The Boston Bruins are now halfway through their preseason slate after Saturday’s 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
Dalton Bancroft scored twice in his first-ever NHL preseason game, and Jeffrey Viel scored what proved to be the game-winner with 6:15 left in the third period. Both of them are expected to be heading to AHL Providence, but they certainly showed well Saturday.
So, who will be in Boston? Well, the halfway point of the preseason feels like as good a time as any to make a roster projection. Here’s what we’re thinking with a week and a half to go before the Bruins’ regular-season opener on Oct. 8.
FORWARDS (14)
Morgan Geekie – Elias Lindholm – David Pastrnak
Matej Blumel – Pavel Zacha – Viktor Arvidsson
Tanner Jeannot – Casey Mittelstadt – Matt Poitras
Mikey Eyssimont – Sean Kuraly – Mark Kastelic
Marat Khusnutdinov, Alex Steeves
The four lines are the same lines head coach Marco Sturm rolled out in practice on Thursday and Friday after splitting the training camp groups into an NHL group and an AHL group. So, it seems fair to say that this is what he’s thinking about for opening night at the moment.
Blumel has been put with NHL regulars since Day 1 of camp. He has been a mainstay on the second power-play unit. He scored in Boston’s second preseason game. It’s pretty clear that Sturm and company believe the AHL’s leading goal-scorer from last season is ready to be an NHLer, and they’re going to throw him right into a middle-six role and see if he can stick.
Poitras is a natural center who has struggled a bit playing wing in the past, but it seems Sturm wants to take a real look at him there. He said on Thursday that he likes how Poitras can complement Mittelstadt with his skating. This is one spot in the lineup that I could still see changing over the next week and a half, but Poitras seems to have the inside track right now.
The fourth line can be a real identity type of line, and those three have been together pretty consistently throughout camp. Eyssimont was the star of the Bruins’ comeback win over the Rangers on Tuesday with two goals and an assist.
The extra forward spots are interesting, including whether they decide to keep 13 or 14. It feels like Khusnutdinov is on the team. He’s been pretty good in both practice and preseason game action, and he would need to clear waivers to be sent down. He could potentially push Poitras for that third-line wing job, too.
Steeves, another top AHL scorer from last season, was with the main group on Thursday, but got demoted to the “B” group on Friday. That was interesting, and it may not be a great sign for him, but it’s also worth noting that Friday was a heavy special teams practice, and Steeves may not feature on either special teams unit. He would need waivers to be sent down. It feels like he is smack on the bubble at the moment.
Fraser Minten was with the main group both days, but was centering the fifth line. If he’s not going to be a regular in the top 12, the 21-year-old would benefit more from playing in Providence than sitting in the press box. He definitely still has a chance to win a spot in the bottom six, though, so don’t rule him out just yet.
Riley Duran got promoted from Group B to Group A on Friday, and he was also one of the best players in the Bruins’ first preseason game, but he is probably still fighting an uphill battle. He took two penalties Saturday. Johnny Beecher spent Thursday and Friday in Group B after a tough preseason debut in New York. He bounced back nicely Saturday in Philadelphia, including scoring a goal, but could still be on the outside looking in at the moment. Fabian Lysell has been up-and-down in practice and games, and up-and-down isn’t going to be good enough for the 2021 first-round pick.
DEFENSE (7)
Mason Lohrei – Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm – Andrew Peeke
Nikita Zadorov – Henri Jokiharju
Jordan Harris
These pairings have been pretty consistent throughout camp, so we see no need to project anything else for now. The biggest question is whether Lohrei has improved enough to stick by McAvoy’s side. His first preseason game was rough. His second on Saturday was better, but he still took a foolish throwing-the-stick penalty that handed the Flyers a penalty shot. He’s going to need to show he’s taken significant strides defensively, or Sturm may be forced to change things up.
Harris was the favorite to win the seventh D job entering camp, and the Haverhill native hasn’t done anything to hurt his case. Victor Soderstrom has, struggling in both preseason games he’s played. Mike Callahan could stick around if the Bruins decide to go with eight defensemen and only 13 forwards. Frederic Brunet has had a really strong camp so far, but the 22-year-old will benefit from more time in Providence rather than sitting on the bench in Boston.
GOALIES (2)
Jeremy Swayman
Joonas Korpisalo
Korpisalo was away from the team the last couple of days for a family matter. The veteran is still the clear favorite to back up Swayman. Michael DiPietro is the main competition. He struggled in his first preseason game, but was better on Saturday, stopping 24 of 27 shots against Philly. He probably hasn’t done enough to force the Bruins’ hand, though.