Figuring out how to maneuver Boston’s lineup after offseason personnel changes and injuries to key players will be one of the first tests new Bruins coach Jim Montgomery faces to start his tenure in Boston.
When he joined Gresh and Keefe on Tuesday for the 20th annual WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon, Montgomery revealed his early plans for how to configure Boston’s roster, in particular with the Bruins’ top-six forward group.
Montgomery said he intended on uniting Czech countrymen David Krejci and David Pastrnak, who recently played together for the Czech national team at the IIHF World Championships.
Jim Montgomery shares his plan for Bruins' top two lines
"If we’re having success, I'm not switching lines, but inevitably over 82 games things get stale and people are going to rotate," Montgomery said. "Pasta’s going to play with Bergy and he’s going to play with Krejci. Probably start the year with Krejci."
Montgomery plans to put Taylor Hall on their left, explaining that he liked the way Hall and Krejci played together during the 2020-21 season. Hall also played with Pastrnak throughout the second half of last season.
"Taylor Hall had such a great year when Krejci was his center," Montgomery said. "Krejci is a really dynamic centerman through the neutral zone, which allows Taylor Hall to get his feet going. It's going to allow him to put pucks to space to allow him to score off the rush. That's the way I see it initially."
In addition to deciding where to slot Krejci, Montgomery will also have to make changes to the Bruins' forward group to accommodate for the addition of Pavel Zacha, the departure of Erik Haula, and a hip injury to Brad Marchand that will sideline him likely for the first two months of the season.
For Montgomery, he said it makes sense to allow Zacha a chance to grow alongside Bergeron to begin his stint with the Bruins. He also plans to keep Jake DeBrusk with Bergeron after DeBrusk had a strong finish to last season playing on the top line.
"I think bringing in a really good player, Pavel Zacha, introducing him to the Bruins way, I think an opportunity to start camp with Patrice Bergeron and learning how to compete and how to play the right way," Montgomery said. "I mean, he does it already. That's why we went and got him. He’s a talented hockey player that’s produced at the NHL level. Now here's an opportunity to play with one of the best players in the league."
Based on Montgomery’s comments, here’s how he anticipates his top two lines will look to open training camp and preseason:
Pavel Zacha - Patrice Bergeron - Jake DeBrusk
Taylor Hall - David Krejci - David Pastrnak
However, Mongomery noted that the injury to Marchand could also open the door to the possibility of top prospect Fabian Lysell getting his first look at NHL action in one the Bruins’ top-six spots early in the season.
"If he has a great camp, he's going to get that opportunity," Montgomery said of Lysell. "That's the great thing about the injury to Marchy, is it opens up a door. He has to knock through that door. When that opportunity comes, earn your way into the NHL."
Montgomery said his decision will come down to which players he sees having the best chemistry on the ice, but that having such a deep roster allows him to be flexible with his top-six forwards.
"I think when you have two really good centers like Krejci and Bergeron, as a coach it gives you a lot of weapons to have and manipulate in your lineup to get matchups the way that you want to against other teams," Montgomery said.
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