Author Archives: @demalia_lorenzo

Don Sweeney Defined by Moves He Never Made

It’s hard to criticize a team with a 29-10-8 record, but Don Sweeney has left room for improvement. The Boston Bruins have been a winning machine as of late going 14-0-4 heading into Tuesday’s match-up against the Anaheim Ducks. That is the team’s longest point streak since 1968-1969. Yet even the recent run of success cannot hide what could potentially be an all time mistake by Bruins GM Don Sweeney.

2015 NHL Draft

Hours before the 2015 NHL Draft the Boston Bruins held the 13th, 14th, and 15th overall picks. These picks were acquired by trading away Milan Lucic and Martin Jones to the Kings and Sharks respectively. Everyone covering the team was adamant that Sweeney had plans to move multiple, if not all, of those picks. It turned out Sweeney planned to move up in the draft to take defenseman Noah Hannifin out of Boston College. However, due to lack of execution and a last-minute change of mind Sweeney’s plan fell through.

As a result Sweeney decided to use all three of those draft picks due to the dismay of Bruins fans. Don Sweeney selected defenseman Jacob Zboril, left wing Jake Debrusk, and right wing Zachary Senyshyn. Only Jake Debrusk has made an impact at the NHL level. In a solid rookie campaign so far he has posted 11 goals and 25 points. Meanwhile Zboril and Senyshyn have not been able to get a sniff at the NHL level. Senyshyn has had struggles even cracking the Providence lineup. The Bruins’ entire rebuild has and will continue to be centered around that draft. If only one of those picks turns into a real player then Sweeney is going to feel the heat for it.

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Matthew Barzal

The bigger story from that draft is what could have been. At 16th overall the New York Islanders selected center Matthew Barzal out of the WHL. If you do not know who that is, Barzal is currently leading all rookies in scoring and is in contention for the Calder Trophy. Barzal has been opening eyes around the league scoring 51 points in 52 games and is on pace to finish with 84 points. Barzal also currently has more points than anyone on the Bruins team to add some salt to an already sensitive wound. With Bergeon, and Krejci both on the wrong side of thirty it would have been nice to have an elite offensive center in the Bruins organization. Instead Sweeney decided to reach for Zboril and Senyshyn, who have provided nothing for the Bruins.

Brock Boeser

Another member of the 2015 Draft who is tearing up the league is Brock Boeser. He went 23rd overall to the Vancouver Canucks out of the USHL. Boeser just made a name for himself nationally at the NHL All Star game by winning the MVP over some of the league’s best players. True hockey fans have known who Boeser is for months. The rookie right wing has been lighting the lamp all over the ice with 28 goals and 48 points. The shot this kid has is absolutely insane. He can pick a corner from any spot on the ice. While the Bruins have some good offensive players none of them have the potential that Boeser has. He may have the highest offensive potential of any rookie in the NHL. The scary part is the rookie can only get better going forward which should have Bruins fans furious.

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What Could Have Been

Think about it like this: if Sweeney was a better evaluator the Bruins could have had a line of Debrusk/Barzal/Boeser. Anyone who would not want to see that is insane. Maybe Zboril and Senyshyn will turn into legit players, or maybe they will not. But Barzal and Boeser have already proven they are going to be superstars. While the Bruins are a good team they could have been a great team. The two picks that never happened could define Sweeney’s legacy when it’s all said and done.

Cover image courtesy of CBS Boston.

Despite Point Streak Bruins Still Have Plenty to Prove

Yes the Boston Bruins have earned a point in eighteen straight games. But with thirty-five games left on the schedule the Bruins still chasing the Tampa Bay Lightning. There are still a quite few hurdles for the B’s to clear. Up to this point the B’s have proved that they need to be taken seriously. However, let’s look at some concerns the team has even with this point streak.

Composure

This may seem like nitpicking, and it probably is. But could cockiness become a problem for such a young Bruins team? Maybe, while the Bruins have plenty of proven veteran leadership up and down the roster there is a cocky feel around this team. That is what a huge streak can do to a team. While having some swagger on your team is a good thing it can become flat-out arrogance if you let it. Especially when the puck starts bouncing the wrong way for you and all of a sudden you have lost three out of four. That is where Bruce Cassidy, Patrice Bergeron, and Zdeno Chara are going to have to make their presence felt. It has not been a problem up to this point, but lets see what happens with the confidence of the young kids if the team starts to struggle, if that ever happens.

