Bruins roster breakdown: Ranking the Black and Gold in order of importance in 2018-19

The success of any hockey club is predicated more on the sum of its parts than individual play, but the Bruins have plenty of interesting cogs to mesh together ahead of the start of the 2018-19 season.

Boston’s roster may be split between an established veteran core and a wave of younger talent, but the Black and Gold might just have the right mix to orchestrate another run for the Stanley Cup this spring.

With the Bruins’ season opener against the Washington Capitals just hours away, let’s take a quick look at all of the players still listed on Boston’s roster and rank them in order of their importance to the team’s overall success in the new year — as well as how their stock can rise and fall during an 82-game season.

No. 24 - Steven Kampfer 

Key Stat: Tallied 12 points over 48 games during his first stint with the Boston Bruins in 2010-12.

Case For: Acquired from the Rangers in the deal that sent Adam McQuaid out of Boston, Kampfer figures to be a solid depth option for a Bruins’ blue line already dealing with injury.

Case Against: While Boston is without Torey Krug to open the season, Kampfer is a right shot and is already buried behind regular starters in Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo and Kevan Miller.

No. 23 - Joakim Nordstrom

Key Stat: Two goals in 75 games last season with the Hurricanes.

Case For: He’s not an offensive dynamo, but Nordstrom figures to be a dependable skater on Boston’s fourth line while helping address the loss of both Riley Nash and Tim Schaller on the penalty kill. In limited time this preseason, Nordstrom helped generate some Grade-A chances for linemates Chris Wagner and Noel Acciari thanks to some slick passing.  

Case Against: Nordstrom does the little things that make him a valuable contributor and a bottom-six stalwart, but the 26-year-old skater will have to be more like the Nordstrom that tallied 10 goals in 2015-16, rather than the one that only lit the lamp twice all of last season.

No. 22 - Anders Bjork 

Key Stat: Logged 53 minutes of ice time on Boston’s top line with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand to open last season.

Case For: A bit of a forgotten figure in Boston’s large cast of second-year players, Bjork has the speed and skill that translates to a top-six role with Boston in the future. The only question is what he can offer Boston right now.

Case Against: Bjork only skated in one preseason game this month, limited by extensive shoulder surgery that put him on the shelf for six months back in February. A trip down to Providence to hit the ground running might be in the cards for the 22-year-old Bjork, rather than hang around as Boston’s extra forward.

No. 21 Urho Vaakanainen 

Key Stat: Just 19 years old, Vaakanainen logged 43 games last year with SaiPa of the Finnish Elite League — often playing against opposing skaters over 10 years older than him.

Case For: One of the top surprises coming out of the preseason, Vaakanainen has survived numerous roster cuts thanks to his poise with the puck — something that the 2017 first rounder was lauded for when Boston selected with the 18th overall pick.

Case Against: Even with the loss of Torey Krug, Vaakanainen may see his development hampered up at the NHL level if he doesn’t get regular playing time. With Matt Grzelcyk expected back in the lineup for Wednesday night, Vaakanainen might be a scratch for his first NHL regular-season matchup.

No. 20 - Chris Wagner 

Key Stat: Landed 253 hits last season — good for third most in the NHL. 

Case For: Wagner, a Walpole native, played in 79 games split between the Anaheim Ducks and Islanders last season, tallying seven goals and posting 16 points while averaging 13:17 of ice time. A physical skater that’s hard on pucks, Wagner should do some damage on a line with a fellow bruiser like Noel Acciari.

Case Against: A tenacious forward with a bit of a scoring touch, Wagner is everything you’d want in a reliable fourth liner. But does the local product have the ability to ramp his game up to another level? Based on what we saw from Boston’s fourth line in Saturday’s preseason finale, the talent is certainly there.

No. 19 - Kevan Miller

Key Stat: Led the Bruins in both penalty minutes (70) and hits (164) last season while also ranking second in blocks (111).

