NHL Notebook: Grading Bruins at midway point of season

It’s hard to believe — but we’ve officially hit the midway point of the Bruins' 2021-22 season, with the Bruins completing their 41st game on Friday night against the Coyotes.

It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the Bruins so far this season, with the B’s still on the outside looking in at a top-three spot in the Atlantic Divison.

But with a record of 25-13-3 and a points trajectory looking at triple-digits for the fourth time in the last five years (73 points in a COVID-shortened, 56-game campaign in 2020-21), the Bruins are more or less right where we thought they might be — in the mix once again for an intriguing playoff push.

So how have the Bruins fared thus far through the first half of the 2021-22 season? Let’s dive in.

FORWARDS

Brad Marchand: A+

Where would this Bruins team be without No. 63 serving as its offensive conduit? An O-zone sparkplug at both 5v5 play and on the power play, Marchand’s defensive acumen and PK prowess make him one of the most effective 200-foot forwards in the game. Marchand, who ranks sixth among NHL forwards (min. 200 minutes TOI) in points per 60 minutes (4.1) has also routinely swung momentum back in Boston’s favor over multiple games by way of a heavy hit or a timely tally. Won’t win it, but should be in the conversation, at least, for the Hart Trophy. 

Patrice Bergeron: A

If Bergeron does eventually opt to hang up his skates at the end of this season, it certainly won’t be because his game has fallen off. Boston’s captain is not only on pace to finish with around 70 points for the fourth time in his career — but the 36-year-old pivot is also setting himself up for record-breaking fifth Selke Trophy, leading all players (min. 400 minutes of even-strength ice time) in expected goals against per 60 minutes (1.83).

David Pastrnak: A

After a very, very slow start to his season, I think we can stop fretting about Pastrnak’s scoring woes and lack of puck luck. Boston’s top sniper is once again on pace for 40+ goals over an 82-game span — and it wouldn’t surprise many if he makes another push for 50, especially at this current scoring rate (12 tallies in January). Pastrnak developing some dynamic chemistry next to Taylor Hall has allowed Boston’s lineup reshuffle to flourish.

 Anton Blidh: B+

For years, Bruins fans more or less knew what they were going to get when Blidh was slotted into the lineup — with the Swedish winger noted for his north-south game and propensity to land welts against opponents. The 26-year-old forward has been as advertised in that regard once again this season, but an uptick in O-zone production (eight points in 21 games) has helped Blidh carve out an everyday role in the starting lineup. So far, he’s absolutely outplayed Trent Frederic in the competition for the 4LW spot.

Tomas Nosek: B+

While the rest of Boston’s free-agent signings up front have been a mixed bag (and that might be putting it lightly), Nosek has been as advertised as a fourth-line stalwart — and has perhaps even exceeded expectations a bit in terms of his versatility and effectiveness when bumped higher up in the lineup. A Swiss Army Knife that has become a useful tool in Bruce Cassidy’s rotation, Nosek has been a steadying presence on a fourth line that has shuffled bodies in and out over the last few months.

 Oskar Steen: B+

A pleasant surprise after getting called up from Providence back in January, Steen has put himself in the conversation for everyday minutes in Boston’s bottom-six unit thanks to his pugnacious play, spirited forechecking and knack for hovering around Grade-A ice. He’s cooled off a bit as of late, but he’s not strayed from his game when it comes to generating Grade-A looks. We’ll see how this third line pans out in the next few months, but keeping Steen next to Charlie Coyle sure seems like an effective partnership, especially as the rookie continues to find his footing up in the NHL ranks.

Taylor Hall: B

Prior to Cassidy’s top-six switcheroo coming out of the holiday break, Hall was one of Boston’s more underwhelming players — posting just nine even-strength points through the first 26 games of the year. But since getting slotted on a line with Pastrnak, Hall has been reborn — posting 11 even-strength points so far in January. As we saw last year when he was slotted next to David Krejci, Hall might need another elite talent on his line in order to get the most out of him. But if Boston is getting this type of production out of Hall as a result, the team likely has no qualms with such a lineup shuffle.

Charlie Coyle: B

Coyle — who entered the season as Boston’s No. 2 pivot — wasn’t able to completely mesh with his linemates in Hall and Craig Smith, but it’s not as though the Weymouth native wasn’t producing as a result. After posting just 19 points over 51 games last year, Coyle entered the holiday break with 14 points (7 goals, 7 assists) over 26 games. He’s cooled off a bit in terms of tangible production since then, be seems to be finding his game again next to Steen and Jake DeBrusk. 3C might be the best spot for him in Boston's lineup. 