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Workload

This may be the biggest concern surrounding a complete team like the Bruins. Young and old players have different ways of handling a full 82 game schedule. The All-Star break is the last real lull for a hockey team during the grind that is the NHL regular season. With this being the first full season for players like Charlie McAvoy, Jake Debrusk, Anders Bjork, Matt Grezyleck, it will be interesting to see how their legs hold up down the stretch. Also the Bruins’ best defenseman from start to finish this year has been Zdeno Chara, who is forty years old. Chara is leading the Bruins in TOI with 23:26 minutes per game. That is a lot of pressure to keep on the veteran.

With the playoff run really starting to heat up teams are going to give their best every night. That means harder hitting, tougher puck battles, and more emphasis put on every single point. With the Bruins in a tight division race it will be interesting to see if the team can hold up under the pressure. Going on a point streak is one thing, but building off of it is something completely different.

Charlie McAvoy Expected to Miss Two Weeks with Heart Issue

It came as a surprise to many when the Bruins released a statement that Charlie McAvoy underwent surgery to fix an irregular heartbeat. The Bruins were first notified about the issue after the Bruins game on November 26th. McAvoy informed team doctors that he experienced heart palpitations during the game. The Bruins’ official statement reads:

“Subsequently he underwent an evaluation, which diagnosed him with a supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). The type of SVT Charlie has is not considered to be dangerous to his health but can recur at any time and causes significant symptoms”.

McAvoy decided to have the surgery to correct the issue due to the likeliness of it reoccurring in the future. The twenty year old Calder candidate will stay overnight at Mass General and by all accounts should be back to good health quickly.

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Ramifications

Luckily for McAvoy and the Bruins the problem was taken care of early enough. With the recent tear the Bruins are on it is a punch to the gut. But with the All-Star break just around the corner McAvoy should not be out of the lineup for to many games. The surgery is taking place in late January signals that it cannot be too serious of an issue since it was originally reported in November. However it’s never a good sign when a professional athlete has a heart issue.

Losing McAvoy for a short amount of time will not derail the red-hot Bruins. However it is certainly something to keep an eye on going forward. The key to the next decade for the Bruins is the twenty year old defenseman. So lets hope this was a one time problem. Best wishes for a speedy recovery for McAvoy.

Cover photo courtesy of www.sportingnews.com.

Boston Bruins Are Legit Cup Contenders

Tonight at the Bell Centre the Boston Bruins will go for their third win in eight days against their bitter rival, the Montreal Canadiens. After stomping the Islanders 5-2, the Bruins continued their recent tear across the NHL. Currently the Bruins have earned points in fifteen contests (11-0-4). In the past 27 games for the Bruins they are a league best 20-3-4. This has propelled them within five points of the Tampa Bay Lighting, with still a game in hand. The question surrounding this team has been what is their ceiling this year. This team is loaded with young talent and if Sweeney plays his card right they could contend for the next three to five years.

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Longevity

The Boston Bruins currently have six players in their starting lineup under the age of twenty-five, and five players under the age of twenty-two. The young talent up and down the Bruins organization is breathtaking to put it lightly. On top of the young players making a difference at the NHL level the Bruins have plenty of players in their system who they believe can become legit NHL players. Namely Zach Senyshyn, Anders Bjork, Peter Cehlarik, and Austin Czarnik. If it was not for the plethora of young talent already making an impact at the NHL level then at least two of these kids could be on the NHL roster.

At this point Sweeney has all the leverage in the world. It’s really hard to see how he could screw this up. All he has to do is hold onto his young pieces and let it lay out. Up to now that has worked quite well for the B’s.

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Cup Potential

The Bruins have as good a chance to win the Cup this year as any team in the league. They also may be the team best suited to contend for the next half decade. With the foundation of Charlie McAvoy, Patrice Bergeron is showing he still has plenty left in the tank with two hat tricks in the last couple weeks. The Bruins have a strong core up the middle, not to mention the abundance of offensive talent on the wings.

The Bruin’s offensive talent alone isn’t the driving force of their success. It is the coaching and defensive effort of the team. As of today the Bruins are second in the NHL in goals allowed per game. Goals are hard to come by against the Bruins but they become noticeably harder as the game progresses. The Bruins have allowed thirty-three goals in the third period this season, which is the lowest amount of any period they play. So not only can the Bruins defend, they can slam the door on an opponent when it matters most.