Case For: A hard-hitting, physical blueliner that’s surprisingly quick on his feet given his size, Miller is expected to dole out plenty of punishment for his club this winter — especially following the trade of Adam McQuaid to the Rangers.

Case Against: For a player that’s often willing to put his body on the line, staying healthy will be key for Miller. Over the past two seasons, Miller has been sidelined for 38 combined games.

No. 18 - Noel Acciari 

Key Stat: Dished out 152 hits last season in just 60 games.

Case For: Acciari fits the description of a bull in a china shop whenever he steps out on the ice, with the Providence product delivering punishing hits while also adding an offensive spark with 10 goals in 2017-18.

Case Against: Like Miller, staying healthy is going to be a priority for Acciari, who was limited to 60 games last season while dealing with various injuries. With Acciari expected to earn plenty of reps at center this season, staying out on the ice will be crucial for the Rhode Island native.

No. 17 - Matt Grzelcyk

Key Stat: Posted a plus-22 rating while primarily skating on Boston’s third D pair last season with Kevan Miller.

Case For: A bit of a forgotten man this preseason due to the emergence of Urho Vaakanainen, Grzelcyk was one of Boston’s top surprises last season, with the 5-foot-9 defenseman excelling as a puck-moving D that has a place in today’s fast-paced NHL.

Case Against: Given his smaller frame, Grzelcyk will need to be mindful out on open ice against bigger players — with the Charlestown native taking a nasty hit from Winnipeg’s Josh Morrissey during the final weeks of the 2017-18 regular season.

No. 16 - Brandon Carlo 

Key Stat: Missed the postseason for the second year in a row after suffering an ankle fracture during the final weeks of the regular season.

Case For: Still just 21 years old, Carlo still projects as an imposing (6-foot-5) defenseman that excels on the PK. Despite going through a bit of a sophomore slump last year after getting split from his rookie-season partner in Zdeno Chara, Carlo should eat up plenty of minutes in his third go-around with the Black and Gold.

Case Against: Despite his large frame, Carlo will need to be more assertive with the physical side of his game — something that Carlo himself has harped on going into the new year.

No. 15 - David Backes

Key Stat: Missed 25 total games last season due to a series of unfortunate events — including diverticulitis, colon surgery and a severe leg laceration.

Case For: It’s a clean slate for Backes, who is looking to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2017-18 campaign and entered camp 10 pounds lighter. He’ll likely never live up to his $6 million annual cap hit as a third-line winger, but Backes still has plenty to offer the Bruins. 

Case Against: Despite his offseason efforts to drop weight, it will be interesting to see how Backes can adjust to today’s faster style of NHL hockey. Already 34 years old, Backes’ days in a top-six role appear to be a thing of the past.

No. 14 - John Moore

Key Stat: Averaged 20:01 of ice time while skating in a top-four role with the New Jersey Devils last season.

Case For: A left-shot D with both the size (6-foot-2) and skill that meshes perfectly in today’s game, Moore figures to be a regular presence in Boston’s starting lineup, especially given the five-year deal that Boston handed the 27-year-old skater this summer.

Case Against: Moore is joining a crowded blue line, especially when it comes to left-shot defensemen (Zdeno Chara, Torey Krug and Matt Grzelcyk). However, Krug’s recent injury does clear things up for now.

No. 13 - Ryan Donato 

Key Stat: Tallied five goals and nine points in just 12 games with the Black and Gold last year after wrapping up his junior season at Harvard.

Case For: One of the many younger players expected to take a major step forward this season, Donato is in line to put up some points this year thanks to his heavy, accurate shot. Currently slated to skate on Boston’s third line to open the season, Donato could see some time with David Krejci’s group — especially given the chemistry he forged with Jake DeBrusk during preseason play in China.

Case Against: In total, Donato has only played in 15 NHL games in his pro career. Yes, there’s going to be some bumps in the road for the Massachusetts native this season, especially if forced at times to play on his off wing.

