Live stream will be available after this brief ad from our sponsors
  • Listen Live

DELIVERED BY NETA BROOKLINE   Download on the Google Play

Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins

It’s been almost two months since you last screamed at your TV over the Boston Bruins’ on-ice issues.

And we’re talking very specific gripes. “Clear the puck!” “Hit someone!” “Pucks in deep! “Would you do something about this Florida forecheck?!” Not to mention, the way they built the roster in the first place. Some center help, please?

Well, the Bruins have emerged from the first wave of NHL free agency a better team, and they improved in those same areas that had fans eventually throwing trash on the ice at TD Garden. OK, that was because of the officiating, but still.

The signing of veteran do-it-all centerman Elias Lindholm (seven years, $7.75 million AAV) was the no-brainer of all no-brainers, a move over a year in the making, never mind the fact that he alone addressed multiple glaring problems. But they’ve also made other forward additions and a huge one (literally) on the back end that will help, too.

Here’s a closer look at how the Bruins’ recent additions, by both free agency and trade, worked toward solving some of their biggest problems in recent seasons…

Center Depth

Elias Lindholm signed with the Boston Bruins at the start of NHL free agency.
Rich Gagnon/Getty Images

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – FEBRUARY 08: Elias Lindholm #23 of the Vancouver Canucks warms up prior to a game against the Boston Bruins at the TD Garden on February 8, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Rich Gagnon/Getty Images)

The Bruins’ succession plan for Patrice Bergeron had a one-year gap. Lindholm is the clear, true successor for No. 37, and a worthy one.

Lindholm clearly becomes the Bruins’ new No. 1 center, even if he may be best suited as a strong No. 2 on a true Stanley Cup contender. But in Boston, he’s the top dog. And, as Ty Anderson and I discussed on the latest episode of the Sports Hub Underground (listen above), it’s not a simple plug-and-play situation, but a domino effect.

Installing Lindholm as the top center next to David Pastrnak will allow Pavel Zacha to slide over to left wing, where the added burdens of playing in the middle are lifted off his shoulders. Zacha has arguably been at his best when playing LW, as he did next to David Krejci for most of the 2022-23 season.

This also slides Charlie Coyle and captain Brad Marchand down to second-line duties. Coyle scored a career-best 25 goals and 60 points in a major role for the B’s last season, and should now draw easier matchups as a clear No. 2 option, while continuing to kill penalties and deliver a strong possession game.

  • Faceoffs

    Elias Lindholm
    Codie McLachlan/Getty Images

    Elias Lindholm (Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)

    One area where Lindholm can legitimately be compared to Bergeron: the faceoff dot. Lindholm delivered an outstanding 56.4% faceoff win rate last season, between Calgary and Vancouver, while taking the 16th-most faceoffs in the NHL (1,336). That was the seventh-best faceoff mark among centers with at least 1,300 draws.

    Another sneaky-big addition for faceoff help is Mark Kastelic, whom the Bruins acquired as part of the Linus Ullmark trade. Kastelic, a 6-foot-3, right-shot forward, has a career 56.3% win rate on 1,059 faceoffs.

    The Bruins had center depth problems in general, but the faceoff circle was arguably where those issues screamed the loudest. Their off-season has already promised drastic improvement in that department.

  • Defensive Strength

    Nikita Zadorov
    Codie McLachlan/Getty Images

    Nikita Zadorov (Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)

    Even as the Bruins have steadily gotten bigger on defense in recent years, they continued to have problems with the Panthers’ aggressive forecheck and with generally remaining sturdy in their own end. Hampus Lindhom (6-foot-4) and Brandon Carlo (6-foot-5) have strong defensive skills, but don’t always play according to their size.

    Nikita Zadorov does. The Bruins’ second-biggest free-agent signing of 2024 (six years, $5 million AAV), Zadorov is an absolute mountain at 6-foot-6 and 248 pounds. And he throws his weight around; Zadorov ranked 22nd among all defensemen in 2023-24 with 177 hits.

    Zadorov should also be quite a presence policing the Bruins’ net, where they’ve been pushed around too much in recent playoff runs. You can’t get by just being big that time of year, you need to play big as well. Zadorov will definitely fill that void.

  • Clearing the puck

    Nikita Zadorov
    Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

    Nikita Zadorov (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

    Zadorov is known for his size and physical presence, but he’s also underrated when it comes to zone exits. He can carry the puck himself out of the defensive zone, and the Bruins believe he can be at least serviceable with his first pass out of danger.

    This was a clear issue with the Bruins defense in the 2024 playoffs, against both the Maple Leafs and the Panthers. Zadorov may still be inconsistent when it comes to his play with the puck, but he has a chance to be more reliable on the defensive depth chart than the departed Matt Grzelcyk, who, despite his puck-moving abilities, is severely limited by his lack of size.

    In addition, having a smart, well-positioned center like Elias Lindholm in the lineup bodes well for the entire defense’s ability to make good decisions with the puck to exit the zone. This should bode well for Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm, who are definitely better than they showed in this area of the game in the playoffs.

  • …But Problems Remain

    Sep 24, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins right wing Fabian Lysell (23) blocks a pass during the third period against the New York Rangers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

    Fabian Lysell (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)

    There’s one obvious area the Bruins did not address in free agency, and in fact one can argue they got worse: scoring at the wing.

    Jake DeBrusk is gone, after signing a seven-year, $5.5 million deal with the Canucks. To the earlier point about the Elias Lindholm domino effect, moving Zacha back to wing should somewhat fill the production void left by DeBrusk’s departure. But that still leaves one clear open spot in the top-six forwards, next to Coyle and opposite Marchand.

    That’s where the Bruins are hoping that top prospects like Fabian Lysell or Georgii Merkulov could finally step up and contribute regularly at the NHL level. Merkulov had a cup of coffee with the Bruins last season, while Lysell, the 21st overall pick in the 2021 draft, has yet to play an NHL game. Either one would provide speed and skill, with the hope of translating to actual goals and points.

  • Dec 30, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins center Georgii Merkulov (42) carries the puck in his first NHL game during the first period against the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

    Georgii Merkulov (Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports)

    We’ve heard this before from the Bruins, though. The question is whether they will actually follow through on the promise of granting real opportunities to young players at the highest level.

    “Just pin your ears back, train your ass off this summer, and come with the intent that there’ll be an opportunity here,” GM Don Sweeney said Monday, in a message to the Bruins’ young risers and new depth additions. “If you’re the best player, then we find a way to get you in the lineup.”

    The responsibility of actually playing the guys that can put the puck in the net, and giving them a real chance to figure that out, may fall on the shoulders of head coach Jim Montgomery, who could essentially be coaching for his job in 2024-25 as he enters the season without a new contract. It may be wise for him and the team to put up with whatever growing pains may arise with someone like Lysell or Merkulov, with the promise of added scoring production at a spot in the lineup where they need it.

    But ultimately, the Bruins’ big offseason splash went a long way toward correcting the ills of the prior season. They may not have totally closed the gap on Florida or other top competition in the Eastern Conference, especially when it comes to center matchups. But the gap has narrowed.

    Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.

Get The 98.5 The Sports Hub Newsletter Delivered To Your Inbox

Stay up to date with the latest Boston sports news and analysis, local events, exclusive contests, and more.

*
By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.