Adversity

When it comes to adversity this team continues to be excellent under Bruce Cassidy. When leading after two periods the Bruins have not lost in regulation securing 42 out of 44 possible points (20-0-2). Also when tied after the second period the Bruins only have one regulation loss (5-1-3). These are all the signs of a legit Stanley Cup team. If the opponent leaves the door open the Bruins are going to cash in. The grind of the 82 game schedule may be a bit much for the young players and the old Zdeno Chara. However do not be surprised if the Bruins are the one hoisting the Stanley Cup in mid June.

Bruins Overtime Woes Continue in Loss to Dallas

Monday’s matinée match-up against the Stars was a good news bad news situation for the Bruins. The good news is that the Bruins showed real mental toughness when battling back from a 2-0 deficit. The bad news is that they let another point slip through their fingers in overtime. While the Bruins’ effort to get back into the game was impressive, former Bruin Tyler Seguin was just too much in overtime.

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Bruins Looked Sluggish

It was apparent that the 1 PM start was not ideal for the Bruins on Monday afternoon. The Bruins opened the first period getting out-shot 12-1 by the Stars. They seemed to not be able to find any rhythm offensively. It took a bit but the Bruins eventually found their skating legs and were able to battle back to finish the period with the shot distribution being 12-10 Dallas. The effects of the bye week were quite obvious during the matinée game. After being away from the game for five days it’s hard to get back into battling for every single puck, especially after that roller coaster game in Montreal.

Despite the sluggish start to the period the Bruins were able to escape the first period scoreless. Largely due to the efforts of Anton Khudobin, who was solid throughout the afternoon. Khudobin stopped twenty-nine out of thirty-two shots, but eventually looked helpless on Seguin’s eye-opening overtime goal. Although the Bruins were able to battle back from being down 2-0, when they got to overtime the team had nothing left in the tank.

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Overtime Continues to Be a Problem for the B’s

There has not been a lot to criticize the Bruins for the past few months. But one thing that is a notable weak point for the B’s this year has been their performance in the three on three period. After giving up the game winner to Tyler Seguin the B’s record in the extra session this year fell to 1-6. While it may seem like nitpicking, if the Bruins could have won a few more of those overtime games they would be at least in range of the juggernaut Lightning.

The big problem is structure in their own zone in overtime. It’s man on man across the ice. While the Bruins have plenty of talented offensive players such as Spooner, and Pastranak, they also struggle in their own zone. When a team is able to pin them in the defensive zone it almost always ends badly. Bruce Cassidy needs to work on defensive structure for his team in overtime so they can start getting two points instead of one.

Going Forward

In three games in a row the Bruins have faced someone who used to be a key part of their organization. Two games against Claude and one against Seguin. While Montreal has struggled this season and the Bruins just won up in Montreal, this is still a sneaky important game for the B’s. It would be nice to see the Bruins squash the Canadians and Claude Julien for good with a dominant showing on Wednesday night. Let’s see if Bruce Cassidy is able to refocus his team against a lesser team to earn two points.

Why the Bruins Need David Krejci

The Boston Bruins are one of the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference. The Bruins have earned points in thirteen consecutive games after Monday’s overtime loss against the Stars (9-0-4). During the Bruins’ hot streak many players have stepped into the spotlight. One of these players is David Krejci, who scored the game-tying goal in Montreal to force overtime. Krejci’s role with the team has become smaller due to recently returning from injury and young players stepping up in his place. If the Bruins want to reach their maximum potential they are going to need the thirty-one year old center to play to rediscover his niche.

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Center Depth

The key to any team in the NHL is strength up the middle. Many championship teams have great depth at the center position. Look at the Penguins, who are back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions. They have two of the best centers in hockey with Malkin and Crosby. That’s exactly what the Bruins are hoping they can get from their own centers. Krejci has been plagued a number of injuries over the past few seasons. The latest ailment he has is a concerning hip injury. As a result the Czech native has only suited up for twenty three games this year. But now for the first time in a long time Krejci looks healthy, which should have Bruins fans ecstatic.

If Krejci is able to stay healthy for the rest of the regular season and heading into the playoffs, then instantaneously the Bruins look a lot deeper at the center position. That allows Spooner to play a more offensive role at the wing. Also, playing with Debrusk provides Krejci to be creative with the puck playing alongside offensive oriented players. That would make the Bruins insanely hard to defend against with the depth chart of Bergeron/Krejci/Nash/Kuraly.

