At least two and possibly all three of the Bruins’ trade deadline acquisitions will make their Boston debuts Tuesday night against the Sabres.
Taylor Hall, Curtis Lazar and Mike Reilly all joined their new team for Tuesday’s morning skate/practice after driving to Boston on Monday. Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said afterwards that Hall and Reilly are in, while Lazar will be a game-time decision.
Hall and Reilly were expected to make their debuts as long as there were no COVID testing issues. Lazar is just getting over a lower-body injury, but said Monday he is just about healthy now. The Bruins will make a final decision after further consultation with the medical staff and after seeing how he does in pregame warmups.
Hall will go in on the second line with David Krejci and Craig Smith, with David Pastrnak moving back up to the top line with Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. That bumps Nick Ritchie down to the third line with Charlie Coyle and Jake DeBrusk, with DeBrusk flipping over to the right side
Lazar skated as the fourth-line center with Sean Kuraly on his left and Chris Wagner on his right. Trent Frederic is still recovering from a non-COVID illness and is out Tuesday. Cassidy said Anton Blidh will be in on the fourth line if Lazar is unable to go, with Kuraly at center in that scenario.
Reilly, meanwhile, is a welcome addition to a Bruins defense that was down its top four blue-liners Sunday. So too are the returns of Charlie McAvoy and Kevan Miller, both of which are expected Tuesday night. Miller was not on the ice for morning skate, but Cassidy confirmed he will play.
Cassidy did not specify with whom Reilly would be paired. He was with Steven Kampfer in practice on the second pairing, but Miller may very well replace Kampfer there for the game.
Matt Grzelcyk, who is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury, was not on the ice Tuesday morning and is not expected to play Tuesday night.
Reilly will also feature as the quarterback on the Bruins’ top power-play unit, joining Pastrnak, Bergeron, Marchand and Ritchie. Hall was on the second unit in practice with McAvoy, Krejci, Smith and either DeBrusk or Coyle.
Jeremy Swayman starts in goal Tuesday with Dan Vladar expected to back up. Tuukka Rask was on the ice Tuesday, as he has been most days, but won’t return against the Sabres. Cassidy said the Bruins are aiming for Thursday night for his return to game action.
Here’s how the Bruins were lined up for Tuesday’s practice -- again, with the caveat that Miller will be slotting in somewhere on that defense: