The Bruins' most likely opening night lineup has seemed pretty clear since training camp began.
The first line is the first line. Charlie Coyle would step in as the No. 2 center between Taylor Hall and Craig Smith once he was fully healthy. Jake DeBrusk-Erik Haula-Nick Foligno would be the new-look third line. And Trent Frederic, Tomas Nosek, Curtis Lazar and Chris Wagner would be the four guys battling for the three fourth-line spots.
The biggest wild card, however, has been Jack Studnicka. While it's always seemed like the most likely course of action would be for the 22-year-old center to start the season in Providence, he's been getting a real chance to force the Bruins' hand while filling in for Coyle on the second line throughout training camp and now two preseason games.
And he's doing a pretty good job of forcing. The Bruins may still end up sending Studnicka to Providence to start, but he has made sure it's not going to be an easy decision.
"I mean, that's my goal," Studnicka said of making the Bruins' decision a tough one. "At the end of the day, I'm not going to worry about that. I'm just going to play hockey and put my best foot forward. Obviously there's always room for improvement. But, up until this point, I'd say I'm satisfied with the majority of my hockey, and then there's so much room to grow no matter who you are. So, I'm always going to be looking to improve, but hopefully there's some conversations that are being had."
Studnicka has done just about everything the Bruins could have wanted, during both the offseason and now the preseason.
They wanted him to get stronger. He put on 15 pounds of good weight this offseason and now looks like a player who can better withstand NHL physicality, and even dish some of it out himself, as evidenced by an open-ice hit on Rangers forward William Cuylle Saturday night. It does not appear he lost any quickness, either.
They want to see him play the kind of defense the Bruins demand from their centers while also attacking aggressively in the offensive zone when he gets the chance. The defense has been there, with Studnicka frequently doing the work down low to help get the puck up to Hall and Smith in transition.
The attacking has mostly been there. He had a goal and an assist in an excellent preseason opener last weekend, a game in which Hall, Smith and the rest of the Bruins' big guns did not play.
Studnicka and the second line had a relatively quiet game Thursday night against the Flyers, but then they bounced back with a strong performance in Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Rangers, even though the top line sucked up all the goals.
Studnicka's four shots on goal were tied for the game high. He also rang a shot off the post in the second period. In the 12:25 that Studnicka, Hall and Smith were on the ice at five-on-five, the Bruins led the Rangers 15-6 in shot attempts, 10-5 in shots on goal, and 6-3 in scoring chances.
The shot off the post perfectly captured a shift in assertiveness from Studnicka just in one game. In the third period of Thursday's game, Studnicka took a pass from Smith in the slot and had a good opportunity to take the shot himself, but instead tried to dish a pass over to Hall that got broken up. The temptation to defer when Taylor Hall is your wing is understandable, but in this case it was the wrong play.
On Saturday's play, Studnicka carried into the zone and attacked. He once again had Hall available as an option, but the defense gave him enough space to take the shot himself. This time, he did, rifling the puck off the post. He just missed scoring his second goal of the preseason, but it was the right play, and a clear sign he had learned from two nights earlier.
Studnicka did register an assist Saturday, and it actually came off a defensive play rather than an offensive one -- his shot block on the penalty kill helped set up Brad Marchand's shorthanded goal.
"I'm trying to simplify, and then offensive production comes with that," Studnicka said. "That's the plan for me and then maybe try some more things that I think I can make happen out there. But for now, it's about building trust between me and [coach Bruce Cassidy]. So, just trying to play an honest game, a straight-line game, play good defense for the wingers I'm playing with, and when the opportunity arises try to make a play happen."
The numbers still seem to be stacked against Studnicka. Everyone he's battling against for a roster spot is on a one-way contract. Studnicka is still on a two-year deal and can be sent to the AHL without going through waivers.
Cassidy said Saturday night that he probably wouldn't use Studnicka on the fourth line, so that means he'd have to win a spot on the second or third line. Coyle, despite not yet playing in a preseason game, is still on track to be ready for the start of the regular season. Second-line center is still the most likely landing spot for him.
The third line of DeBrusk, Haula and Foligno has looked good this preseason, with the three showing some real chemistry that Cassidy and his staff will understandably be hesitant to disrupt.
Cassidy acknowledged the reality of the situation while also praising Studnicka and saying it'll be a difficult decision either way.
"We will have to look at that in a few days," Cassidy said. "It is going to be a numbers game as well. For him to go in the middle of the ice, he is going to have to outplay Bergy, Coyle or Haula or we've got to move somebody, so there's some difficult decisions to make.
"We just asked him to play to the best of his ability. He's playing with two good wingers that can score and create offense, so make sure you're the guy that's taking care of business away from the puck as well, and I like that part. He's been a more responsible player.
"Today he attacked a little more, shot the puck. He's starting to buy into that philosophy as well, so he's doing what's asked, which is a good thing, and we will sort through it at the end, but I don't want to say that he's ahead of someone or not, because we've got some veteran guys there."