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Offensive Production

Throughout his career Krejci has been a reliable offensive weapon. However, in recent years with his inconsistent health and lack of offensive wingers his production has taken a bit of a hit. Now with his improved health and young linemates, the center looks rejuvenated and invested in each shift. The stability he provides into the second center spot every single game cannot be taken for granted. Krejci has great vision in the offensive zone, especially off the rush. He tends to create two-on-ones all over the ice. While he is not nearly as dangerous as he was a few years ago he still possesses elite ability. Especially when it comes to passing the puck. Sometimes it looks like Krejci has eyes in the back of his head with the touch passes he is able to execute.

One of Krejci’s greatest assets is his patience, however it can also be one of his greatest flaws. He currently has only forty-one shots on the season and seven goals. Neither are ideal for an offensive center, but Krejci has always possessed a pass-first mentality. While it can be frustrating when Krejci passes up open shots his 17.1 shooting percentage shows when he does decide to pull the trigger it is usually a good shot. His elite faceoff production has him winning 57.2%. Krejci’s offensive potential out weighs the few deficiencies.

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Defense and Physicality

Early in his career Krejci won two plus/minus titles for his stalwart defense. But time and injuries have caused number 46 to slip as a 200 foot player. Last season in eighty-two games Krejci was a -12 and this year he is currently an even player. Now playing alongside Debrusk and Spooner, he has added defensive responsibility. This leads to question if the center can still perform at a serviceable level defensively. Serviceable yes, but anything above that is a major question mark. With his recent injuries he has been noticeably tepid on the ice. He does not battle for the puck along the boards or go into the dirty areas. While that was never the center’s game he at least used to provide some level of physicality when it came to puck battles. Now bigger stronger centers can push Krejci around practically at will.

If the Czech native can get back to playing some respectable defense, then his presence in the lineup will be critical going forward. Defending the Bergeron line is hard enough, let alone defending a productive Krejci line. Maybe the Bruins will be able to mirror the Penguins formula for success.

Is Patrice Bergeron the Most Underrated Superstar in the NHL?

For the past decade Patrice Bergeron has been one of the best two-way forwards in all of hockey. His accolades include an impressive four Selke trophies and a Stanley Cup. Despite his consistent production, Bergeron is overlooked when talking about NHL superstars. At this point it’s hard not to wonder if Patrice Bergeron is the most underrated star in the NHL.

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Offensive Consistency

Ever since entering the league as a promising prospect back in 2003-2004, Bergeron has been an excellent offensive player. He racked up an impressive sixteen goals and twenty-three assists in his rookie season for thirty-nine points and a +5 rating. Bergeron has not slowed down since, putting up 275 goals, and 428 assist for 703 points in 934 games played. However many people do not see Bergeron as an offensive threat. He consistently posts at least fifty points a season. The reason for that is because Bergeron is not flashy he plays a rather simple offensive game. Most of Bergeron’s goals come from the dots or cleaning up rebounds. While Bergeron is not going to make highlight reels, his offensive consistency and reliability cannot be understated.

Bergeron also makes the players around him better, which is the true sign of a great player. Bergeron and Marchand have rapidly developed into one of the best pairs in the NHL.

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Defensive Reliability

What can you say about Bergeron’s defense that has not been said? The four-time Selke winner is widely viewed across the NHL as the best defensive forward. Bergeron has not had a minus season since 2006-2007. He finished two of those seasons with a +36 and +38 rating. The veteran center also provides unreal consistency during faceoffs, which makes him valuable in key defensive situations. In eleven straight seasons Bergeron has finished above 50% at the dot, and finished three seasons with over 60%. His willingness to do the little things in all three zones is what makes him one of the most respected players in hockey.

While Bergeron has played a lot of high pressure minutes in his career he still has maintained his defensive excellency. Currently Bergeron is on pace to finish his third consecutive season with over 19:30 TOI.

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Competitiveness

Patrice Bergeron may be the toughest player in hockey. Anyone remember back in the 2013 Stanley Cup Final when Bergeron played through injuries that would have most people bedridden? Bergeron suited up for Game Six against the Blackhawks with a broken rib, torn cartilage, torn muscles, a separated shoulder, and punctured lung. His willingness to lay it all on the line is what makes him a great player, leader, and competitor. The latest example of his competitiveness was when he took a slap shot to his knee against the Penguins. It was reported that Bergeron lost a healthy-sized piece of skin and needed stitches during the second period. But not wanting to miss a shift the center just played through the pain.

While national media continues to disregard the excellence of Patrice Bergeron, Boston fans appreciate what number 37 brings to the rink everyday. As the most underrated player in hockey, Bergeron just continues to do what makes him great win.

