After a lot of speculation, the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci became a reality this offseason for the Boston Bruins. Along with multiple free agents leaving, the 2023-24 Bruins are going to look a lot different than the one that skated off the TD Garden ice following the stunning first-round playoff loss at the hands of the Florida Panthers last April.
A new-look roster with a new core looking to embark on an 82-game grind begins in mid-September when training camp begins at Warriors Ice Arena. When the Black and Gold finally begin getting ready for the upcoming season, here are three burning questions they will be facing.
Are Pavel Zacha & Charlie Coyle Ready to Be Top-Six Centers?
Unless general manager (GM) Don Sweeney pulls off a last-minute trade before camp, second-year coach Jim Montgomery will be entering the season with Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle as his two top centers. They will have the task of following in Bergeron and Krejci’s footsteps, something that will not be easy.
Montgomery can go different ways in putting together his new top-six, but all eyes will be on Zacha and Coyle to see if they are capable of being what the organization hopes they can be. Coyle was given the second-line center spot in 2021-22 when Krjeci decided to return to his home country of Czechia to continue his career. Things did not go as planned and Coyle appeared to be in over his head in the top six and was moved down to the third line by former coach Bruce Cassidy on Jan. 1, 2022, and he played better there in what could be considered his natural spot in the lineup.
Last season when Krejci returned, he stayed centering the third line, and in the playoffs, he played well in the top-six when both Bergeron and Krejci were out injured, showing that he might be capable of handling the load in the top-six. Zacha, on the other hand, will enter camp coming off of a career season in his first season with Boston and he had a good series against the Panthers playing at center in Bergeron and Krejci’s absence. The question now is, can he handle that load over a full season? It would be in Montgomery’s best interest to keep David Pastrnak on his right side after they formed a very good connection last season. If either one can’t handle it, look for Morgan Geekie, signed as a free agent on July 1, to get a shot. Whether or not Zacha and Coyle can replace the two future Hall of Famers could determine if the Bruins get back to the postseason or miss it.
Can Trent Frederic Continue His Offensive Improvement?
It felt like entering the final season of his contract in 2022-23, it was going to be a make-or-break year for Trent Frederic. Unable to find consistency in his previous seasons under Cassidy, was Montgomery going to be the coach to help the 29th overall pick in the 2016 Entry Draft find his game? For one season, the answer was yes.
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Playing on his off-wing on the right for another season with Coyle and Taylor Hall, Frederic had a career season with 17 goals, 14 assists, and 31 points in a career-high 79 games. It was more than just the numbers that stuck out with his season. He took fewer penalties, played confidently, and didn’t get caught up in many of the silly parts of the game. He scored most of his goals getting to the front of the net. Now the question heading into this season, can he come close to repeating his numbers or was it just a one-year wonder season?
Frederic had his contract situation settled on a two-year contract avoiding arbitration with an average annual value (AAV) of $2.3 million. For the first time during his short tenure in Boston, he will enter training camp with an opportunity to win a spot at his natural position at center. In recent seasons, those spots had been blocked with veteran free-agent signings by Sweeney, but he will have a chance to impress and win a spot up the middle.
What Version of Jake DeBrusk Returns for 2023-24?
It’s no secret that Jake DeBrusk played some of the best hockey of his career last season. He finished with 27, which tied his career-high from 2018-19 and he most likely would have set a new career-high if not for an injury in the Winter Classic at Fenway Park on Jan. 2 against the Pittsburgh Penguins that cost him six weeks.
Over the last year and a half, he has thrived on the first line with Brad Marchand and Bergeron, but now with his center gone, how does he play with a new center, regardless of who it is? Zacha, Coyle, Frederic, Morgan Geekie, or Patrick Brown, how does the 14th overall pick in the 2015 Draft play is going to be a storyline and question? He rescinded his trade request and now enters the second and final season of his contract that carries a $4 million AAV. Like Frederic, he has been playing on his off-wing and will most likely need to do it again this season. If Boston is going to have success this season, coming very close to matching his high career-high in goals or passing it will be necessary.
Overall, there are plenty of questions facing the Black and Gold. They lost several key pieces and the rest of the Eastern Conference got better. The Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators both missed the postseason last season and will be better and challenge the rest of the Atlantic Division. Aside from the Toronto Maple Leafs, there are plenty of questions and not a lot of answers in the division, including the Bruins. The answers to these three questions could very well end up being the difference between Boston making the playoffs or watching from home.
