Third-line spot still unsolved
Hole at center, other notes following Western journey
VANCOUVER — The Bruins headed east yesterday morning, with one more stop in Ottawa for a game tomorrow night against the surprisingly tough Senators, before the B’s are allowed to limp home. They are currently 0-1-2 on this four-game road trip, making them 4-2-2 on the season.
Before the B’s get back to practice today, here are some leftover notes, quotes and thoughts from an less-than-fulfilling western swing.
• Now may not be the time for general manager Don Sweeney to make a splash deal, especially with the troubling uncertainty surrounding Charlie McAvoy and David Backes.
McAvoy, who underwent a heart procedure last season, returned to Boston to be checked out by doctors after reporting he wasn’t feeling well. It could be related to a hit he took over a week ago, said coach Bruce Cassidy, but there was no official diagnosis.
Backes, who has a long history of concussions, was a late scratch on Saturday after taking a high hit on Thursday in Edmonton. Hopefully, both return soon. But it’s becoming clear that the B’s biggest need — third-line center — is not on the current roster. The question now is whether the answer can be found within the organization. Trent Frederic and Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, two pivots that got long looks in training camp, have not been good enough in Providence to demand a call-up, though Frederic did pop in a couple of goals Saturday night. Colby Cave has five goals and two assists in six games and may deserve a look, but he seems more suited to a fourth-line role at the NHL level.
There is lots to like about Sean Kuraly, who is centering the de facto third line while the B’s try to figure things out. He skates hard, hits, draws penalties with his hustle and can play against top lines. But in a perfect Bruins world, he is the fourth-line center.
And then there’s 28-year-old Jan Kovar, the Czech-born former KHL center who had his contract terminated by the Islanders after not making that team and not reporting to the Isles’ AHL affiliate. He’s currently playing with Providence on a tryout agreement. He scored a goal in his P-Bruins’ debut on Saturday. He’ll revisit his options in a few weeks, and we’ll see if one of them is a contract with the big club.
No matter who fills the void, Riley Nash is proving to be tougher to replace than any of us thought.
• Cassidy tried the long-discussed option of dropping David Pastrnak to the David Krejci line in Saturday’s 2-1 overtime loss to the Canucks, but he used it more of a way to jump-start the lines than any long-term solution. The experiment lasted only a few shifts, but it is something he can turn to again.
While not advocating for one or another, Pastrnak feels he’s better equipped to handle playing with Krejci than in the past, when the duo were a trick-or-treat combo.
“I know (Krejci) so well, I know what to expect from him,” said Pastrnak, who had great success playing with Krejci in the World Championships last spring. “For me, I’m a way different player than I used to be when I used to play with him. I grew a little bit. It’s been a little while since we played together. At the Worlds, we knew we still got it.
“For me, it’s no difference,” he added. “He’s a righty, same as (Patrice Bergeron). He makes the same plays as Bergy. They’re both great players. For me, there’s not much to change.”
• Color me impressed with rookie Urho Vaakanainen. Working on an hour’s sleep and a couple of stolen naps on his journey from Boston to Vancouver on Saturday, Vaakanainen had a disastrous first shift that led to Brandon Sutter’s early goal. But he settled down nicely after that, making several deft plays with the puck in tight quarters. He’ll have to add a little muscle, but that should come with time for the 19-year-old.
• Saturday marked the first time since the season opener that Bergeron, Pastrnak and Brad Marchand were all kept off the scoresheet. You can credit old pal Loui Eriksson, who drew a checking assignment.
• Life without Torey Krug on the power play has not been great. Matt Grzelcyk has handled and distributed the puck well up top — a couple of netfront opportunities have gone for naught — but the B’s are missing Krug’s booming shot as an option.
• Ryan Donato might be better served by a month in Providence playing in all situations rather than seeing 7:30 a night with the big club, which he got in Vancouver.