The Bruins are prioritizing rest over seeding.
While Boston has a chance to potentially move up to third place in the Atlantic Division, Bruce Cassidy confirmed before Friday night's game in Toronto that the team is sticking to its plan to rest many of their regulars and not have them play the second night of a season-ending back-to-back.
The following Bruins will not be playing Friday: Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, Taylor Hall, Erik Haula, David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, and Matt Grzelcyk.
These eight players will take their spots in the lineup: Marc McLaughlin, Anton Blidh, Jack Studnicka, Oskar Steen, Chris Wagner, Mike Reilly, Josh Brown, and Jack Ahcan.
Jeremy Swayman will start in goal, with Linus Ullmark -- who earned his first shutout of the season Thursday night -- backing up.
A couple notes: With Hall sitting, Charlie Coyle will be the only Bruin to play all 82 games this season. Hall had played the first 81. Also, this will be Wagner's first game with Boston this season. That's a nice thing to see for a veteran who was always a great teammate, and by all accounts has continued to be that in Providence this season.
Cassidy did not reveal exactly what the Bruins' lines and pairings would be.
The Bruins can pass the Lightning for third in the division if they earn one more point than Tampa Bay on Friday. That would mean Boston faces the Maple Leafs in the first round. Any other result keeps the Bruins as the first wild card team and pits them against the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round. The Lightning are playing the Islanders on Long Island Friday.
The Leafs are also sitting some players Friday night, as Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and goalie Jack Campbell will all be rested. Toronto is locked into second place in the Atlantic Division.
