The Boston Bruins will have an entirely new-look lineup in the 2023-24 season. It’s not that hyperbolic to say this is one of the most transformative and impactful offseasons the team has had in their 100-year history given the major turnover, including the departures of captain Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Taylor Hall, Nick Foligno, Connor Clifton, Tyler Bertuzzi, Garnet Hathaway and Dmitry Orlov.
The Bruins have done an admirable job at putting together a roster full of NHL-capable players who will ensure the team still competes next season before attempting a more impactful retool when the salary cap is more of a friend than a foe in 2024. Still, with the current personnel in place, determining the specific player assignments on the Bruins’ roster remains a challenging task. While there has been widespread discussion regarding the forward group, the attention given to the defensive pairings has been comparatively limited.
On one hand, the top four will still feature Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, Brandon Carlo, and Matt Grzelcyk, a formidable group that ranks among the NHL’s best top two pairings. It makes sense, then, that there wouldn’t be nearly as much discussion about the Bruins’ blue line. Nevertheless, there should be a distinct focus on the Bruins’ third defensive pairing.
Bruins’ Third Defensive Pairing an Open Competition
The departure of Connor Clifton to the Buffalo Sabres this offseason has left a significant void on the Boston Bruins’ blue line. Clifton, who signed a three-year, $10 million contract with the Sabres, was a key contributor to the Bruins’ defensive corps throughout the 2022-23 season and put up a career-high five goals, 18 assists, 23 points and 78 games during the Bruins’ historic regular season.
The Bruins responded by signing Kevin Shattenkirk to a one-year deal worth $1.05 million this offseason, making him a potential replacement for Clifton. The veteran defender would score four goals and 27 points in 75 games last season.
It should also be noted that Clifton started 53.2% of his shifts in the defensive zone, while Shattenkirk started 54.3% of his shifts in the defensive zone. Both players put up comparable enough stats to each other that this swap actually doesn’t feel like the worst proposition in the world. That said, this is also highly dependent on Shattenkirk, a 34-year-old defender, to not regress this coming season.
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Still, Shattenkirk had a very solid season with the Anaheim Ducks despite that seeming nearly impossible for any player last season. The Ducks were the NHL’s worst team and finished the season with just 23 wins and 58 points. For reference, the Bruins won their 23rd game last season on Dec. 13th, 2022. It may not be fair to directly compare the Bruins’ 2022-23 season against any team’s performance, but the Ducks were truly awful last season and Shattenkirk’s play despite this fact is actually intriguing.
This doesn’t mean that Shattenkirk is actually locked into a roster spot, however, as the Bruins do have other options who could make a push next season. Players like Jakub Zboril, Ian Mitchell, Reilly Walsh and Mason Lohrei must all be considered options heading into training camp.
Realistically, Lohrei would benefit from getting more time in the AHL next season before eventually making the jump, but his name is still in the conversation for the opening-night roster.
Zboril, when healthy, could be an everyday player for the Bruins. His versatility to play both sides is invaluable but consistency has always been a bit of a question mark for the 26-year-old blueliner. Walsh, who spent the entire 2023-23 season with the Utica Comets of the AHL, showed off his offensive prowess by registering nine goals and 41 points in 71 games. He’s proven to be a tremendously gifted scorer at the AHL level and if he can translate his game to the next level, he could be an interesting story this preseason.
Another player in the mix for the Bruins’ third pairing is Mitchell, who was part of the Hall trade to the Chicago Blackhawks. Mitchell, a second-round pick from 2017, actually has 82 games of NHL experience under his belt. He’d score one goal and eight points last season in Chicago while also recording two goals and six points in five AHL games with the Rockford IceHogs. The right-shot defender has shown a knack for scoring in the AHL in the past and will likely find himself in some game action in Boston this season in some way, shape or form.
One name who could add a little more familiarity to unit is Derek Forbort who has continually provided solid penalty killing for the Bruins in recent years. He’ll factor into the lineup for sure.
The Bruins have a bevy of options vying for spots on their third pairing and it’s unlikely that they’ll lock in this unit on the opening night of the season. A lot of tinkering is going to take place and that’s going to be part of the obstacles that head coach Jim Montgomery must overcome this season.