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Title - Andrew Peterkin, The Spoked B
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Bruins looking to solidify the third line
By Andrew Peterkin
HometownHockey.ca

Bruins looking to solidify the third line
As NHL teams are quickly closing in on training camp to begin the 2013/14 campaign, the majority of teams have more than a few question marks in regards to the lineup that they will introduce their fans to but not the Boston Bruins. There is however a glaring question mark that will be answered in the next month or so, and that is who will be playing on the third line?
PHOTO CREDIT - NHL.com

Halifax - August 30, 2013 - As NHL teams are quickly closing in on training camp to begin the 2013/14 campaign, the majority of teams have more than a few question marks in regards to the lineup that they will introduce their fans to but not the Boston Bruins.

The Bruins once again will have the majority of their roster from their 2012/13 Cup final run returning with their jobs secure. There is however a glaring question mark that will be answered in the next month or so, and that is who will be playing on the third line? Hardly sounds like a huge problem for a team to have but when that team happens to be one who`s game plan/strategy is to roll four balanced lines, all who can do some damage in the offensive zone while adhering to Claude Julien`s insistence on strong defensive play it is a problem if one of those lines is not running on all cylinders.

The Bruins third lines had been an essential and difficult weapon for opponents to both score against and stop in recent years with solid production from the likes of Rich Peverley, Chris Kelly, Benoit Pouliot and Michael Ryder. Having a 3rd line who can hurt you offensively is a rarity that only a handful of teams in the league have, and those who have it, are often teams who taste long post seasons. In the past three seasons, we have watched the Hawks, the Kings and the Bruins on two occasions in the past three years able to ice a third line in any situation. Yet something was different in Boston last year.

Chris Kelly and Rich Peverley just couldn`t get it going offensively, and defensively, the duo struggled as well. Then there was the Chris Bourque experiment, a very solid point producer at the AHL level who just hasn`t been able to have that productivity transfer to the NHL game and last year was no different. His skill set was/is solid, his work ethic hardly an issue, but he just couldn`t win those board battles, whether they be in the defensive or offensive zone. Ryder and Pouliot, the two previous wingers to complete the third line trio, while having warts to their games, were very consistent when it came to winning the small battles. The Bruins also used Jay Pandalfo, who`s pro career began in Albany in 1995 with the River Rats and who`s best days are long behind him. Again, great work ethic, great hustle, just not a great fit for this team at this time.

With Peverley and Kelly struggling, and the last piece of the third line missing, one of the strengths of previous Bruin teams was now a weakness. With the top two lines rarely producing at the same time, opponents had a rather easy time focusing their attentions on whichever line was producing, not having to worry too much about the third line as they had to in the past.

The five candidates that many are saying will battle it out for one of the rare spots on this roster will be Jordan Caron, Ryan Spooner, Jared Knight or quite possibly one of Matt Fraser or Reilly Smith who arrived from Dallas in the offseason move that saw Tyler Seguin and Rich Peverley shift to the Western Conference. This could be Caron`s last shot with the big club, the former late first round pick has now played in 88 NHL games and while putting up a modest point total (25), when given the chance he has been a reasonably dependable player who won`t hurt the team defensively but hardly produces much in the way of offensive spark. Claude Julien hasn`t hesitated to use Caron in various defensive situations when he has played with the big club, but with competition heating up with internal additions/prospects, Caron must seize this opportunity by leaving little question in the minds of the coaching staff that he can stick with the big club for the full year. Otherwise, he may be moved, the return won`t be significant but Caron can be a useful player to an organization if not Boston.

Ryan Spooner, a skilled and quick natural centerman who had a solid first year in the AHL could also compete for that spot but his size is questionable for a spot along the wall and his vision is best served playing in his natural position of center.

Jared Knight, another piece of that Kessel trade from what seemed a decade ago, made last season his first as an AHL full timer however; injuries put a damper on any ability to establish himself. Said to be a bulldog of a player who`ll not require any urging from coaches or teammates to work harder could be a great addition but one would think a touch more seasoning, and staying healthy with Providence might serve Knight best.

Finally two relatively unknowns for this amateur wannabe interwebz scribe, Reilly Smith and Matt Fraser, two of the four pieces acquired from Dallas, both with limited NHL time under their belts, and both with limited offensive output thus far in the NHL. Smith is a right winger who put up 35pts in 45 AHL contests last year with another 9pts in 37 games with the big club in Dallas. Fraser played in a dozen games with the Stars last year posting 3pts but his career stats with the Stars farm team, 90-31-121 in 135 games indicates the skill/finish is there; maybe a bit more seasoning or a change of systems was needed.

Any way you look at it, there are options this season which appear to be more encouraging than last year where a career AHL player and a well past his prime veteran were asked to fill a role which had been filled previously with players who found a way to produce some points for the Bruins. With Carl Soderberg having the opportunity to begin camp with the Bruins, Chris Kelly looking to build off a strong Cup final, if a complimentary third piece is added to that line, making it, once again a line to be aware of, this team will be difficult to contain. Let`s also not forget about the option to place Dan Paille on that third line as well, Paille never played so well as he did once he was promoted to the third line in the playoffs but…..that comes with a price, the Merlot line has long been viewed as one of, if not the premier fourth lines in the NHL and Paille is a huge reason for that.

Follow Me on TwitterAndrew Peterkin is a lifetime Bruin fan for better or worse. He has suffered through the lean years, and has thoroughly enjoyed their latest successes. He lives in Brad Marchand territory in Halifax and will be offering his views on all things Bruins both positive and otherwise. He is currently studying HR Management at SMU with absolutely no clue what he is going to be when he grows up. If you have questions or wish to contact the Andrew, you can email him at apeterkin@ourhometown.ca








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