With time winding down until the Boston Bruins open the 2023-24 season, their roster is taking shape after undergoing many changes over the summer. As part of looking ahead to the coming NHL season, we’ll look at the Bruins’ roster and see what we can expect from them during the upcoming campaign.
Today, we look at Bruins’ defenseman, Matt Grzelcyk, and what kind of season we can expect from him despite an offseason in which his name has been mentioned as a potential trade chip for general manager Don Sweeney.
Matt Grzelcyk’s Growth Into the Top-Four
The hometown kid from Charlestown, Massachusetts, was drafted by the Bruins in the third round, 85th overall at the 2012 Entry Draft. Following his time at Boston University (BU), the smooth-skating, puck-moving defender has transitioned nicely into the Bruins lineup. Through seven seasons he has played 382 games picking up 23 goals and 101 assists for 124 points.
During his time at BU, he played alongside Charlie McAvoy and the two have continued to play as a defensive pairing with the Bruins. His ability to make strong breakout passes to go along with his crafty footwork has allowed him to become a top-four blueliner at the NHL level.
Last season, Grzelcyk, like much of the clubs’ roster, posted career-high numbers. He scored four goals and added 22 assists for 26 points while also finishing with a plus/minus rating of plus-46.
Grzelcyk’s Projections for the 2023-24 Season
The Bruins certainly are interested in adding a top-six center to their forward group following the retirement of both Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. With Grzelcyk in the final year of his contract, his name is sure to remain in the rumor mill should they attempt to acquire a replacement center.
However, Sweeney has previously stated that he has no plans of trading Grzelcyk and that the rumors were created solely by the media. “I didn’t start any rumors. So, you want to ask me where they came from?” Sweeney replied. “You want to look in the mirror? Maybe you guys started them, you know, is it hypothetical that they’re having conversations about players, our lineup? No. It’s a fact, and there’s no question that I’m never going to discuss whether or not a team has called me. That’s just the job. It doesn’t matter who it is. That’s disrespectful to a player, from my point of view, being a former player.”
Keeping the smooth-skating defender is a great option for the Bruins, as he continues to excel in all areas of the game. He will continue to form a strong pairing playing alongside McAvoy, coincidentally his best friend off the ice as well.
When projecting his offensive numbers, it’s reasonable to believe that Grzelcyk will surpass the career highs he set last season. However, when factoring in the Bruins’ high goal scoring during their historic campaign, an overall drop in goals-for will likely lead to a regression in secondary assists for Grzelcyk.
The Bruins will likely regress as a group in the coming season, after setting the bar at nearly unreachable heights in 2022-23. However, Grzelcyk’s consistent improvement from the back end throughout the course of his career will continue. Like many players who are in their contract year, look for him to put together a strong performance this season. Somewhere around seven goals and 24 assists is realistic given his career trends. Don’t be surprised to see him hit the 30-point mark for the first time all while continuing to help drive the Bruins’ offense with his speed and passing abilities breaking out of their own zone.
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