The playoffs have finally arrived and the Boston Bruins will take on a familiar opponent in the Toronto Maple Leafs. When the series kicks off, the Bruins should shuffle up their lines and ensure that Johnny Beecher finds his way into Game 1.
Though the team seems pretty set with Jesper Boqvist playing center for them because of his ability to handle the puck, there’s still room for the team to get the most out of Beecher, a natural center, and his faceoff abilities.
When speaking on the two being in the lineup together in the past, head coach Jim Montgomery said, “We want [Boqvist] handling the puck, and when you’re a center you get the puck more. He’s been doing a great job, he’s confident with the puck.” As for Beecher’s contributions at the dot, though, the plan was simple and well executed. “We’re going to have Beecher take the draws because he’s so good at it. They lose a draw in-zone, Beecher is going to play center until we get out of the zone,” said Montgomery. “But when it goes 5-on-5, we want Boqvist playing center.”
Having versatility in the lineup isn’t a bad thing. If anything, it was one of the Bruins’ calling cards for years and could be a major factor in the postseason if executed correctly. This is especially true when factoring in Beecher’s style of play that’s conducive to creating energy and opportunities despite being presented with limited opportunities. The Bruins may not expect their fourth line to be a dominant scoring threat, but the unit does need to create an impact when they touch the ice; Beecher and Boqvist together help accomplish that goal.
Beecher Should Make an Impact for the Bruins
In his first NHL season, the 6-foot-3, 216-pound Beecher would score seven goals and 10 points in 52 games. It’s fair to have expected more out of the large center due to his first-round draft status from 2019, but his game never seemed like it was going to reflect that of an offensive juggernaut. Instead, he felt like a player who would make his team better when on the ice than when he was off of it; though he’s still learning, Beecher is exactly that when the gears are spinning. Consistency may be the No. 1 area in need of improvement for the 23-year-old, but when he puts it all together, he should be an NHL regular for a long time.
For the Bruins, the best time to give him his first taste of NHL Postseason action is in Game 1 against the rival Maple Leafs. Due to their familiarity with one another after multiple playoff matchups in recent years, the Bruins and Maple Leafs often find themselves in grueling, physical affairs that go the distance. Beecher fits the mold of a player who could excel in a series like this one if he can keep the same energy from shift to shift and game to game.
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With the Bruins closing out the season with two dud performances against the Washington Capitals and Ottawa Senators, energy and scoring will be needed now more than ever. Beecher’s seven goals in 52 games for the Bruins ranked 11th on the team and 10th among forwards even though he’d log just 10:37 of average ice time per game. Though Beecher’s average ice time makes sense for his role on the team, he’s certainly not a non-factor when it comes to putting the puck in the back of the net and should have more to give offensively when and if push comes to shove. If he can continue to provide depth scoring, win faceoffs and create opportunities and energy in his limited shifts, he could prove to be one of the lesser-discussed X-Factors for the Bruins in the postseason.