Curtis Lazar: B

Another good soldier for Cassidy in Boston’s checking-line corps, Lazar has brought plenty of versatility and pace when slotting into the lineup. The pending UFA is setting himself up for a pretty sweet payday this summer, with Lazar on pace for a career-high 22 points in 68 games this season. 

Erik Haula: B-

Had these grades been handed out back in December, Haula very well could have been at risk for a failing grade (5 points in 25 games). But since getting bumped up to the top-six, the veteran’s pace has allowed him to get the most out of his new gig as the man in the middle of a line with Hall and Pastrnak — with Haula now up to 11 points (4 goals, 7 assists) in his last 15 games. Haula has been a revelation since the calendar has turned to 2022, but there’s still plenty of skepticism about just how equipped the veteran is to serve in that 2C role come the postseason.

 Craig Smith: C+

While he has seemed like a natural fit on Boston’s top line with Bergeron and Marchand, the production hasn’t necessarily followed for Smith, who is currently on pace for just 26 points over 68 games — which would be the lowest scoring total of his career (over a full 82-game season). Granted, the shot-first winger can be a bit streaky and sure seems to have passed the eye test with 63+37, so a spike in scoring should be expected at some point. Still, you have to wonder if an injury suffered early in the season might be nagging a bit. 

Jake DeBrusk: C

It’s been quite the season for DeBrusk — with a trade request made public back in late November hanging over him and the B’s for most of the year. While the Bruins (due to several circumstances) have been unable to facilitate DeBrusk’s request for a fresh start quite yet, give the disgruntled winger credit. He’s playing some of the best hockey we’ve seen from him in quite some time so far this month — with the forward now up to six points in his last 11 games.

 Trent Frederic: D 

After really impressing over the first few months of the 2020-21 campaign due to his ability to inflict punishment and get under the skin of opponents, Frederic has to find that part of his game on a consistent basis. When the 23-year-old forward — out since Jan. 10 with an upper-body injury — does finally get cleared to return to the lineup, he’ll have to fight for regular minutes on the fourth line. 

Nick Foligno: D-

There’s no questioning Foligno’s leadership and effort, but you simply can’t ignore the production (or lack thereof) out on the ice. The 34-year-old forward, currently on the injury shelf once again after taking a shot from Sam Carrick during a scrap — currently ranks 318th among NHLers in terms of 5v5 points per 60 minutes at 1.26.

DEFENSEMEN

Charlie McAvoy: A+

Guys like Cale Makar, Victor Hedman and Adam Fox might be ahead of him if Norris Trophy voting was held today, but that’s more a testament to how bonkers this entire class of elite D-men has been this season, with McAvoy once again making significant strides in his game. Not only is McAvoy on pace for a 56-point campaign, but he’s arguably the most effective shutdown defenseman in that elite crop of blueliners mentioned above. Don Sweeney and the Bruins have to be doing backflips that they locked him up to that $76 million contract when they did. 

Matt Grzelcyk: B

After a bit of a slow start, Grzelcyk has turned a corner — posting 10 points over his last 11 games. Unsurprisingly, his spike in production has come after the BU blueliner has started to earn regular reps next to McAvoy once again. In the 286 minutes of 5v5 ice time that Grzelcyk+McAvoy have logged together this season, the Bruins have outshot opponents, 199-102, and outscored them, 20-9. Might be worth keeping them together.

Jakub Zboril: B

Just an awful stretch of luck for Zboril, who will miss the rest of the season due to an ACL injury. Prior to getting put on the shelf, it sure looked as though Zboril was turning a corner in his game — pushing the puck with confidence through the neutral zone and logging regular minutes. Much like the player listed below him, Zboril — at the very least — looks like a dependable NHLer at this point in his career.

Urho Vaakanainen: B

Another pleasant surprise this season, Vaakanainen has risen from potential first-round bust to a steady, minutes-eating regular in Boston’s lineup. He’s not flashy and more of a jack-of-all-trades type player, but Vaakanainen can be an effective NHLer by moving his feet and getting pucks out of danger with an effective first pass. Sure seems tough to take him out of the lineup at this point.

Derek Forbort: B-

He ain’t flashy, but Forbort has more or less done his job as a steady, stay-at-home regular and PK anchor on Boston’s blue line. Opponents have buried plenty of goals when he’s been out on the ice, but he’s also not been handed a lot of favorable ice (38.92% Off. Zone Faceoff percentage). Despite some early reps with McAvoy, Forbort might be better served on the third pairing. 

Mike Reilly: C+

Reilly’s offensive totals have started to tick upwards, but the veteran is still trying to regain some of the assertiveness and crispness that made him such an underrated pick-up last season. Having both him and Grzelcyk on the left side still seems a bit redundant. 

