With the NHL season paused, Bruce Cassidy has had some time to take an extended look at some of the organization’s top prospects.
One specifically who seems to have caught the eye of the Boston Bruins head coach is center Jack Studnicka.
Studnicka played two games with Boston in November while Bruins first-line center Patrice Bergeron was out. The 2017 second-round pick returned to Providence at the start of December and had been enjoying a promising AHL season (49 points in 60 games) before the COVID-19 crisis hit.
The good news for Studnicka, however? He was still able to attract Cassidy’s attention.
“How he scores goals is interesting,” Cassidy said, per The Athletic’s Joe McDonald. “He gets inside and works to the good ice a lot, which is important in the NHL. It’s hard to be a perimeter player and have success. That was one thing I noticed about him.
“He’s a very aggressive guy on the puck, and for a centerman that’s unique because usually you want your wingers in there on puck pursuit more than a centerman because he has a long way to go.”
Of course, Studnicka is in a bit of a jam with the center position. Bergeron, David Krejci and Charlie Coyle currently are Boston’s top three centers, and are well-established in their roles.
Considering his talent, however, it certainly wouldn’t be surprising to see Studnicka get another run in Boston soon.
