Given the fact Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy recently threw praise his way, it felt like Boston could have looked to Jack Studnicka to play a complementary forward role in the short term.
Studnicka, who had been centering the third line with Erik Haula and Nick Foligno, was assigned to Providence on Tuesday afternoon. With the move, the Bruins opted to call up right wing Jesper Froden and defenseman Jack Ahcan before leaving for their six-game road trip.
Studnicka's removal from the roster now eliminates an option that Cassidy could have gone with as top-line winger Brad Marchand returns from his six-game suspension.
With Marchand returning to the first line with Patrice Bergeron, there are a number of questions that need to be answered. Studnicka, it was thought, potentially could have slotted between Taylor Hall and David Pastrnak, but that, rather obviously, now is out the window. Haula now is the likeliest option to center Hall and Pastrnak.
Does Cassidy break up the Trent Frederic-Charlie Coyle-Craig Smith line? Boston's bench boss explained Monday how the grouping has been the best line over the last four games. Cassidy touted the trio as a "heavy line" that has meshed well with Frederic using his physicality to help create more chances for Coyle and Smith. The reality is, though, that if Cassidy does keep the three together, it further complicates the decision on who to play with Marchand and Bergeron.
The options -- again, with Studnicka's move having an impact -- are right wingers Foligno and Froden as well as left winger Jake DeBrusk. There's a case for Foligno as his veteran status and experience give him an edge. The offensive output, though, hasn't been overly productive with seven straight scoreless games. Foligno has one goal and six assists in 33 games this season.
Froden is a bit of an unknown, but given consideration because of how he has produced in Providence. Froden has racked up 12 goals and 15 assists in 37 games this season, including four points in his last two games. It might be more of a dart throw to pair Froden with Marchand and Bergeron, but it would allow the B's to see what the 27-year-old has to offer.
Finally, there's DeBrusk, who is the most skilled of the three, but would be playing on his weak side. The Boston forward, who has two goals in the last two games, has molded into the fourth line in short order, working well with Tomas Nosek and Curtis Lazar. That reason more than anything could make Cassidy question whether or not moving DeBrusk would be the best decision.
All told, there are plenty of questions and perhaps no solution that jumps off the page. But should Cassidy want to keep Frederic-Coyle-Smith together, and Bergeron-Marchand together and Hall-Pastrnak together, there are some spots that need to be addressed.
We'll get to see what the short-term fix is when the Bruins take on the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night at 10 p.m. ET on NESN.
