Way Too Early Bruins Lineup Predictions

The Boston Bruins are only four days into training camp. As of this morning, they are yet to even play in their first game of the preseason.

But through two days of practice and one scrimmage, there are already signs of what the Bruins’ lineup could look like come the start of the regular season.

While there’s still a lot of time between now and then, here’s what the first few days of training camp are indicating for Opening Night.

Forwards:

From the moment the Bruins announced the signing of Elias Lindholm on July 1, it was easy to assume what their top line would be this season. Those assumptions were solidified when he took the very first line rush of training camp between Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak.

As for how the rest of the forward corps would stack up, that wasn’t as clear.

The biggest hole in the lineup entering training camp was second line right wing. While several roster hopefuls are vying for the role next to Brad Marchand and Charlie Coyle, the leading candidate right now seems to be Tyler Johnson.

The 13-year pro is with the Bruins on a professional tryout contract and seems to be on his way to earning a guaranteed deal with the team, having already picked up Boston’s system within the first few days of training camp.

“He’s made a lot of little subtle support plays, which has been a strength of his whole career,” said Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery. “He looked like he knew our D-zone coverage, which I don’t think he ever played in Tampa or in Chicago. Credit to his hockey sense of being able to assimilate quickly. That’s why he’s played so long.”

Johnson’s veteran hockey IQ makes him a fit for a line equally that prioritizes defense as it does on offense, if not more.

Matthew Poitras is an option for that position as well, but he still has room to develop on the defensive end. Although he may not be ready for a top-six role quite yet, the 20-year-old has been one of the standouts of camp.

While Poitras spent most of last season playing down the middle, he’d benefit from playing the wing in Boston’s system, where he can utilize his ability as a creator with the puck to a greater degree.

On the third line, Poitras will be tasked with moving the puck in transition, working with Trent Frederic to form a unique connection that blends size and speed to generate offense, while Morgan Geekie shoulders much of the defensive responsibilities.

Meanwhile, the fourth line should be one of pure energy, bringing a constant wave on the forecheck that wears down opponents. Max Jones, John Beecher, and Mark Kastelic all play with an edge and will be factors on the penalty kill as well. Beecher (left-handed) and Kastelic (right-handed) also give Montgomery flexibility on faceoffs, as either one is capable of taking a draw.

Defense:

For all the questions the Bruins have up front, they can sit comfortably knowing their defense is essentially already locked in.

Nikita Zadorov comes to Boston and gives the Bruins an element of defense not seen since Zdeno Chara departed in 2021. Zadorov has been adamant that he wants no comparison to Chara, but the hope is he has the same effect on Charlie McAvoy that the Bruins legend did.

Zadorov’s size should draw focus away from McAvoy, opening up more space for him to jump in on the rush and be more of a force offensively. The addition of Zadorov also takes some pressure off of second-year-pro Mason Lohrei, who can now focus on developing his game on the third pair next to Andrew Peeke instead of playing against the opponent’s top line every night.

The one pair that’s unchanged from last season is that of Hampus Lindholm and Brandon Carlo. The two have worked together over the last few seasons and will provide some stability to a defensive unit that underwent major renovations over the offseason.

Goalies:

We’re all aware that if and when the Bruins and Jeremy Swayman agree on a contract, he will assume his spot as the team’s starting goalie.

But for now, that job belongs to Joonas Korpisalo, who will work in tandem with Brandon Bussi.

On The Bubble:

With only so many roster spots available and so many players in the mix, some are bound to miss the cut. Right now, there are three players competing for two jobs at forward.

Justin Brazeau made his NHL debut for the Bruins toward the tail end of last season. However, he’s yet to stick out in the early part of camp, which has also been the case for Riley Tufte. Those two at least have the size that makes them ideal fits for the brand of hockey the Bruins want to play this season.

The same can’t be said of Fabian Lysell. There were high expectations for the former first-round pick to crack the roster this season, but   Johnson and Poitras have overshadowed him thus far.

Luckily for him, there’s still a long way to go before the Bruins make any final decisions.

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