Could Danton Heinen remain on Bruins' top line when David Pastrnak returns? The results speak for themselves

For most of the 2018-19 season, Bruce Cassidy has opted to keep his three-headed monster of a line in Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak intact, giving the Bruins a do-it-all trio that can cycle the puck with the best of them of them in the offensive zone.

The 63-37-88 line creates a bit of a top-heavy roster, for sure, but you can’t argue with the numbers. In 388 minutes of 5v5 TOI together, the regular Bergeron line has generated 23 goals and plus-36 shot differential. When looking at scoring rates per 60 minutes of play, that equals out to 3.55 goals for / 60 minutes and 11.88 high-danger attempts generated / 60 for Boston’s top forward group.

So why then, once Pastrnak is cleared to return from his thumb surgery, might Cassidy opt to put the dynamic winger on the second line with David Krejci?



Balancing out the lines plays some role in that thinking, as Cassidy admitted Tuesday morning during a radio interview with 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich.

“I think it depends a little on the timeline. If there’s time before the end of the year, (Pastrnak will play) probably with Krejci, because we never got a real good look at that," Cassidy said. "That would move (Marcus) Johansson down with (Charlie) Coyle, which we’d be interested in seeing. If it’s right going into the playoffs, if there’s something that lingers there, it might have to be with Marsh and Bergy, because that's where he’s had his most success."

The reasoning is sound — slotting a viable top-six option in Johansson down on a line just waiting to break out with Coyle at the pivot will give Boston a stout bottom-six unit, while Pastrnak and Krejci have generated 14 5v5 goals together and a plus-23 shot differential in 259:33 of 5v5 TOI together this season.

Of course, a second-line assignment for Pastrnak will likely hinge on his recovery timetable, with the forward on the shelf for three weeks after falling and injuring his thumb back on Feb. 11. Pastrnak took another step in the right direction on Tuesday when he skated ahead of practice while gripping a stick. He didn’t shoot, but it’s an encouraging development for the winger, who will have to wear a splint once he’s officially cleared for game action.

"I think he’ll want to play the day he’s cleared, so that he can catch up a little bit,” Cassidy said of Pastrnak. “He missed, what is it now, three weeks? So let’s say it’s a minimum of a month — that’s some catch-up time. I’m going to assume he’s going to want to get after it, unless the doctor says that there’s risk coming back too soon. … As soon as he’s ready, I think he should be back in there and find out where he best fits and finds his game.”

But if his rehab timeline allows Pastrnak to return ahead of the final weeks of the regular season, Cassidy and his staff will have the luxury of giving Krejci a dangerous weapon to work with in No. 88 while also giving his third line a major lift.

The key cog that has given Cassidy this window to revamp his lineup ahead of another postseason push? The play of Danton Heinen up on the top line.

After tallying just six goals and 13 total points over his first 49 games of the year, Heinen has been revitalized since slotting up with Bergeron and Marchand — nearly equalling his season-wide scoring output with 11 points over just 12 games played.

It’s been an easy transition for the 23-year-old winger, who noted that playing with Bergeron and Marchand allows him to simplify his game — with his linemates often at their best when simply cycling the puck around the O-zone and operating out of the high slot. By hanging down around the crease and recovering pucks, Heinen has often been the benefactor of numerous scoring sequences in Grade-A areas. 

“They’re so good with me,” Heinen said of his new linemates. “Just the way they’re so easy going and they’re never on me, nothing like that. They’re so positive. Whatever it is, if I don’t make the right play or whatever, I don’t have to worry about what they’re going to say. They’re positive and they’re always helping me out.”

The sample size is smaller than when 63-37-88 was operating out on the ice, but it’s pretty evident that Boston’s new top line really hasn’t missed a step with Heinen added to the mix. Through 139:18 of 5v5 TOI together, that line has generated 11 goals and a plus-22 shot differential — equalling out to a 4.74 goals-for rate per 60 minutes of play, over a goal more than what that line was generating with Pastrnak up in that spot.

Perhaps Heinen’s top contribution on that line has been his defensive efforts — giving an already stout group with Bergeron and Marchand another plus-player away from the puck.

While the 63-37-88 line generated 23 5v5 goals this season, it has also been out on the ice for 21 5v5 goals against. When you slot in Heinen, that line has only given up a single 5v5 goal in close to 140 minutes of 5v5 action. That’s absurd.

“Those two guys are unbelievable,” Heinen said of Bergeron and Marchand. “They’re so smart and can play anybody and that’s the thing, they make everybody better. That’s a sign of good players. They can adapt and then they’re just two good guys. They’re going to try to do everything they can to help you and it’s a lot of fun.”

If all pans out and Pastrnak slots down with Krejci, it seems like a win-win for all parties. Boston has a shutdown top line that is still generating plenty of scoring chances, Pastrnak will get to operate with a revitalized Krejci and a red-hot Jake DeBrusk, while Coyle has some more options with Johansson added to the mix. Add in an effective fourth line when Sean Kuraly is cleared to return from concussion protocol, and you really have something.

“It’s nice to hear, for sure,” Heinen said of potentially staying up on the top line going forward. “I’m not trying to think too much about it. Just do what I can to help fill a spot right now for a guy that’s out and try not to look too much into it and just play.”