Could Charlie Coyle be looking at top-6 minutes on the wing in 2019-20?

The dog days of the NHL offseason are now upon us, and with most of the frenzy that comes at the start of free agency in the rearview, it looks as though the Bruins only have one last box to check this summer — re-signing Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo. 

With Boston likely needing to clear some cap space in order to absorb the hit that’s set to come once McAvoy and Carlo get their respective pay days, it looks as though any other avenues designed to add pieces to this current B’s roster are largely exhausted — barring a trade.  

So what then, about the top-six forward that Cam Neely discussed as a potential offseason target back in June? The need is still there for Boston to add a consistent, effective presence up front after David Krejci dealt with a carousel of wingers to his right for most of the 2018-19 campaign. 

But with most free agents now scooped up and with Boston focused more on retaining McAvoy/Carlo and shedding cap, it’s looking more and more likely that any top-six fix is going to come from within the Bruins organization. 

While Boston could just stand pat and see if Karson Kuhlman can hold on to the spot he seized for himself this spring, there are plenty of other options on the table. Bumping down David Pastrnak to the second line seems to be a logical option, while Danton Heinen is also an intriguing option when it comes to handing an incumbent winger heavier minutes in a top-six role. Or perhaps this is the year that other young guns like Anders Bjork or Peter Cehlarik step up?

But when it comes to adding a proven, veteran player into the mix of top-six hopefuls, one player stood out to Don Sweeney when spitballing possible contributors in such a role when asked back in June. 



“There were certain nights where Sean (Kuraly’s) line played a lot of minutes," Sweeney said. "I think that’s going to benefit both Bergy and Krech in that pairing, and then Charlie Coyle brings a lot to that. Does Charlie Coyle move up in the right side? 

“Again, putting Charlie in a consistent spot is I think when he plays his best hockey. He referenced that when he was in Minnesota, a production role. He could slide up and play right wing if another player emerged from within.”

While most of the high points from Coyle’s short tenure so far in Boston have come as a third-line center during the B’s Stanley Cup run, the 27-year-old forward does fit the mold of what Boston values in a top-six candidate — two-way potential, good size and above all, versatility. 

So could we see the Weymouth native spending most of his shifts alongside the likes of Krejci or Patrice Bergeron?

It’s an intriguing option for the Bruins, but one that does involve plenty of risk — given how volatile the structure of that third line was for Boston before Coyle arrived on the scene in the final weeks of February. 

Before a possible top-six promotion can even be entertained, the first step would be to evaluate if there’s a player behind Coyle on Boston’s pivot depth chart that could at least keep that line operating smoothly if Coyle is moved to the wing. Sean Kuraly would seem like an obvious choice for another crack at 3C, while Jack Studnicka continues to stand as one of the top names to watch out of training camp (even if the 20-year-old could likely use some seasoning down in the AHL first). 

But if someone like Kuraly (who has continued to make strides with each new season in Boston) is able to run with the third-line gig and someone like Joakim Nordstrom / Par Lindholm can shore up the center spot on the fourth line, then Boston might have the wherewithal to slot up Coyle. 

Even if Coyle’s best stretch of play so far with Boston came when he centered Heinen and Marcus Johansson during the postseason, he was largely inserted into a top-six role during his first couple of weeks in Boston — with the Bruins looking to shore up its top forward trios in wake of Pastrnak's thumb surgery. 

While he certainly filled a need for Boston, you could make the case that Coyle wasn’t handed a defined, consistent role until the Stanley Cup Playoffs got underway and he got into a groove with Heinen/Johansson. 

As seen in this graph which chronicles Coyle’s 5v5 teammates from February - April, it’s easy to see that he was used all over the lineup, especially if we were to compare his chart to say, Bergeron’s, who primarily played with Brad Marchand and Pastrnak for a majority of the year. 

Coyle’s 5v5 teammates



Bergeron’s 5v5 teammates



Jumping all across the lineup certainly didn’t do Coyle any favors when it came to hitting his stride in Boston, with the forward skating on 10 different line combinations that logged at least five minutes of 5v5 TOI together over the span of just 21 games. During that stretch, Coyle tallied two goals and six total points while averaging 15:59 of ice time. 

Still, during that uneven stretch, Coyle spent a good amount of time skating to Krejci’s right, logging 77:07 of 5v5 TOI with No. 46. During that time as a top-six winger, Coyle and the Bruins controlled 63.08% of shot attempts when both he and Krejci were out on the ice together, while posting a plus-7 shot differential. Good possession numbers for sure, but the opposition did manage to outscore Boston, 3-2, during that same TOI, while holding an 11-8 edge in high-danger scoring chances. 

Of course, one could make the point that after a successful postseason and a full training camp under his belt, a second line of DeBrusk-Krejci-Coyle could hit the ground running in 2019 and capitalize more in the offensive zone. Coyle could also fare much better if the team opts to slot him up next to Bergeron/Marchand and slot down Pastrnak. 

After all, just about everyone that has played alongside 37 + 63 has fared pretty well. 



Still, when weighing some of the other top-six options for the Bruins, slotting Coyle up on the wing seems to carry far too much risk for Boston, especially if his replacement at 3C is not able to keep that bottom-six from falling into another rut. 

While Coyle was one of the first players that Sweeney referenced when asked of internal options for Boston, he did note that the veteran was so valuable to the B’s during their Cup run thanks to his ability to elevate the third line from a castaway unit into a group that was arguably the club’s most effective group during 5v5 play. 

“For right now, I think the balance of our group, what Coyle presents is a mismatch at times for other teams, and it gives us balance,” Sweeney said. “It’s hard to play against that way, especially when you’re coming with Sean with the speed and physicality that their line brings, and their ability to check and contribute offensively, it presents problems. I think that was the strength of our hockey club this year from a depth standpoint.”

There’s no doubting that Coyle could function as a top-six option for Boston. But at the risk of imploding the bottom-six once again? There has to be safer options elsewhere.