Bruins have constructed tall, heavy roster with eye towards playoff success

Bruins have built tall, heavy roster with eye toward playoff success initially appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins have been, for a lot of their 100-year historical past, often known as a giant and hard group that is not afraid to throw its weight round everywhere in the ice. The Stanley Cup-winning groups of the Nineteen Seventies with Bobby Orr and Co. and the Ray Bourque/Cam Neely-led groups within the Nineteen Eighties epitomized the franchise’s “Large Dangerous Bruins” mantra.

As we speak’s NHL is extra targeted on talent and velocity in comparison with these earlier many years. However even when measurement and energy aren’t the No. 1 aims when constructing a roster, these attributes stay essential, particularly within the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Bruins have lost to a tougher, more physical team in the Florida Panthers every of the final two playoff runs. The Panthers play a fierce model of hockey and infrequently grind their strategy to hard-fought victories. Generally they go over the line, however they’re very exhausting to play towards, and that is earlier than you issue within the unimaginable quantity of offensive talent Florida has on its roster.

Bruins common supervisor Don Sweeney and his workers went into the offseason and made the roster taller, heavier and meaner. In consequence, the Bruins needs to be a harder group to play towards. On this means, and others, the roster is best suited to the bodily challenges of the postseason than among the earlier iterations.

How do you measure measurement and physicality? How does Boston stack as much as the remainder of the league? Effectively, take into account this: As of Oct. 4, the Bruins are the NHL’s second-tallest group in addition to the heaviest group, per Elite Prospects.

The Bruins’ common top is 189.17 centimeters (6-foot-2), which is simply 0.1 centimeters shorter than the Vegas Golden Knights. Boston is the heaviest group with a mean weight of 209 kilos, two kilos forward of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Bruins, Golden Knights and New York Islanders are the one three groups within the high 5 of each common top and weight.

“I feel that’s one thing (that) stood out to me after I received traded right here, how large and heavy everyone is. I fall into that class. It’s undoubtedly completely different not being one of many greatest guys round. I really feel fairly common right here,” newcomer Mark Kastelic instructed the media, including MassLive, after a captain’s follow on Sept. 5.

“That’s the model of hockey that everyone needs to play right here this 12 months, to be large and heavy. I feel everybody’s excited for what we’ve within the room.”

The underside-six forwards, specifically, are large. This group, which incorporates Kastelic, might wreak havoc on the forecheck, in entrance of the web, alongside the boards and the entire different robust areas of the ice.

Here is a have a look at among the seemingly bottom-six forwards to start the season:

• Trent Frederic: 6-foot-3, 220 kilos

• Justin Brazeau: 6-foot-5, 220 kilos

• Mark Kastelic: 6-foot-4, 226 kilos

• John Beecher: 6-foot-3, 216 kilos

• Max Jones: 6-foot-3, 216 kilos

The blue line is one other space with loads of measurement. No participant is listed beneath 6-foot-1 and solely Parker Wotherspoon weighs lower than 200 kilos. 5 of the seven gamers stand at 6-foot-3 or taller.

• Charlie McAvoy: 6-foot-1, 209 kilos

• Nikita Zadorov: 6-foot-6, 248 kilos

• Brandon Carlo: 6-foot-5, 217 kilos

• Hampus Lindholm: 6-foot-4, 224 kilos

• Mason Lohrei: 6-foot-5, 211 kilos

• Andrew Peeke: 6-foot-3, 214 kilos

• Parker Wotherspoon: 6-foot-1, 195 kilos

“Our again finish is large, they usually’ve received some beef to them, which I feel bodes properly within the playoffs,” Bruins president Cam Neely mentioned at a press convention Monday. “I imply, you bought to get to the playoffs, however I feel we’re constructed somewhat bit stronger for the playoffs.”

The addition of Nikita Zadorov in free company provides loads of physicality to this blue line. The Russian defenseman is an imposing determine on the ice and is not afraid to throw his weight round in entrance of the web. He dishes out big hits and can throw his physique in entrance of pictures to forestall pucks from attending to the web. He thrives on chaos within the defensive zone. There will probably be loads of video games the place Zadorov units a bodily tone for all the group.

“He is large. He is imply. He is offended. He has talent. He has all of the issues I feel you want,” Charlie McAvoy told reporters after an early-September captain’s practice when requested about Zadorov. “You need to know when he is on the ice. I feel that is somebody you actually wish to have in your group.”

This blue line is not simply large and bodily. There’s loads of talent on this group, and all of them can skate. That final half is a should in as we speak’s NHL.

“I feel any time you may have a protection that is large but additionally can skate — I feel that is our greatest energy. We’ve got guys that may actually transfer on the market,” Hampus Lindholm told reporters on Sept. 24.

“I feel if you wish to be good on this league as a d-man, you must be cellular and good in your skates. Fortunately, we’ve loads of energy on our defensive corps proper now.”

The Bruins ought to have loads of toughness this season. They’ve numerous gamers who can combat, dish out large hits, block pictures, kill penalties and clear visitors from the entrance of the web.

The actual query is whether or not this group has sufficient offensive firepower to make a deep postseason run. The Bruins completed thirteenth in targets scored final season, however that scoring was absent at occasions through the playoffs. For instance, the B’s scored two or fewer targets in every of the final 5 video games of their second-round sequence versus the Panthers.

If the Bruins can mix extra constant scoring with their elevated toughness, they are going to be a really formidable group within the playoffs with an actual likelihood to succeed in the Stanley Cup Ultimate.