Connor Clifton: C

While “less is more” has sometimes been the case with Clifton and his potential as an everyday NHLer, the hard-hitting defenseman has not regularly been a liability out on the ice — with Clifton ranking 20th among NHLers in shots against per 60 minutes at 5v5 play (24.91). 

Brandon Carlo: C-

Carlo has usually been a steady presence on Boston's D corps, but such hasn't been the case this season. Whether it be struggling to find an everyday partner on that second D pairing or a number of D-zone miscues, Carlo's game has been off on multiple occasions this year. Needs to get back to playing to his strengths — and fast. 

GOALTENDERS 

Linus Ullmark: B

For as much as people bemoan his contract (especially the no-movement clause), Ullmark has been pretty effective since the end of November, posting a 12-2-1 record over his last 16 games with a .921 save percentage. He's been far from the problem on this B's team. 

Jeremy Swayman: B

The odd man out in Boston's goalie rotation, Swayman still put up very solid numbers over the last two-plus months with Boston — posting an 8-6-2 record with a .918 save percentage. However, the rookie's struggles against teams currently in playoff contention (1-5-1 with a .903 save percentage) and some rebound issues show that he still has some things to work on. 

Tuukka Rask: D+

The Bruins expected some rust in the early going, but it's been a pretty rocky road so far for Rask — who is also dealing with a lingering lower-body ailment. Small sample size, but the Bruins need Rask back at full strength down the stretch here. 

Milton’s Yandle becomes NHL’s new “Ironman”

The last time that Keith Yandle missed an NHL game — the world was quite different. 

Instagram had not even launched, Charlie McAvoy was just 11 years old and Barack Obama was just two months into his first term in office.

Feel old?

But since returning to the ice on March 26, 2009 in a game between the Coyotes and Oilers, Yandle has been penciled into the lineup with permanent ink for the past 12 years — with the 35-year-old defenseman becoming the NHL’s new “Ironman” by skating in his 965th consecutive regular-season game Tuesday night.

Yandle, who hails from Milton, passed Doug Jarvis (964 GP from Oct. 8, 1975–Oct. 10, 1987) for sole possession of the NHL’s ironman streak — with the Flyers blueliner somehow managing to stay in the lineup despite logging over 25,000 shifts, recording close to 21,000 minutes of ice time and blocking 941 shots.

Perhaps the most telling testament to Yandle’s longevity? Just eight percent of current NHLers were in the league when the puck-moving defenseman’s streak first started in 2009.

Brad Marchand — a tough customer in his own right when it comes to gutting through injuries — had plenty of praise for Yandle, who he played with for one season of junior hockey in Moncton.

"It's huge, just because of how hard it is even to get through a season, let alone — I don't know — what is that? 12, 13 (seasons) in a row,” Marchand said. “There's so many different things: illness, injuries — especially he plays 20-plus minutes a night and has for a long time. He’s a defenseman, he's not a huge guy. Defensemen get run a lot, but I just think it's such an incredible accomplishment to be able to play that many games consecutively. 

“I mean, it shows in history how many guys have been able to do that. And especially now with the COVID stuff, the fact that he hasn't popped (a positive test) has been incredible. I mean, that would have been a devastating way to ruin that streak, so very happy for him. I played with him in junior, he's an incredible teammate, incredible guy. And the last few years, we've all been kind of watching how it's played out. There's been a few guys that kind of had that potential opportunity and it's great that he was able to make it happen.”

Bruins unveiling new jerseys?

Could the infamous “Pooh Bear” sweaters be making a return to a rink near you? 

According to a report from Icethetics, Adidas’ Reverse Retro line of hockey jerseys will return for the 2022-23 season — with all 32 NHL clubs unveiling new designs that are separate from the iterations that were rolled out during the 2020-21 campaign.

(Which, honestly, is a bit of a bummer — because these threads deserved more reps than just 10+ games in a COVID-impacted season).

Considering how reviled the “Pooh Bear” design is, it sure seems unlikely that we’ll see such a revival anytime soon. So what’ll it be? Honestly just bring back last year’s jersey and call it a day.

I could see the Bruins introducing a retro design like this down the road, but I wonder if Boston might eventually commit to this design as a revamped regular jersey — similar to how the Patriots have altered their attire in the post-Brady era.

Coyotes to … Arizona State?

Glad that the NHL gave the “Thanks, But No Thanks” spiel to Quebec City and a market that sure seems like it's craving another opportunity to host a franchise.

Instead, it looks like the Coyotes — set to be kicked out of their old arena in Glendale — are looking at signing a three or four-year lease with Arizona State’s new multi-purpose arena. Seating capacity? 5,000. For an NHL team.

Just ship them to Houston or send ‘em up north — because this is embarrassing. 

Brad Marchand seems to agree. 

Stats and graphs via Natural Stat Trick, HockeyViz and JFreshHockey.