Boston Bruins head coach Marco Sturm sent a clear message to David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy ahead of their potential return to the lineup.
The Bruins are set to kick off a three-game road trip on Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild. Pastrnak and McAvoy are both traveling with the team and could return to the lineup soon.
If Pastrnak and McAvoy do return to the lineup on this road trip, Sturm said the two need to play well structure-wise as they have been away for some time.
“We just have to make sure nothing will change,” Sturm said on Monday. “I think we’ve been very, very good structure-wise for a bit and that’s going to be the biggest thing, the guys who are coming back, they have to find their way back in the lineup, playing the same way, just exactly the way they finished.
“I think that’s all. For us, we just want to make sure they’re going to be ready to go physically, mentally. We don’t want to rush things, but both look good right now and hopefully on the road at one point they can play.”
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Pastrnak last played on Nov. 26, while McAvoy has been out since Nov. 15. If both do return on this road trip, it will be a big boost to the Bruins’ lineup.
Despite being without Pastrnak and McAvoy, Boston is 17-13-0 and in third place in the Atlantic Division.
Boston is set to take on the Wild at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
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Featured image via Brad Penner/Imagn Images
