Bruins Will Depend On Young Talent During Four-Game Road Trip
Injuries have given young Bruins the chance to prove themselves
The Boston Bruins started a four-game road trip on Wednesday against the Anaheim Ducks. A third-period goal from Anaheim with less than five minutes to play gave the Ducks a 4-3 home win.
The Ducks have overachieved to start the season, posting a winning record off the back of some of the league’s best young talent. The Bruins are no different.
When it comes to NHL experience, Anaheim ranks sixth in the fewest combined games played. The Bruins are one behind them in seventh.
Even then, with injuries to impact players like Charlie McAvoy, Viktor Arvidsson, Elias Lindholm and more, Boston has had to depend on younger skaters to fill the lines.
“Every team goes through it, and unfortunately, it is us right now. When you talk to the players, they always want ice time, they always want playing time, they hate to be scratched,” first-year head coach Marco Sturm said. “Well, this is the opportunity, and that’s what they have to remember. This is their time to shine now.”
Matěj Blümel skated with the second line after recording just over 13 minutes of ice time in his NHL debut against the Carolina Hurricanes.
The 25-year-old Alex Steeves played the other wing on the line that was centered by veteran Pavel Zacha.
The defensive pairings were also mixed up in a move that Sturm hoped would send a message.
“We just want to try something different, you know; other guys have to step up. I think that’s the bottom line,” Strum said. “It can’t be (Nikita) Zadorov and (Hampus) Lindholm all the time. We need more guys to step up, and hopefully switching pairs and players, maybe it’s going to help us.”
To Sturm’s chagrin, it was Zadorov and Lindholm combining for three points. They were the only defenders to get in the point column, and the two played a team-high 26 shifts each.
