The Boston Bruins have clinched everything they needed to clinch in 2022-23. They clinched the Atlantic Division and won the Presidents’ Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs as far as they go. The only thing they have left in their final seven games is getting through that stretch healthy as they can before the postseason.
As the Bruins begin the march toward 16 wins and the Stanley Cup, a lot of the lineup is set in stone, however, the work done by general manager (GM) Don Sweeney at the trade deadline has given coach Jim Montgomery plenty of options to mix and match, especially with his bottom six and on defense. Right now, Taylor Hall, Nick Foligno, and Derek Forbort are all out injured, but in the case of Hall and Foligno, they have been practicing recently in red non-contact jerseys, which is a good sign.
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Despite the status of those three, you will likely see Hall and maybe even Foligno when the playoffs begin. With over two weeks away and let’s take a look at what the lineup should look like when the Bruins begin the playoffs against either the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, or Florida Panthers.
First Line: Brad Marchand/Patrice Bergeron/Jake DeBrusk
Since former coach Bruce Cassidy put this trio together in February of 2022, things have taken off when they are on the ice together. Jake DeBrusk has played some of the best hockey of his career on the right wing and this season he was on pace to set a new career-high in goals until an injury at the Winter Classic in January at Fenway Park against the Penguins cost him a month and a half of the season. He still has 24 goals and is playing with his new-found confidence.
Patrice Bergeron is still playing at a Selke Trophy-winning level and has 27 goals, while Brad Marchand is still an elite left wing, but his goal numbers are down with just 20 as he missed the first three weeks of the season recovering from offseason surgery. Bergeron and Marchand both missed the 4-3 shootout win over the Carolina Hurricanes on March 26 and more rest should be in the cards for both players over the next two weeks.
Second Line: Pavel Zacha/David Krejci/David Pastrnak
When the Bruins traded for Pavel Zacha in July and David Krejci signed to return in August, it was thought that they could put them…
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