Coach Dale Hunter will have second change, which should allow him to gain favorable matchups, particularly when it comes to getting Alex Ovechkin on the ice when Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg aren’t out there
In Boston, Chara and Seidenberg were paired together on defense, and coach Claude Julien did his best to make sure the two played whenever Ovechkin was on the ice for the Capitals. Now, he won’t have that luxury and Hunter may focus on playing Ovechkin during odd shifts to avoid the two Bruins defensemen.
One possible way coach Julien may attempt to combat this is by splitting up Chara and Seidenberg onto different defensive lines, pairing them with another defenseman — likely Johnny Boychuk or Andrew Ference.
Chara and Seidenberg were combined a force to be reckoned with during last year’s Cup run, but could be of better value separated so that at least one of them can keep a closer eye on Ovechkin. Or perhaps the pairing is greater than the sum of its parts.
Should Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg split up or remain on the same defensive pairing?
