After the 2022 NHL Draft, the opening of the free agent market and several staff moves during the offseason, NHL.com is profiling the various teams for the 2022-23 season, which begins on October 7. Today, the Boston Bruins.
UPDATE : Anaheim Ducks
Record in 2021-22: 51-26-5, fourth in the Atlantic Division; eliminated in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs
Best striker : To David Pastr (40)
Best passer: Brad Marchand (48)
Top scorer: Marchand (80)
The arrivals
• Pavel Zacha (A)
• Vinni Letteri (A)
• Jim Montgomery (entraîneur)
Zacha is a restricted free agent. The 25-year-old forward was acquired in a trade from the New Jersey Devils for Erik Haula on July 13. He had a career-high 36 points (15 goals, 21 assists) in 70 games last season. Letteri agreed to a one-year, two-part contract on July 13. He had 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 31 games with the Anaheim Ducks last season.
Video: NJD@OTT: Zacha takes advantage of the counterattack
Montgomery was hired July 1 to replace Bruce Cassidy after two seasons as an assistant coach with the St. Louis Blues. The Montreal driver went 61-43-10 in two seasons at the helm of the Dallas Stars before being fired on December 10, 2019.
Departures
• Erik Haula (A)
• Curtis Lazar (A)
• Bruce Cassidy (coach)
Haula had 44 points (18 goals, 26 assists) in 78 games and three points (one goal, two assists) in seven playoff games last season. Lazar signed a three-year deal with the Vancouver Canucks on July 13. He played 70 games last season, recording 16 points (eight goals, eight assists), before adding one goal in seven playoff games.
The Bruins have made the playoffs in each of Cassidy’s six seasons at the helm. Still, he was fired on June 6 after going 245-108-46 in the regular season and 36-37 in postseason games at Boston. Cassidy was named head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights on June 14.
They knock on the door
• John Beecher (A)
• Jack Ahcan (D)
• Nick Wolff (D)
• Marc McLaughlin (A)
The 21-year-old Beecher was selected 30th overall in the 2019 draft. He had 15 points (six goals, nine assists) with the University of Michigan last season and five points (three goals, two assists) in nine meetings with the Providence school club in the American League (AHL). The striker signed a rookie contract on May 16. Ahcan agreed to a one-year, two-part contract on July 18. The 25-year-old defenseman has played nine games for the Bruins over the past two seasons and could see his uptime increase with Charlie McAvoy et Matt Grzelcyk who will miss the start of the season due to injury. Wolff is another 25-year-old fullback knocking on the door. Hired as a free agent on March 18, 2020, he recorded eight assists in 32 games with Providence last season. McLaughlin led Boston College with 21 goals and was second with 31 points in 33 games in 2021-22. The 22-year-old forward also played two games for the United States at the 2022 Olympics and one game in the AHL, before scoring three goals in 11 NHL games.
Video: NJD@BOS: McLaughlin scores in NHL debut
Needs
The Bruins need to know what to expect with centers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. Bergeron is still thinking about pursuing his career as Krejci juggles the idea of returning to the NHL after spending the past season in his native Czech Republic. If they don’t come back, Boston will have to find reinforcements in the center. Additionally, the Bruins will enter the season without forward Brad Marchand (hip surgery), McAvoy (shoulder surgery) and Grzelcyk (shoulder surgery). All three aren’t expected to return until December, so Boston may have to look for defensive solutions as well.
what they said
“What I want is for us to be recognized as a team against which you have to be ready, otherwise you will play on the heels. […] There are some aspects that I hope to change with a new style – every coach has their own way of leading – to focus more on offense. » — Coach Jim Montgomery
Planned training
Taylor Hall — Charlie Coyle — to David Pastr
Jake DeBrusk — Pavel Zacha — Craig Smith
Trent Frederic — Thomas Nosek — Jack Studnicka
Nick Foligno — Oskar Steen — Chris Wagner
Hampus Lindholm — Brandon Carlo
Mike Reilly — Jakub Zboril
Derek Forbort — Connor Clifton
Jeremy Swayman
Linus Ullmark
Wounded: Brad Marchand (hip), Charlie McAvoy (shoulder), Matt Grzelcyk (shoulder)