Bruins’ Charlie Coyle Looking To Make Most Of Top-Six Opportunity In Boston

In the playoffs last season, Charlie Coyle relinquished his normal third-line duty for the Boston Bruins and saw himself called upon to center the top line flanked by wingers Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk when Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci were both out of the lineup with injuries.

Now that both Bergeron and Krejci are retired, the Bruins have big skates to fill down the middle and Coyle is most likely one of the candidates to fill the 1C or 2 C role in their absence.

“I want to keep improving my game every year,” Coyle said. “That’s what you take the summer for … to put the work in and become better. That’s physically, mentally; everything. I want to be a better player and there’s job opportunities open in my position that I play. So, it’s a great challenge that I want to take advantage of.”

Coyle said that his role had been solidified as the third-line center for the previous five seasons he played with the Bruins, but playing with Marchand and DeBrusk, however brief it was, gives the Weymouth, Mass. native confidence.

“Taking on the other team’s first, second lines and seeing how I fare and that’s just a small sample size,” Coyle said. “It doesn’t really say much and it’s a new year. So, it’s a great opportunity and I just want to make the most of it. I have to prove myself and that’s something I really want to do. I got to prove it.”

Along with Bergeron and Krejci, Coyle mentioned the absences of Nick Foligno and Taylor Hall as well.

“We wish those guys were back, but in the end you get to turn the page and take advantage of what’s in front of you with a lot of guys who can step up and play certain roles,” Coyle said. “You can’t let the guys you lost, you can’t solely replace them. It takes everyone and everyone’s got to take a step here.

“… We can all bring a little more leadership from the leadership we lost and that goes with out play too. So, that’s something I’m kind of striving for. We know what we lost but we know what we have in here too and I think the team’s done a great job of putting together another team to make a difference out there and play winning hockey.”

The veteran center is entering his 12th NHL season, sixth with Boston, averaging 48% from the faceoff circle, which is down from Bergeron’s 58.9% and Krejci’s 50.8%, but had his best year when he averaged 52.6% over 82 games in the regular season.