Grzelcyk, Studnicka To Make Season Debuts For Bruins

BRIGHTON, MA – The Boston Bruins will have a new look to their lineup coming off giving up seven goals in a Tuesday night loss to the Ottawa Senators with D-man Matt Grzelcyk and center Jack Studnicka making their season debuts. Grzelcyk is coming off summer shoulder surgery and has been skating and practicing with the team for the last couple of weeks and gives the Bruins at least two of their projected top-4 defensemen with Brandon Carlo (upper body) and Charlie McAvoy (shoulder surgery rehab) still out of the lineup.

“It was nice to bump around with the guys in practice and I feel ready to go,” said Grzelcyk, who was skating with McAvoy still in a red no-contact sweater at the skate while Brad Marchand is skating with a regular practice jersey these days. “I think the [new system] is pretty friendly to how I want to play. I’m going to take it a period at a time and go from there, but it’s just getting used to some of the new terminology when we go over video, and just make sure that it’s second nature.”

Studnicka will center the third line with Charlie Coyle sliding over to the right wing and Trent Frederic staying at left wing on a third line that could be an interesting combination of size, speed, skill and puck possession.

Anton Stralman is still in Ottawa dealing with work visa issues that the Boston Bruins hope will be cleared up on Thursday.

Patrice Bergeron was not present on the ice for Thursday’s morning skate at Warrior Ice Arena, but that was more about managing his high workload from back-to-back games while readying for Thursday night against the Anaheim Ducks.

Here’s the projected Boston Bruins lineup vs. the Ducks based on Thursday’s morning skate:

Zacha-Bergeron-DeBrusk

Hall-Krejci-Pastrnak

Frederic-Studnicka-Coyle

Greer-Nosek-Lauko

Lindholm-Reilly

Grzelcyk-Zboril

Forbort-Clifton

Ullmark