No. 12 Danton Heinen 

Key Stat: Tailed 47 points last season — good for ninth in NHL rookie scoring last season — while primarily skating on Boston’s third line.

Case For: He may not be as dynamic as some of his fellow second-year counterparts, but there’s no doubting that the 23-year-old’s stock has continued to rise thanks to his refined approach. Look for him to start the season on the second line with David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk.

Case Against: Heinen has a promotion to start the new season, but he just as easily could see himself bumped down to the third line if he can’t find some chemistry right away with players like Krejci and DeBrusk. Bruce Cassidy is never afraid to shuffle up his lines if something’s not quite right.

No. 11 - Sean Kuraly

Key Stat: Despite only scoring six regular-season goals over 83 games, Kuraly has lit the lamp four times in 16 Stanley Cup Playoff matchups.

Case For: Jack Studnicka, Trent Frederic and Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson might have received most of the attention this preseason as candidates for the vacant third-line center role, but the job went to Kuraly, who should benefit from extended reps with a pair of more skilled players in David Backes and Ryan Donato.

Case Against: Kuraly has said multiple times this week that he won’t have to make any adjustments to his physical, north-south style of play. But still, skating with someone like Ryan Donato is a bit more different than what Kualy usually had to deal with last season on the fourth line.

No. 10 - Torey Krug 

Key Stat: Tallied a career-high 59 points this past season, including 24 points as the quarterback of Boston’s top power-play unit.

Case For: You know what to expect from Torey Krug at this point, and that’s a skilled orchestrator of a power play and an overall dynamic offensive defenseman.

Case Against: After being sidelined for most of the offseason due to a fractured ankle, Krug will start the 2018-19 season on the shelf for another injury to the same ankle. Not great for the 27-year-old defenseman.

No. 9 - Jake DeBrusk

Key Stat: With 43 points in his rookie season, DeBrusk already surpassed the career scoring marks of his father, Louie, who played in 401 NHL games.

Case For: A dynamic winger that seems to have found something special with Boston’s second-line pivot in David Krejci, DeBrusk has the wheels and the ability to put together a breakout campaign in 2018-19.

Case Against: There’s not too much working against DeBrusk going into his second season. Given his nose for the net, natural progression and the comfort factor that comes with earning a top-six role before camp gets underway, I expect big things from this Bruins winger.

No. 8 - Jaroslav Halak 

Key Stat: Appeared in 54 games with the Islanders last season, posting a record of 20-26-6 with a 3.19 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage.

Case For: Halak, who signed a two-year deal with Boston with an annual cap hit of $2.75 million in July, joins the Bruins as a backup after spending most of his career as a starter.

Adding a netminder like Halak should give Bruce Cassidy the option to give Tuukka Rask some added rest, while Halak should benefit from playing in front of a much better defense than what he had to deal with last year with the Islanders.

Case Against: Of course, if Halak struggles — it creates a nasty domino effect for the Bruins. When a team can’t rely on its backup goalie, the minutes and reps really start to add up for the No. 1 netminder. Not great if you’re Tuukka Rask.

No. 7 - David Krejci 

Key Stat: Finished with 17 goals and 44 points over 64 games last season with the Black and Gold.

Case For: Boston’s secondary scoring was severely lacking in its postseason exit against the Tampa Bay Lightning, with Krejci and Rick Nash being the only two forwards not on the Bruins’ top line to record at least two points during the five-game series. So long as he is healthy, look for Krejci to pick up the slack and generate offense at the second-line pivot.

Case Against: At age 32 and coming off a season in which he’s was limited to 64 games due to injury, the risk is always there for Krejci to begin to decline at a time in which Boston needs a two-headed monster down the middle.

No. 6 - Zdeno Chara 

Key Stat: He’s 41, yes. But Chara still led all Bruins skaters in average time on ice at 22:54 last season.

Case For: He might be slowing down, but it’s still absurd that a player of Chara’s age can skate on a top D pairing while anchoring a top-five penalty kill unit. The TB12 Method might be all the rage, but whatever work Chara is doing is getting the results as well.

