The Boston Bruins enjoyed a team-building trip to Vermont this weekend, but there was one notable difference from years past: the absence of defenseman Johnny Boychuk, who was traded to the New York Islanders on Saturday.
And while there’ll be a hole in the Bruins’ blue line without Boychuk, fellow D-man Torey Krug said the rest of the guys need to be wary of trying to fill that hole themselves.
“It’s very important that guys don’t try to do too much and try to take on an additional role that they probably they shouldn’t,” Krug said via a team press release. “Some guys are going to play a little bit more now, and I think everyone takes that challenge and runs with it. I think everyone’s excited with the opportunity to play, and we just have to make sure we stay focused, stay true to our identity, not only as individual players but as a D core in general.”
The B’s defense dealt with a similar predicament last season when veterans Dennis Seidenberg and Adam McQuaid both went down with injuries that sidelined them through the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs. Krug believes the Bruins can use that situation to their advantage.
“I think using that experience that we gained that time could definitely help us out moving forward.” Krug said. “Obviously, this is a permanent thing with Johnny being gone. We’ve got to take the same approach — it’s by committee.”
The Bruins’ blue line will get to put that approach to the test Wednesday, when they open the 2014-15 regular season against the Philadelphia Flyers at TD Garden.
Photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