State of the Boston Bruins Heading into the Bye Week

The Boston Bruins have played excellent hockey heading into the bye week. Even with the hiccup in Pittsburgh on Sunday night, the Bruins have not lost a game in regulation since mid December. In their last 23 games the Bruins are 17-3-3 and have moved all the way into second place in the Atlantic Division. Now with five days off ahead of them and three games in hand on the third place Toronto Maple Leafs, the Bruins are firmly cemented into a playoff spot.

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Offensive Emergence

Coming into the season the Bruins’ roster posed several questions. One of the big concerns focused on the depth, considering most of the unknown young players. After a slow couple of months plagued by injuries, the roster has developed into one of the most formidable in the NHL. Offensively, the Bruins have rapidly evolved into one of the most dangerous teams in the league. Not because of overall talent. They have plenty of that. But rather their performance as a team. Currently the Bruins are averaging 3.28 goals per game. This ranks sixth in the NHL and third in the Eastern Conference.

Led by the dynamic trio of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and David Pastranak, the Bruins have one of the best top lines in the entire NHL. However, the depth of the Bruins allows Bruce Cassidy to keep his forwards fresh by rotating through four productive lines. Outside of Brad Marchand, who averages 20:01 TOI per game, no other forward on the Bruins plays more than 20 minutes a game. This has been the key to the Bruins’ recent emergence in the standings. They are getting contributions from places that many people, including opponents, would not expect. Lately, the fourth line has developed more of a scoring touch while Riley Nash has provided an offensive jolt. Even Ryan Spooner is starting to play to his potential offensively.

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Impressive Defense

The story does not end with the offense. The Bruins rank third in the NHL in goals allowed per game, giving up a mere 2.55. This also ranks second in the Eastern Conference, trailing only the Lighting. Like the Bruins offense, the defensive production has not been from a singular player. It’s a group contribution. Only one defenseman in the Bruins starting six has a minus rating. That defender is Torey Krug, who is only a minus one and whose playing has improved. The other five: Charlie McAvoy +14, Zdeno Chara +20, Brandon Carlo +8, Kevin Miller +10, and Matt Grzelcyk +13, combine for an impressive +65 rating.

On top of that, the B’s have found themselves a very versatile set of blue liners. Chara and Miller provide some veteran experience and toughness to the back end. McAvoy, Krug, and Grzelcyk provide an offensive threat that true contenders need. Lastly, Carlo adds some needed defensive responsibility to the young group of defensemen. While not perfect, the Bruins defense core has made a complete 180. They’ve moved from one of the worst in the NHL only a few years ago to one of the most reliable. Don Sweeney deserves a lot of credit for that one.

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Tuukka Rask

As Tuukka Rask put it so eloquently last night against the Penguins, in a playoff-like game he played like “horses–t”. This hiccup in Pittsburgh snapped a personal six-game winning streak for the Finland native in which he had posted an otherworldly .963 save percentage. Tuukka did make some eye-opening saves to get the Bruins into the extra period. But he got beat on shots that he admits should have stopped.

Even with the poor performance last night Tuukka Rask has been the best goaltender in the NHL for the past month. In Rask’s last 13 starts the Bruins have earned at least one point, going 11-0-2. This extends the longest streak of Tuukka’s career. In December, the Bruins earned 22 points in 14 games. This pushed them into contention for a top spot in the East led by Rask. During December, Rask has nine wins and two shutouts, along with a .955 save percentage and a video game like 1.22 goals allowed average.

Benched for longtime backup Anton Khudobin earlier in the season, Rask is the reason for the Bruins recent emergence to contenders. Every player needs a kick sometimes to get motivated. Bruce Cassidy knew just how to get the message through to Rask. If he can play at the same level as in December, then Boston has a chance against Tampa in a seven-game series. There is still plenty of hockey to be played in the long season. Up to this point everyone has been wrong about Boston. No one could have predicted that they would be this good. Lets see how far the rejuvenated Bruins can go.

Bruins’ Fourth Line Has the Potential to Play a Huge Factor

Have the 2018 Boston Bruins found themselves as productive a fourth line as the Merlot line was back in 2011? Nothing is guaranteed yet, but up to this point the recent emergence of the fourth line for the Bruins has been a key factor in their success. In the past nine games the Bruins have secured a point in all of them, going 7-0-2. The most encouraging sign is that it’s not because of a singular player or line like it has been in the past. But a definite positive sign almost halfway into the season has been the overall excellence of the Sean Kuraly, Tim Schaller and Noel Acciari.