Case Against: For a Stanley Cup contender like the Bruins, it can be dangerous to put so much of your faith in a 41-year-old defenseman. He’s defied Father Time so far, but Chara can’t avoid it forever.

No. 5 - Charlie McAvoy

Key Stat: McAvoy made an immediate impact in his first full season in the NHL, tallying 32 points over 63 games while ranking second among rookies in the league with an average TOI of 22:09.

Case For: Despite missing 19 games due to a number of injuries, McAvoy showed the skillset last season that has him tabbed as a potential franchise defenseman down the road. If Boston wants to take the next step as a collective group, McAvoy will need to lead the way as the most crucial skater in the team’s large cast of second-year players.

Case Against: For a player lauded for his ability to carry the puck up the ice and generate offense, McAvoy only managed to get 77 pucks on net last season. That’s good for 14th overall on the Bruins and only seven shots ahead of Ryan Spooner. Definitely something to keep an eye out for this season.

No. 4 - David Pastrnak

Key Stat: Was a force during the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, tallying 20 points in just 12 games played. Pastrnak also became the youngest player to post a six-point game in a playoff matchup, breaking a record held by Wayne Gretzky.

Case For: Still just 22 years old, Pastrnak is coming off of another 30-plus goal season in 2017-18, and will look to build off of an 80-point campaign while returning to his usual spot on Boston’s top line with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand.

Case Against: While Pastrnak is sitting pretty on Bergeron’s line now, the thought of demoting the skilled winger to skate with David Krejci was an option on the table for Bruce Cassidy and Co. in an attempt at balancing out scoring. If Krejci’s line stalls at the start of the season, Pastrnak’s usual spot could easily be uprooted.

No. 3 - Brad Marchand

Key Stat: The only players with an equal or higher points per game ratio than Marchand (1.32) in 2017-18? Nikita Kucherov, Evgeni Malkin, Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid.

Case For: Going into his 10th season in the NHL, Marchand is no longer just regarded as a bottom-six pest. Production wise, Marchand is now one of the top forwards in the league, averaging 36 goals over the last three seasons while excelling on special teams and on the wing of arguably the top line in the NHL. Don’t expect that to change.

Case Against: After a season in which Marchand was fined twice and suspended five games — while later received criticism from opposing teams and the league for licking players during the Stanley Cup Playoffs — Marchand noted that he might have to adjust his play style this season in order to stay out on the ice.

"There's a difference between having an edge and being stupid," Marchand said back in May. "I think that's the biggest thing and where I get into trouble -- controlling my split-second reactions. I'm at that point now, where if you look at the last few years. If I have to cut out that edge and drop 15-20 points, maybe that's worth it."

No. 2 - Patrice Bergeron

Key Stat: At one point last season as the anchor of Boston’s top line, Bergeron helped hold opposing teams to zero even-strength goals through 21 games when his line was out on the ice.

Case For: He may be 33 years old, but Bergeron continues to produce as he hits the later stages of his career. Barring any major injuries, look for Bergeron to once again score 25-30 goals and become a finalist for the Selke Trophy once again.

Case Against: Injuries are starting to become a problem for Bergeron — with Wednesday standing as the first time the center will be cleared to play in a season opener since 2015. Still, Bergeron missed the entire preseason while recovering from offseason groin surgery and a string of back spasms.

No. 1 - Tuukka Rask

Key Stat: After a brutal start in 2017-18 (3-8-2, .899 save percentage over 13 games), Rask closed out the season with a record of 31-6-3 and a.923 save percentage.

Case For: As expected, Rask will be the first one to take criticism for any shortcomings from the Black and Gold, but the veteran netminder should benefit from the addition of Jaroslav Halak — who will be able to relieve Rask when necessary.

Case Against: As Tuukka Rask goes, so goes the Boston Bruins. If Rask struggles between the pipes, the chances of Lord Stanley’s Cup returning to Boston this spring become slim, at best.