Jack Studnicka on the top line. Jeremy Lauzon on the top defense pairing. One of these things is temporary, the other has a chance to become permanent, and both will be among the top things to watch early in this Bruins season.
Studnicka is the temporary situation. Someone has to fill in at right wing on the top line for at least the first couple weeks of the season until David Pastrnak returns, and it looks like Studnicka is on the inside track to do so.
The 21-year-old, 2017 second-round pick is a natural center, but played right wing for the Bruins in the bubble over the summer -- mostly on the third line, but a little bit on the second and even first line, too -- and remains more needed on the wing now as long as centers Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Charlie Coyle and Sean Kuraly are all healthy.
At the start of training camp coach Bruce Cassidy mentioned a few different players who could get looks in Pastrnak’s usual spot, but so far it has been Studnicka who has gotten nearly all the reps there, including in Thursday’s scrimmage (with Anders Bjork filling in on the left as Brad Marchand got a day off).
As was the case in the playoffs when Pastrnak missed a few games, the Bruins know that no one they put there is going to be Pastrnak, but they just want Studnicka to be able to play his game, complement Bergeron and Marchand, and be in the right places at the right time, and he knows that.
“Yeah, it’s no secret those two have unbelievable chemistry,” Studnicka said this week. “The way that they see the ice and the ability to play with each other is awesome. They like to play at a high pace, always moving their feet, always separating from guys. I just want to hop in there and, if given the opportunity, play my game and play to my strengths, which is speed and playmaking and just playing at a high tempo like those two like to. They’re really good players together and if I’m fortunate enough to get an opportunity, just little things like pace and being in the right spots, hopefully getting to read off them a little better and hopefully fit in and create some chemistry.”
Lauzon is the one who has a chance to make his new role stick for the long haul if he plays well. He has been the most common partner for No. 1 defenseman Charlie McAvoy in training camp so far, and that spot, of course, is the one that had long been occupied by Zdeno Chara before he left for the Capitals in free agency.
Jakub Zboril has also seen a little bit of time next to McAvoy in camp, but he has been with Kevan Miller more on one of the two pairings vying to be the third pair (with John Moore-Connor Clifton being the other).
Matt Grzelcyk has a history playing with McAvoy not just at times with the Bruins, but going all the way back to their time together at Boston University. Grzelcyk, however, has been glued to Brandon Carlo so far in camp, as it seems Cassidy wants to stick with a somewhat similar dynamic as he’s had in the past -- a quicker player with offensive skill with Carlo (formerly Torey Krug, now Grzelcyk), and a bigger, physical, stay-at-home type with McAvoy.
As is the case with Studnicka in Pastrnak’s spot, no one is asking or expecting Lauzon to be Chara. Cassidy and Co. just want the 23-year-old to build on what he had going in the second half of last season, when he stepped into a third-pairing role next to Grzelcyk and played well before ultimately getting beat out by Clifton for playing time in the postseason.
Lauzon, for his part, thinks he and McAvoy are off to a good start and thinks he can complement McAvoy well.
“Yeah, I think so,” Lauzon said when asked if he thinks they’re a good fit. “Obviously I’m a big body, plays hard, win some puck battles. I think me and Charlie could be a really good pair together. We’re both guys that compete a lot and can log good minutes against big lines, and that’s my goal. I want to make Charlie better and I’m going to focus on that. I think it’s a big opportunity for me and I think I’m ready for it, and I’m just going to jump into it and make a good impression.”
It’s possible, even likely, that the Bruins will mix up their defense pairings quite a bit during the season. But they’ve been pretty consistent in training camp so far, and it’s becoming clear that Lauzon is getting a pretty good opportunity to show he can stick next to McAvoy.
With the first week of training camp nearly complete, here’s a look at what the Bruins’ opening night lines and pairings could look like based on what practices have looked like so far:
Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - Jack Studnicka
Jake DeBrusk - David Krejci - Ondrej Kase
Nick Ritchie - Charlie Coyle - Craig Smith
Anders Bjork - Sean Kuraly - Chris Wagner
Trent Frederic
Jeremy Lauzon - Charlie McAvoy
Matt Grzelcyk - Brandon Carlo
Jakub Zboril - Kevan Miller
John Moore - Connor Clifton
Tuukka Rask
Jaroslav Halak