Be sure to 'like' Hockeybuzz on Facebook!
The month of August has always been a dreadfully silent month in terms of hockey news. Like, to the point where I question what I’m even doing when I open my laptop in search of something new. (At one point, I swear to you that I saw a tumbleweed blow across the NHL.com homepage.) That’s why I’ve decided to try something semi-new, and make August a reader-request month of sorts. If it’s about the Bruins, hockey, or the NHL, and you wanna read it-- tweet it at me (@_TyAnderson), email me (ty.andersonHB@gmail.com), send a private message, or comment it in the boards of a blog.
Today’s blog comes courtesy of Twitter user @DavidManners, who asks for a line by line breakdown of the Boston Bruins projected forward lineup. Let’s break it down line by line, day by day.
@_TyAnderson How about a complete breakdown of all the possible line combinations? It's a complete puzzle for every single line.
— David Manners (@DavidManners) August 10, 2015Let’s begin this series with the line that I think is the easiest to form-- the fourth line.
Rewind back two years ago and the Black and Gold were simply beaming when it came to their fourth line, and often dubbed it the best fourth line in the National Hockey League. The trio -- Gregory Campbell, Danny Paille, and Shawn Thornton -- were a workman-mentality force in the B’s run to the 2011 Stanley Cup and gained instant notoriety for their endearing style. But as time went on, the line slowed down, and ultimately became a liability. Thornton was the first to go, ultimately landing in Florida last offseason. And now, both Campbell (Columbus) and Paille are gone.
The times.. they are a'changing. (Ron Burgundy never heard that song.) ((Sick topical joke, Ty.))
If there’s a lock for this line, for it be effective mind you, I think it begins in the middle with center Chris Kelly. On the heels of a seven-goal, 28-point campaign spent primarily on Boston’s third line with Carl Soderberg and Loui Eriksson, the 34-year-old should return to his natural center position, especially with the aforementioned offseason departure of the defensive-minded Campbell.
With just over half of his zone starts beginning in the defensive zone, No. 23 won nearly 49% of his faceoffs and put forth a truly gritty 2014-15 year, setting career highs in hits (126) and blocked shots (61) in 80 games. That’s a certain fit for a B’s fourth line that has a definitive physical edge to it.
Hey, about that edge…
It’s impossible to talk about the B’s offseason without mentioning their projected fourth-line energy forward, Zac Rinaldo. An absolute pain for any player he’s gone against in his short, controversial NHL career, the Hamilton, Ont. native comes to Boston after four years in Philly. And for Rinaldo, physicality is the name of the game. He once again led the Flyers in hits and penalty minutes, and comes to the Hub after a year in which he earned an eight-game ban for a nasty board on Pittsburgh’s Kris Letang. There are red flags with Rinaldo, and not even the biggest Bruin support can deny it, but if the Bruins can find the proper way to channel Rinaldo’s style, he could be an effective piece as a complementary, forechecking role. That’s a major if, of course.
Rinaldo will likely line up on the left wing opposite his old Flyer teammate, Max Talbot.
Acquired by the Bruins at the ‘15 Trade Deadline, Talbot, a highly regarded ‘locker room presence’, will look to build on a Bruins career that’s begun with three assists in 18 games for the Black and Gold.
There’s familiarity with one another for Talbot and Rinaldo, too, as the two played over 177 minutes together at 5-on-5 play for the Philadelphia Flyers in 2011-12, with the duo putting forth a 50.4% Corsi-For%, with seven goals for and six against. It’s a small sample, of course, but if those numbers hold, they could be an undeniable upgrade to what the B’s trotted out there last year. But that’s not really saying much.
When I think of this possible fourth line, I think of a truly grumpy unit. They'll hit everything that moves, play with an edge, and give teams fits along the walls. That is ultimately what the Bruins want out of this group. "Tougher to play against." I think they would be.
But this is not a grouping that’s set in stone, though, as the Bruins boast a deep pool full of competition.
At center, some expect big things from Finnish import Joonas Kemppainen.
Although an injury kept the 27-year-old centerman off the ice at this past July’s development camp, many in the B’s front office believe that the 6-foot-2 center could make an immediate NHL impact. Kemppainen is regarded as a center that does come with a solid two-way game in spite of his struggles when it comes to utilizing his size, and comes to North America after a career-high 32-point year with Karpat. Kemppainen turned heads at the World Championships, recording three goals and nine points in eight games played.
On the wings, you can expect both Brian Ferlin and Seth Griffith to make a strong impression and legitimate push for (what’s projected to be) Talbot’s spot on the right wing. Ferlin recorded one assist in seven games for the Big B’s last season, while Griffith scored six goals and 10 points in 30 contests for Boston last year (though he struggled to contribute in a reduced role).
Ferlin would fit under the B’s desire to be tougher along the boards, while Griffith would be an option that gives the B’s fourth line the speed and skill that many fourth lines now feature. But both would need a stronger camp to earn coach Claude Julien’s trust over a proven veteran like Talbot, I think.
Ty Anderson has been covering the Boston Bruins for HockeyBuzz.com since 2010, is a member of the Pro Hockey Writers Association's Boston Chapter, and can be contacted on Twitter, or emailed at Ty.AndersonHB[at]gmail.com