Bruins

Will Bruins’ decision to bolster defense over scoring help backfire?

"The pie is only so big.”

By Conor Ryan

July 2, 2024

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Email
• Email
• 10

Don Sweeney and his staff improved the Bruins on Monday afternoon. 

In one swoop, Boston allocated a hefty portion of its surplus cap space toward the top center on the market in Elias Lindholm and arguably the most imposing blueliner in the league in Nikita Zadorov. 

One could harp on the term that Boston doled out to both players, and there are valid questions about whether or not a pivot like Lindholm is true top-line talent, or rather a poised 2C on a deeper squad. 

But hefty payouts are the price of doing business this time of year, especially when it comes to shoring up critical areas of the depth chart via free agency. 

Both Lindholm and Zadorov will further bolster a roster that pushed the Panthers over six games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs — with Lindholm’s two-way game elevating Boston’s top-six unit and Zadorov’s size and snarl giving Boston an added element on the blue line.

It was all but a given that the Bruins were going to open their wallet for at least one center on the open market this summer.

But the decision to upgrade Boston’s blue line over a top-six winger does represent a bit of a gamble for Sweeney — considering how evident Boston’s scoring woes were last postseason. 

The addition of Lindholm does give Boston another top-six fixture capable of chipping in with 20 goals and 50+ points (if not more, so long as he skates with David Pastrnak full-time). 

But a sizable free-agency exodus in Boston’s room has also sapped its roster of some much-needed secondary scoring. 

Top-line regular Jake DeBrusk headed west, signing a seven-year, $38.5 million contract with the Canucks. Danton Heinen (17 goals) joined DeBrusk in Vancouver, while James van Riemsdyk (11 goals) will likely sign elsewhere this summer.

With $8.6 million remaining in cap space as of Tuesday evening (per CapFriendly), the Bruins will likely allocate most of that remaining fiscal flexibility toward Jeremy Swayman’s looming extension.

But if Sweeney and Co. had opted for more of a depth pickup on the blue line over Zadorov, the Bruins could have utilized some of that additional cap space to bring in a proven top-six talent.

Jonathan Marchessault signed a five-year deal with a $5.5 million annual cap hit with Nashville on Monday, while another potent sniper in Tyler Toffoli will make $6 million per season via his new four-year contract with the Sharks. 

All it takes is a quick glance at Boston’s scoring drought this spring to make a case for why Boston might have been better served handing a similar contract to one of those two wingers — or even a relative bargain signing like Anthony Duclair ($3.5 million per year with the Islanders).

Even with players like DeBrusk, Heinen, and van Riemsdyk in place, Boston labored for significant stretches of its most recent playoff run when it came to lighting the lamp — leaving little room for error for Swayman in net.

After ranking 14th in the NHL in goals per game (3.21) during the regular season, Boston only averaged 2.17 goals per contest in its second-round bout with the Panthers.

Beyond a five-goal outburst against Sergei Bobrovsky in Game 1 of that series, Boston capped its most recent playoff run with two goals scored or fewer in eight of its last nine postseason games.

Jim Montgomery’s emphasis on quality over quantity as far as shot selection has boosted Boston’s chances of generating Grade-A looks against opposing goalies. But that approach tends to ring hollow if your roster doesn’t feature players capable of converting on those looks.

In that series against Florida, Boston actually held a 60-41 advantage in terms of high-danger chances generated at 5-on-5 play. It was a sizable edge for the Bruins, but Boston still found itself outscored, 11-10, during 5-on-5 action.

While a top line of Lindholm, David Pastrnak, and Pavel Zacha should dole out plenty of damage in 2024-25, a potential second line featuring Brad Marchand and Charlie Coyle is still staring at a sizable vacancy on the right side. 

Sweeney acknowledged on Monday that the Bruins could still use another scoring presence in the top-six unit.

But the potential of adding a bruiser like Zadorov and rounding out a D corps that now boasts an average profile of 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds justified sitting out of Monday’s free-agent feeding frenzy for top-six wingers.

“I think the depth of our defense and the strength of our hockey club, I wanted to continue to make sure we have those foundational pieces in place,” Sweeney explained. “I think this group can, as a whole, we can tease a little more offense out of it. 

“So if you’re going to allow Charlie [McAvoy] and Hampus [Lindholm] to get back to hopefully the level he’s capable of, from one year to the next. I think you have to have that depth to allow [Mason Lohrei] to continue to grow. … You’re probably sacrificing, chasing something on the wing as a result of that. You’re really prioritizing getting a center, as I mentioned, and going into free agency, you’re gonna enter an uncomfortable zone, right? … So the pie is only so big.”

For now, the plan seems to be assessing internal options when it comes to finding a suitable replacement on that 2RW spot. A middle-six forward like Trent Frederic or Morgan Geekie could be in line for a featured role, or Boston could give productive AHLers like Fabian Lysell and Georgii Merkulov an extended look in hopes they stick with the big club.

Of course, Boston could also revisit its pursuit of scoring help if all of these contingency plans fail — especially at the trade deadline. 

While it’s a lock that at least a few 20-goal wingers will be dangled on the market next February, the chances of a 6-foot-6 leviathan on the back end like Zadorov getting dealt are slim — and if a player of that profile was available, it’d cost a premium ahead of the playoffs. 

With money on hand this summer, the Bruins targeted a rare asset in Zadorov — giving Boston a coveted presence and adding to a strength on the depth chart.

It’s a bold move, one that should yield strong returns if Zadorov lands welts against opponents with regularity.

But a stout defense and stellar goaltending won’t matter all that much if Boston can’t consistently cash in on its chances down the other end of the ice.