Bruins Projected lineup for the upcoming season after Bergeron's retirement
Patrice Bergeron's retirement leaves a significant void in the Boston Bruins lineup, and the team will have to find new leaders on and off the ice when they hit the training camp on Sept. 20.
In response to Bergeron's departure, the Bruins made some notable moves during the offseason, signing veteran wingers Milan Lucic and James van Riemsdyk to one-year deals each, along with centers Morgan Geekie and Jesper Boqvist and winger Patrick Brown.
As we look ahead to the opening night lineup, it's likely that Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha will be called upon to center the top two lines.
They showcased their capabilities during the postseason series against the Florida Panthers when both Bergeron and David Krejci were unavailable.
An educated guess for the forward lines could be:
Brad Marchand Charlie Coyle Jake DeBrusk
James van Riemsdyk Pavel Zacha David Pastrnak
Milan Lucic Morgan Geekie Oskar Steen/Jakub Lauko
A.J. Greer Jesper Boqvist/Trent Frederic Patrick Brown/Jayson Megna
Must read on Bruins Insider
The bottom two lines present more uncertainty, with several players capable of playing both center and wing, providing coach Jim Montgomery with numerous options.
Prospects like Fabian Lysell, Georgii Merkulov, and Marc McLaughlin will battle for spots in the lineup during camp, which could lead to tough decisions for the Bruins management.
On the defensive end, most pairings are expected to remain the same, except for Connor Clifton's departure to the Buffalo Sabres and Kevin Shattenkirk joining the team. Mason Lohrei might challenge Jakub Zboril for a spot depending on his performance during camp.
Projected defensive pairings:
Matt Grzelcyk Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm Brandon Carlo
Derek Forbort/Jakub Zboril/Mason Lohrei Kevin Shattenkirk
Between the pipes, the Bruins will likely rely on Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman for the season, pending the outcome of Swayman's arbitration hearing on July 30.
