Bruins reveal their plan to replace Patrice Bergeron
With Patrice Bergeron's retirement and David Krejci's expected absence, the Boston Bruins are facing a radical change in the center position.
It's evident that they are in for a massive question mark at the center position, as both their top-6 centers have moved on, leaving a void in their lineup.
The Bruins addressed some of the issue last season by trading for Pavel Zacha from the New Jersey Devils. Zacha, at 26 years old, had a career-high 21 goals and 57 points in Boston, where he learned from Bergeron and Krejci about the intricacies of playing center.
While Zacha is expected to be part of Boston's long-term solution, his game may not fully resemble Bergeron's at this point.
Charlie Coyle is another player who could play a crucial role in the center position, coming off a strong overall season with 16 goals and 45 points.
The Bruins will rely on both Zacha and Coyle to play solid two-way hockey and facilitate the star wingers around them, such as Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, and Jake DeBrusk.
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While there is hope that Zacha and Coyle can be consistent top-6 NHL centers, there are still uncertainties.
They stepped up during the playoffs when Bergeron and Krejci were injured, but it remains to be seen if they can perform at the same level throughout the regular season.
The Bruins acknowledge that the center position is an area they need to improve upon organizationally. While they have some promising prospects, such as Matthew Poitras, who shows long-term potential, he is likely not NHL-ready yet.
There are potential options in the trade market for a true No. 1 center, such as Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele and Calgary's Elias Lindholm.
However, acquiring such players would require significant salary cap adjustments and valuable assets, which might not be feasible for the Bruins at the moment.
As a pragmatic approach, the Bruins might opt to stick with their current lineup at the center position for the start of the season and potentially look for reinforcements during the regular season closer to the NHL trade deadline, a strategy they have successfully employed in the past.
While this plan might not be the flashy move fans are hoping for, it could be the most practical way for the Bruins to secure a long-term solution at center after the departure of two legendary players.
