For the second straight game, the Bruins’ new-look top line of David Pastrnak, Elias Lindholm and Morgan Geekie was very good Sunday. After scoring five times in Saturday's win over Carolina, they scored twice in the first period Sunday on goals from Lindholm and Geekie. Pastrnak also set up Casey Mittelstadt for a power-play goal in the second.
As has been the case so often since the trade deadline, though, there was virtually no offense to be found anywhere else in the Boston lineup. There wasn’t much defense either, as the Bruins ultimately lost to the Buffalo Sabres, 6-3.
It was an important loss when it comes to draft position. The Bruins would have jumped ahead of the Sabres in the standings with a win. Instead, they still have the fourth-worst record in the NHL, keeping them on track to land a top-five pick for the first time since they drafted Tyler Seguin second overall in 2010.
It was also the latest reminder of just how much work general manager Don Sweeney and company has in front of them to rebuild this forward group.
Pastrnak is playing at such a high level that he singlehandedly gives the Bruins a representative top line. Sure, in a perfect world, the Bruins would have more talented linemates for him than Geekie, Lindholm and/or Pavel Zacha. But that kind of clear upgrade might not be attainable via trade or free agency this summer. They might draft someone who turns into that kind of player, but don’t expect that kid to walk in and be that next season.
Regardless, Pastrnak and the first line have produced. They’re not the problem. The problem is everything after that. It’s been three games since the Bruins scored a goal that Pastrnak wasn’t involved in. In the last six games, Pastrnak has had a point on 13 of Boston’s 15 goals, including 11 straight (which is a franchise record).
The Bruins are hoping Mittelstadt can be their No. 2 center next season. Before finishing off a tap-in from a Pastrnak setup Sunday, he had gone six games without a point. There was virtually no chemistry between Mittelstadt and Zacha in their two games together this weekend, as the Bruins got outshot 19-5 with them on the ice. If that combination is going to have any chance of being a successful second line, it’s probably going to require a significant wing upgrade to play with them. Mitch Marner tops the free-agent market if the Bruins want to build around two elite right wings, but he might cost $14 million a year.
Interim head coach Joe Sacco started the weekend with Fabian Lysell on their right. Lysell now has zero points in eight games to start his NHL career. The 2021 first-round pick has looked overmatched at this level. He had a soft one-handed play in the defensive zone that led to one of Buffalo’s goals, and a similar play that led to another scoring chance. He lost Rasmus Dahlin in D-zone coverage on another goal against. Lysell finished the night a minus-3. The Bruins would love to see him have a great summer and make a better push next year, but they can’t bank on that when building out this roster.
When Sacco slid Lysell down the lineup midgame Sunday, he moved Vinni Lettieri up. Because, well, he doesn’t really have any better options on the wing right now. Lettieri is a hard worker and a good guy, but he’s a 30-year-old journeyman who’s never had more than 10 points in an NHL season. He’s not part of a second or third line on any half-decent team.
Maybe 22-year-old Marat Khusnutdinov, 21-year-old Matt Poitras or 20-year-old Fraser Minten will be, but they all still have some developing to do. After scoring twice in his first four games as a Bruin, Khusnutdinov now has one point in his last 10. Poitras had gone nine games without a point and 23 without a goal before being sent to Providence on March 7. Minten has zero points in his last 12 NHL games split between Toronto (10) and Boston (2).
All three have some promising attributes that absolutely could allow them to be impact players for the Bruins (Khusnutdinov’s speed and tenacity, Minten’s size and two-way smarts, Poitras’s poise and playmaking), but none of them are locked into top-nine roles for next season at this point.
On the fourth line, Mark Kastelic may very well be the only returning player next season. Johnny Beecher, Cole Koepke and Jakub Lauko are all up for new contracts, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the Bruins decide to move on from all three. Maybe they bring back one or two just to fill out the bottom of the roster.
So, add it all up: How many forwards are actually locks to be in the Bruins’ opening night lineup next season? Assuming they re-sign Geekie, six? That’s half a forward group. Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm will be back to help the defense, but that other half of the forward group needs to be filled in via free agency, trades or prospects. They need at least one legitimate top-six upgrade, and probably another two or three top-nine forwards on top of that. Oh, and if they can hit on a future No. 1 center with their first-round pick, that would be nice, too.
No pressure.