that are still refusing to sort of work to the inside and attack the net with the puck," Cassidy said. "And as a result [we're getting] limited chances."
  
  Coyle’s 5.06 individual scoring chances per 60 since the trade deadline is actually the 10th-fewest among all Boston skaters, with only the entire nine-skater defense corps averaging fewer chances than No. 13.
  
  So, let's strike that... it's been real bad. 

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  But the truth is that the Bruins are not ready to abandon Coyle. Or DeBrusk. Or even Ritchie (nor should they when you consider the fact that he's the only one who's had anything even somewhat close to consistent production in 2021). 
  
  If only because they may not be able to actually move forward with such a path.  The Bruins can make some in-game switches when necessary, sure, but in some respects, that's a bit like destructing a second line to address one. The ripple effect is noticeable, especially when moving someone like Lazar out of his spot on the fourth line. It also almost feels fair to suggest that the Black and Gold's second line is borderline untouchable right now. Building their chemistry over the long haul seems infinitely more important than a quick in-game switch. 
  
  So, no, the Bruins aren't exactly teeming with bodies ready to step into that line-saving third-line role. 
  
  "Well, I don't know that we have a bunch of guys that have scored at this level on the taxi squad," Cassidy admitted. "I mean, there's been certainly some guys a little bit here and there. We're hoping they'll be able to do it."
  
  Right now, the Bruins' taxi squad options up front include Anton Blidh, Trent Frederic, Karson Kuhlman, and Greg McKegg. All four seem more suited for fourth-line roles, and elevating a fourth-line player to the third line hasn't really worked out this season, for whatever reason. Frederic, who missed some time with a non-COVID illness, has some experience skating with Coyle this season, but he exited the Boston lineup with just one goal and zero assists in his last 15 games. He's yet to re-emerge.
  
  Center Jack Studnicka is currently skating in Providence, and has two points in his last three AHL games, but it's beginning to feel like he's not stepping into the mix for the Big B's in 2021 unless it's as a fill-in for either Bergeron or Krejci. (It's also worth noting that Studnicka hasn't appeared in an NHL game in nearly a month's time now, and that he played less than nine and a half minutes in three of his last four appearances, so he's far from a slam-dunk option for the Black and Gold.) 
  
  It just feels and seems like these struggling bodies are still viewed as the B's optimal bodies.  
  
  "The ask and responsibility falls on [the third liners] a little bit," Cassidy acknowledged. "The guys that have scored in this league [have] to start finding ways here. I mean we have kind of settled on our top six here and we may move a piece around here or there, but I think for most nights they, especially lately, have done a pretty good job creating offense.
  
  "But you need that secondary stuff. We've gotten a little bit more out of our D lately, but some of those bottom-six guys have got to at least have games where they're close and [Sunday] I didn't think that was the case with them. That's just what we're going to have to to rely on them. And yes, we can move a guy in and out to get him motivated. But we know at the end of the day, the guys that have been here just have to sort of look within themselves to see how they can help us create a little more."
  
  A little more... or at all, even.

Ty Anderson is a writer and columnist for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Yell at him on Twitter: @_TyAnderson.

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Author Ty Anderson

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Boston Bruins,Bruce Cassidy,Charlie Coyle,Jack Studnicka,Jake Debrusk,nick ritchie,trent frederic