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Defensive Dependability/Toughness

As you would want from most fourth lines Kuraly/Schaller/Acciari have gone above and beyond to earn the trust of Bruce Cassidy. As a line the trio has combined to go -2. Considering they are tasked with keeping other teams offensive lines in check this is pretty impressive. At this point in the season Cassidy has no hesitation to send out his fourth line and for good reason. Right now they are playing fabulous, selfless hockey. Whether it is in the defensive zone rotating along the boards or through coverage as if they are anticipating each others moves, it’s quite extraordinary. Along with each of the three being solid penalty killers and none of them shying away from good body contact.

The toughness element of this line cannot be understated. For stretches this season the Bruins have been pushed around by more physically dominant teams. But now with the Kuraly/Schaller/Acciari line adding not just a physical presence to the lineup but also holding opposing players responsible. Just as Schaller did when Acciari took a nasty hit up high against the Senators. Schaller showed no hesitation in dropping the gloves to protect his partner. But do not be confused, this is a line that knows how to check cleanly and effectively. Defensively reliability and guts of the Kuraly/Schaller/Acciari line certainly mirrors that of the Merlot line in its prime.

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Offensive Production/Versatility

Since the disband of the Merlot line, the Bruins have struggled to find a reliable versatile fourth line. Mainly because the veterans they brought in did not provide enough offensively and the young kids enough defensive reliability. But Kuraly/Schaller/Acciari is not just a bunch of defensive specialists. They can get after it on the offensive end as well. So far the trio has combined to put up 13 goals and 12 assist for 25 points. While also adding a surprising amount of speed to the Bruins’ lineup.

That is what makes this line so fascinating to watch. One minute they can be doing the dirty work in the defensive end. Then the next they are going end to end at full speed creating great scoring chances. It’s very impressive to watch and was on full display against the Islanders. Kuraly helped set up Schaller’s goal and Acciari netted one as well. They lead the Bruins to an impressive 5-1 victory.

The selflessness on the offensive end has been they key for this line. The right play is the simple play to them. They take what the defense is giving them. No more no less, and it has worked quite well. While none of them are offensive juggernauts by any stretch. Each of the three has the ability to score a timely goal or make a winning play. If the fourth line can keep up this level of production than opponents are not gonna be excited to play the Bruins.

What Should the Boston Bruins Do with Adam McQuaid?

A mere six games into the season Adam McQuaid blocked a shot that ended up breaking his leg. The timeline for his return was 6-8 weeks, and sure enough here we sit with McQuaid just about ready to get back on the ice. But even though McQuaid is ready to return to the lineup Cassidy has chosen to leave him out of the lineup. So with the decision coming to a head what should the Bruins do with Adam McQuaid?

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Grzelyck

The foundation of the Bruins this season is the promise of the young prospects up and down the roster. This season has been a huge step forward towards the future so far. However bringing Adam McQuaid back and playing him over a younger, more mistake prone, but also more talented defenseman, contradicts the entire theme of the season. Especially considering McQuaid would either take the place of Brandon Carlo or Matt Grzelyck, both of whom look like they are the future. Grzelyck has been a genuine difference maker on this team during his time with the big club. Since Cassidy inserted Grzelyck into the lineup the Bruins have been otherworldly, going 13-3-2.

While Cassidy has made the transition into the NHL easier for Grzelyck by not playing him in high pressure minutes. He has still shown exceptional skill and awareness in the minutes he has gotten. Grzelyck’s performance alone should be enough to keep McQuaid on the shelf for the rest of the season. Mainly because the next time the Bruins win a Stanley Cup Adam McQuaid will not be a factor in it.

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Kevin Miller

The biggest asset of McQuaid’s game is his toughness and grit. But even that has lost its value to the Bruins with Kevin Miller on the roster. Miller has been playing exceptional hockey since be moved to the right side paired with Matt Grzelyck. Being his natural side, Miller is able to do much more offensively from the right side of the ice. Miller is able to use his pure strength to fight defenders off the puck and barrel through the neutral zone to add another element to the Bruins’ offense. On top of that Miller has shown time and time again he can drop the gloves with anyone in hockey.

At this point Miller is practically a more offensive and reliable Adam McQuaid. That leaves the veteran enforcer on the outside looking in for a top six defenseman spot on this team. The move is to obviously send Paul Postma to the AHL and keep McQuaid as a solid seventh defenseman heading into the new year. The only question is if McQuaid will be willing to sit on the bench in a backup role.