Jack Studnicka is back in Boston, at least for now. With Patrice Bergeron out at least one game due to injury and Brad Marchand suspended six games, the Bruins decided to recall Studnicka from AHL Providence.
The Bruins also called up defenseman Tyler Lewington while sending down winger Oskar Steen.
Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said after morning skate that Studnicka will center a line with Trent Frederic and Nick Foligno on Thursday night against the Carolina Hurricanes.
The 22-year-old Studnicka, who was a second-round pick in 2017, has played five games with the Bruins so far this season, recording one assist. He has a goal and four assists in 32 NHL games total, including playoffs.
After a slow start to the AHL season, Studnicka has 15 points in his last 18 games with Providence, bringing his season totals up to six goals and 13 assists in 27 games.
Cassidy explained what he’s hoping to see from Studnicka this time around.
“Listen, he has to play to what the people are around him, and still be true to himself,” Cassidy said. “Obviously playing with Freddy and Foligno, it’s a little more straight-line hockey. Play behind their D when the situation dictates, make a play when you have time and space. Be good defensively, obviously, when you’re a center iceman, 200-foot game. He’s playing with two guys who have both played center in their careers, so if he ends up switched in the D zone, just do your job and help the team win, essentially.
“I don’t want to sit here and say he has to do this, he has to replace Bergy. No one’s going to replace Bergy. No one’s going to replace Marsh. And then win his share of puck battles. That’s always been a challenge for Jack, is it’s a heavier league. We’re playing against a fast, heavy team tonight, so we’ll see how he does. He’s been better in Providence of late. That’s good. He’s coming up here, hopefully he’s in a good frame of mind.”
With Marchand and Bergeron out, the second line of Taylor Hall, Erik Haula and David Pastrnak will become the first line. The new second line will be Jake DeBrusk-Charlie Coyle-Craig Smith. The usual fourth line of Anton Blidh, Tomas Nosek and Curtis Lazar will remain together.
Frederic-Studnicka-Foligno is kind of the collection of what’s left, with Frederic set to play his first game since suffering an upper-body injury on Jan. 10.
Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said on Thursday that Bergeron has a laceration on the back of his head and that he and the team are just taking things day-by-day. Bergeron has not been on the ice since suffering the injury on Tuesday. It's unclear whether he's also dealing with a concussion.
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