The Bruins have plenty of options to fill those holes thanks to the versatility of their returning forwards and the talent coming up in their system, but exactly who gets the call in those spots will be determined in camp. So how does Boston stack up on the right wing heading into the 2011-12 season?
Who's Back:
The Bruins have two spots set on the right side with Nathan Horton on the top line and Shawn Thornton on the fourth unit.
Horton is coming off a strong first season in Boston, having put up 26-27-53 totals in the regular season, followed by 8-9-17 totals in 21 playoff games. His postseason heroics included game-winning goals in two Game 7s — scoring in overtime to beat the Canadiens and midway through the third period in a 1-0 win over Tampa Bay in the conference final. Horton's season came to a premature end when he suffered a concussion on a brutal late hit by Vancouver defenseman Aaron Rome in Game 3 of the Final, but Horton stated this summer he was not experiencing any ongoing symptoms and expected to be fine for the start of camp.
Thornton is coming off a breakthrough year, posting career-high 10-10-20 totals while still performing his policeman's duties as the club's primary enforcer. Rich Peverley, who delivered a solid postseason of his own (12 points in 25 games) after coming over from Atlanta at the trade deadline, and Tyler Seguin are both natural centers, but are likely to fill the other right wing spots with Boston's depth in the middle. Seguin showed flashes as a rookie, particularly his six-point outburst in his first two playoff games against the Lightning, but will need to be more consistent this season, and he should get the opportunity with increased ice time and more chances on the power play.
Who's Gone:
The Bruins lost just four players from their postseason roster, but two of them came at this spot.
Second-line right wing Mark Recchi opted for retirement after winning his third Cup, while third-line right wing Michael Ryder cashed in as a free agent with a two-year, $7-million deal from Dallas.
Recchi will be missed both on and off the ice. He was still an effective player at 43, chipping in 48 points in the regular season and 14 more in the playoffs, but was even more valuable for his leadership and experience. That will be tough to replace, but Boston now has an entire room full of players who know what it takes to win a Cup, which should soften the blow of losing Recchi's guidance.
Ryder was inconsistent again in the regular season, finishing with just 18 goals and 41 points, but once again delivered when it mattered most with 8-9-17 totals in the playoffs — not to mention one memorable game-saving stop covering for Tim Thomas in goal against Montreal.
Who's New:
With the position pretty well set, the Bruins didn't make any major additions at right wing this offseason.
Veteran Chris Clark, a South Windsor, Conn., native, has been invited to camp on a tryout basis, but will face an uphill battle in earning a job in Boston with the Bruins' depth. The former Washington captain could be a valuable role player with his experience, but he's struggled to stay healthy, missing 151 games over the last four seasons, including 29 last year when he had 5-10-15 totals in 53 games with Columbus. Clark, 35, has played both wings, but the right-handed shot has primarily been a right winger over the course of his 11 seasons in the NHL.
Free-agent signing Benoit Pouliot could also vie for a spot on the right side, but he's been primarily a left wing with Minnesota and Montreal. The Bruins also signed minor leaguer Jamie Tardif, who should add some experience and grit in Providence.
In the System:
The Bruins should be capable of withstanding the losses of Recchi and Ryder not just because of the versatility of forwards like Peverley and Seguin, but also thanks to the youngsters in the organization ready to step up and challenge for spots with the big club.
The most talented may be 2010 second-round pick Jared Knight, who opened eyes in last year's camp and continued to impress in his junior campaign, posting 25-45-70 totals in 68 games with London (OHL). He added a 4-2-6 line in six playoff contests, then chipped in a pair of assists in three games with Providence at the end of the AHL season. He will have to go back to the OHL is he doesn't make the big team this season, but don't expect him to make that an easy decision for Peter Chiarelli and Claude Julien.
Jordan Caron, Boston's first-round pick in 2009, could also be ready for a full-time role in the NHL after holding his own with 3-4-7 totals in 23 games with the big club last year. He added 12-16-28 totals in 47 games in Providence before returning as a Black Ace for Boston's Cup run.
Jamie Arniel also saw some time in Boston and was with the club in the playoffs last year, and could see more action at either center or right wing this season. Tyler Randell is further away, but is eligible to go to Providence this year and will have a chance to continue developing as a tough guy (19 fighting majors last year with Kitchener) who can also play (20-12-32 totals in 68 games). Yannick Riendeau has been unable to replicate his prodigious junior scoring totals (126 points, plus 52 more in the playoffs in 2008-09) in the pro game. He had no points in just six games with Providence in his second professional season, spending most of last year in the ECHL with Reading (18-25-43 in 54 games).
The Bruins will have a reason to keep tabs on the Ivy League this winter, with Alexander Fallstrom heading into his junior season at Harvard after 7-5-12 totals in 22 games last year, while Brian Ferlin, who impressed at this summer's development camp, is bound for Cornell after the Jacksonville, Fla., native put up 25-48-73 totals in 55 games with Indiana in the USHL.
Roster Prediction:
This position could feature the most intense competition in camp with the departures of Recchi and Ryder creating a chance for some new faces to crack the lineup. Horton and Thornton should be set in their respective slots, and the Bruins could simply slide Peverley and Seguin over to the right side to round out the starting lineup. But youngsters Knight and Caron should at least make things interesting, and if he can show he's healthy, it's possible that Clark could earn a contract to stick around as well.
NESN.com Bruins beat writer Douglas Flynn will analyze a different position on the Bruins roster every day this week.
Thursday, Sept. 8: Left Wings
