The Penguins were successful buyers at the deadline this year and the team they will face tonight also got into the buying act. The Boston Bruins will likely have to face the Toronto Maple Leafs in round one and then face the Tampa Bay Lightning in round two. They weren’t ignorant of this fact and went on a shopping spree. Some purchases were better than others.
Rick Nash is still a good player. He’s not upper echelon like he used to be, but he gives the Bruins more options up front and should mesh well in the Bruins top six. He didn’t waste any time as he scored twice in his Boston debut. One short term problem with the Nash trade for Boston is that Patrice Bergeron is now out for a couple of weeks with a foot fracture. Part of the deal that sent Nash to Boston was sending Ryan Spooner to New York. Spooner was a center and with Bergeron out they have a hole there now. Long term not an issue, but facing the Penguins three pronged attack it may be a liability this evening.
Boston also picked up Tommy Wingels, Nick Holden, and Brian Gionta. These are moves that didn’t need to be made. I hate to dog on a local player that has been a positive for my community, but Brian Gionta didn’t register a point in the Winter Olympics playing against competition that wasn’t NHL caliber. Not sure what he’s going to accomplish against Toronto and Tampa Bay. Wingels is similar in that he isn’t very effective. His 0.86 points per 60 and -5.92 relative possession rate in Chicago isn’t promising. Rumor has it the Bruins third line tonight will be called the 2013-14 line
Wingels-Backes-Gionta
At least Tom Kuhnhackl and Carter Rowney will have some company tonight.
Pittsburgh’s lineup should have the same personnel as last game. People (myself included) weren’t thrilled about Zach Aston-Reese being scratched last game. Well, come to find out it wasn’t a healthy scratch. He has a longer term lower body injury. I still think Dominik Simon should find his way into the lineup as one of the 12 best forwards on the team right now, but that isn’t likely to happen tonight.
Matt Gajtka of Pittsburgh Hockey Now spoke to Derick Brassard and the adjustments he was going to have to make playing for the Penguins
Go Go Go: Derick Brassard dished on feeling pressure and the Penguins go-for-it style.
— Pgh Hockey NOW (@pghhockeyNOW) March 1, 2018
Great read from @MattGajtka. https://t.co/OQNbxYzc8J pic.twitter.com/4yKAe9J0pT
“It’s gonna take a few games,… Brassard told reporters after his first full practice with the Penguins, Wednesday afternoon at the Lemieux Sports Complex. “I don’t put a timeline to it. Just looking forward to tomorrow and playing another game. Having practice with the guys helped make me feel more comfortable out there. We have to have a feel for each other. Eventually it’s gonna come.…
Hockey acumen is one of Brassard’s best traits as a player. The reason it will take a few games is because the Senators are coached by Guy Boucher who is famous for trapping. That isn’t what the Penguins do. It should be an easy transition for Brassard who will be able to use his hockey IQ to create time and space instead of having the game dumbed down to a static crawl. The Penguins are a way better match for his skillset than Ottawa was. The more games played the more you’ll see Brassard’s value to the team.
The Penguins are getting a break tonight with Bergeron out and the Bruins icing two fourth lines. They need to take advantage of this.
Thanks for reading!