The Boston Bruins are closing in on the 2024 NHL All-Star Break and are still on top of the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference. Despite their position, things will get interesting following the break with the trade deadline looming on March 8 and a lot of questions remain as to what general manager (GM) Don Sweeney might do to improve his club.
With the All-Star Break approaching, let’s fire up the latest Bruins Buy or Sell, which is a column that takes a look at some storylines on and off the ice for Boston and buy or sell whether there’s a chance of things happening.
John Beecher
In the first half of the season, one of the Bruins’ better bottom-six forwards was John Beecher, centering the fourth line. He was one of Boston’s best penalty killers and faceoff men. He was sent down to the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League (AHL) when Boston got Derek Forbot and Brandon Carlo back into the lineup on Jan. 20.
Beecher scored in his first game in Providence, but sending him back to the AHL was a strange decision. When he was sent down, he was third on the team in hits, second on the team in faceoff percentage, and had five goals and seven points in 39 games. He was playing with confidence, but you have to wonder what being sent down will do to his confidence now.
Buy or Sell sending John Beecher to Providence was the right move?
Mason Lohrei
After watching Mason Lorhei, you can’t help but be excited for his future in Boston on defense. Has he made mistakes? Yes, however, he is a player who can bounce back from his mistakes, put it behind him, and play his next shift. You knew when Forbort and Carlo returned that someone was going to be the odd man out and it just happened to be Lohrei who was sent to Providence with Beecher. Like his teammate, it didn’t take long for him to make an impact by scoring a highlight reel overtime goal.
Despite the Bruins winning recently, their defense has shown some leaks. Matt Grzelcyk has struggled, as has Forbort at 5-on-5. He began the season in the AHL, but injuries have forced him to the NHL, and in 27 games he had three goals and six points. He has proven during his time in Boston this year that he’s ready and the case can be made that he should be up there on a full-time basis.
Buy or Sell the Bruins are making the right decision playing Mason Lohrei in the AHL?
Charlie Coyle
Since Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci retired last summer, Sweeney has not addressed the Bruins’ need for a top-line center. Instead, he’s gone in-house with Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha up there and it appears that Coyle is carving out the role with his play recently.
He has thrived lately and it makes you wonder what the front office is thinking come the trade deadline. Does Sweeney look to make a deadline splash with Elias Lindholm of the Calgary Flames or someone else? If he doesn’t that could be telling as he thinks the Black and Gold are set up in the middle with Coyle, Zacha, and whoever else is behind them. He could not make a deadline move and wait until free agency over the summer, but there’s no guarantee that the answer their looking for will be available.
Buy or Sell that Charlie Coyle is the Bruins’ No. 1 center this season and beyond?
That wraps up another edition of Bruins Buy or Sell as the All-Star Break nears. There are going to be a lot of decisions that have to be made and the case could be made that Beecher and Lohrei belong in the NHL full-time. It’s a tough situation for both young players, but they both have proven that they belong.
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