Coyle Makes Controversial Comment Regarding His New Role

Published September 6, 2023 at 1:35 PM
BY AUSTIN SABOURIN
SHARE THIS STORY

As the Boston Bruins enter the 2023-24 season without the retired duo of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, the spotlight shifts to the team's remaining centers, who now have an opportunity to climb the depth chart.

One prominent contender for an elevated role is Charlie Coyle, widely considered the likely No. 2 center for the 2023-24 Boston Bruins roster. Standing tall at 6 feet 3 inches, Coyle is coming off his second-strongest season in terms of statistics. Hailing from Weymouth, Massachusetts, he notched 16 goals and 29 assists in 82 games. This performance mirrored his second-best season points-wise, dating back to 2016-17 when he played for the Minnesota Wild and recorded 18 goals and 38 assists. Coyle is poised to exceed these heights in the upcoming season, understanding the increased expectations from his teammates.

"I'm excited," Coyle expressed to Boston Hockey Now on Tuesday. "We all miss Bergy, and we all wish he were here, but it is a great job opportunity. So, that gets me excited. It gets a lot of guys excited because there are jobs open. There is more responsibility, and everyone wants to take that on."

In his last NHL season, Patrice Bergeron amassed 58 points in 78 games, while Krejci recorded 56 points in 70 games. Coyle aims to step into one of their roles and contribute similarly in terms of point production. However, he also recognizes the leadership vacuum heading into the season and aligns with the Bruins' "lead by committee" approach.


"There is more responsibility, and everyone wants to take that on," Coyle emphasized. "We always want to be a bigger part of the team you're on, but that comes with preparation and getting ready for that. That's what this summer was. That's what I've been striving for this summer. I want that. I want to play in all situations and be a guy the team can rely on. No one is going to be Bergy or Krejci, though, but we have a lot of good pieces here that we all kind of put our hand in and take a little more responsibility this year."

Via bostonhockeynow
POLL
September 6   |   1 answers
Coyle Makes Controversial Comment Regarding His New Role

Do you think Charlie Coyle is ready for a bigger role?

Yes00 %
No00 %
LIST OF POLL
Latest 10 stories