Bruins’ Loaded D-Corps Could Inspire Rotation Similar To Last Season.
The Boston Bruins are currently one point behind the league-leading Vancouver Canucks and at the top of the Eastern Conference in the middle of the NHL season.
The Black and Gold have defied their critics with a 27-8-9 record, despite the fact that many experts had predicted the Bruins to “fall off” before the season.
There’s an easy explanation for Boston’s success. The Bruins have depth at every position on the ice, particularly defense, just like they had the previous season.
The Bruins’ starting lineup included Charlie McAvoy, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Hampus Lindholm in the first, second, and third positions, respectively. Brandon Carlo is typically selected as Lindholm’s partner in the second pairing when he is well. Carlo has sadly missed the last five games due to an upper-body injury for the Bruins.
For the remaining two slots on Boston’s blue line, Matt Grzelcyk, Mason Lohrei, Derek Forbort, and Parker Wotherspoon are all in competition.
Forbort has missed 20 games with a lower-body injury this season and was placed on long-term injured reserve in December. Forbort has skated in 20 games this season recording four assists while averaging 18:22 minutes of ice time. He is considered one of the best penalty killers on the team and with the Bruins averaging three or more infractions each game, his return to the lineup could be invaluable.
Carlo had not missed a game this season before his injury. The right-shot defenseman, who is having one of his greatest seasons, has scored twice this year and has eight assists while averaging 20:17 minutes of ice time.
In addition to missing 13 games this season due to injury, Grzelcyk also suffered injuries from Forbort and Carlo.
Leading defenceman McAvoy was suspended for four games by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety for illegally checking Florida Panthers defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson in the head. McAvoy’s upper-body ailment kept him out of four more games.
Given all the injuries, the Bruins have utilized Lohrei and Wotherspoon to bolster the lineup.
Lohrei has played 10 more games than Wotherspoon, but both defensemen have shown growing confidence and poise each time they step on the ice for the Bruins. Both have averaged more than 16 minutes of ice time across their NHL stints in Boston.
Lohrei has notched three goals and three assists in 27 games, while Wotherspoon, a self-acclaimed defensive defenseman, has three helpers in 17 games for the Bruins.
After Friday’s practice, Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery stated that Carlo and Forbort were getting close to rejoining the starting lineup.
This could force Boston’s bench manager to make difficult choices over playing time.
According to the team, Montgomery told reporters, “They both feel a lot better.” In particular, Carlo and Forbort. Saturday, we’ll see how they feel, but overall, things seem much more positive.
In the event that Carlo and Forbort return by the end of the All-Star break, Montgomery may decide to go with the defenseman rotation he used the
previous year following the Bruins’ trade deadline acquisition of Dmitry Orlov from the Washington Capitals.
What the Bruins will do is unknown at this point. It’s not too bad to be in this situation, either, as there are too many good defensemen and not
enough roster spots. especially considering that the group is getting ready to make another postseason push this spring.
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