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Here’s a problem Claude Julien and the Boston Bruins are welcoming before their 78th game of the most turbulent regular-season under Julien’s eight-year watch behind the Boston bench: the Bruins have a number of increasingly healthier bodies up front and only 12 forward spots to hand out.
You can add the 22-year-old Brett Connolly (broken finger), who has yet to play a game for the Bruins since being acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning back on Mar. 2, to that list. Connolly, the former sixth-overall pick in the 2010 NHL Draft, has 12 goals and 15 points in 50 games this season, and has been a full participant in the B’s practice and morning skates of late, including today’s.
When asked about Connolly’s status for tonight’s crucial tilt against the Detroit Red Wings at the Joe Louis Arena, Julien left it at a simple, “We’ll see.… In practice, Connolly’s skated in a burgundy-colored jersey on the fourth line, and has skated in drills as a power-play specialist of sorts, so his role is relatively -- strike that, completely -- unknown. But the Bruins need to find a way to get the 6-foot-2 winger into the mix with meaningful minutes before the start of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and this, with the B’s just two points away from the Wings, would be the perfect spot to start.
With three wins in a row under their belt, and with Detroit sliding, the Black and Gold have put themselves back in slight contention for that third-place spot in the Atlantic Division. And given Detroit’s situation, this one counts for more than just the B’s, which could be a rarity from here on out given the Bruins’ remaining opponents (the Maple Leafs, Capitals, Panthers, and Tampa Bay Lightning).
But if Connolly returns, somebody has to sit. And that opens up a whole new can of worms.
Logically speaking, a member of the B’s fourth line or maybe Reilly Smith (although he’s played better of late) would be the candidate to join Danny Paille as a healthy scratch, but it just never seems to be that simple of a decision for Julien’s squad. Although he’s mired in his worst season as a Bruin, Julien loves what Gregory Campbell brings to the club, and scratching him gives Julien one fewer veteran option and one less penalty-killing forward. Max Talbot could be another guy that the B’s opt to scratch, but again, he’s a veteran penalty killer.
Connolly’s insertion wouldn’t and won’t be the only change that Julien makes tonight.
Boston forward David Krejci, who has played right-wing since returning to the lineup four games ago, returned to center at Wednesday’s practice, centering the Bruins’ third line with Carl Soderberg switching to right-wing and Loui Eriksson on the left side.
This will be the final regular season head-to-head between the Bruins and Wings this season, with the Black and Gold winning three of four contests, outscoring Detroit 14-to-9.
Expect the Bruins to give the start to Tuukka Rask. The 28-year-old Rask rolls into Detroit with wins in three straight, allowing just three goals on 69 shots against (a .957 save percentage), and stopped 22-of-24 shots in a 3-2 win over Florida on Tuesday night. Rask has just three wins and a .884 save percentage in nine career games against the Red Wings.
Detroit counters with Petr Mrazek. In what will be his fifth-straight start for the Wings, the 23-year-old Mrazek enters play with 15 wins (two shutouts) and a .915 save percentage in 23 starts this season. Mrazek took a hard-luck loss in his last go ‘round despite a 33-of-34 showing in a shootout loss to Ottawa on Tuesday night, and has yet to play the B’s in his NHL career.
Other news and notes
Defenseman Dougie Hamilton remains out of action with an undisclosed injury. Here’s some weird stuff surrounding his injury though: Although it’s believed that Hamilton’s ailing from some sort of a shoulder injury, Boston Celtics power forward Kelly Olynyk said yesterday that Hamilton’s actually suffering from broken ribs. Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli noted that the report was not entirely accurate, and said that they hope to get Hamilton back in the lineup before the end of the regular season. Pretty bad day if Celtics players are beating reporters to injury scoops…
Staying on the blue line, B’s puck-mover Torey Krug is feeling under the weather. Just in case, the B’s have recalled Joe Morrow from Providence on an emergency basis.
In case you missed it, the Boston Chapter of the Pro Hockey Writers Association named Patrice Bergeron as the Bruins’ nominee for the 2015 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. For what it’s worth, I gave my first-place vote to Loui Eriksson. I thought that Eriksson rebounded well from a 2013-14 season headlined by two major head injuries, and that he dealt with numerous trade rumors and third-line minutes (despite being a top-six forward) like a true professional.
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