NHL Notebook: Which Bruins youngsters could carve out starting roles in 2022-23?

If the 2022-23 Bruins are going to be competitive, it’s safe to assume that the usual suspects like Charlie McAvoy, Brad Marchand, Taylor Hall (and potentially both Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci) will be leading the way.

But if the Bruins want to truly vault themselves into the same tier as several established NHL contenders, they’re going to need a lot more contributors up and down the depth chart — especially younger (and potentially unproven) talent. 

Sure, the Bruins’ success throughout this extended contention window has been a direct result of an entrenched veteran core, but be it the bevy of offseason surgeries that will sap Boston of some star power in October/November, or Boston’s struggles when it comes to generating consistent even-strength offense further down the lineup — it’s clear that Jim Montgomery is going to have to make a concerted effort to get some of Boston’s youngsters going this fall.

Yes, the Bruins don’t boast the most stacked prospect pipeline (especially with a few promising prospects like Mason Lohrei and Oskar Jellvik still a ways away from jumping to the pros), but Montgomery and Co. still should have a slew of youngsters in place during training camp that will be vying for regular minutes on the NHL roster. 

Let’s take a look at some of the younger players in Boston’s organization that you might see up in the NHL ranks this season — and assess just how much of an impact they might have if handed an opportunity for regular minutes.

(We’re going to limit the “youngster” designation to any B’s player aged 25 or under). 

Jack Studnicka - Forward

Jack Studnicka’s odds of earning regular minutes might be out of his control — and it’s likely not a good sign for the organization if he is indeed penciled in down the middle for 50+ games in 2022-23.

That’s not an indictment on Studnicka (even if he’s underwhelmed at the NHL level so far), but rather, it means that one or both of Bergeron and Krejci aren't exactly in the picture this upcoming season.

Because let’s face it — if Bergeron and Krejci are back, Studnicka probably isn’t going to be getting a whole lot of minutes. And with Charlie Coyle in place at the 3C spot and any fourth-line spots likely not going to serve Studnicka and his skillset all that well, the young forward is stuck in a bit of prospect purgatory at this stage of his career.

Some of that might fall on Studnicka and his inability to stick up in the NHL despite multiple call-ups. Boston might have out-shot opponents, 93-76, during Studnicka’s 173:13 of 5v5 ice time this past season, but teams still managed to outscore the Bruins, 8-3, during that stretch. And some of that is a reflection on some lackluster play from Studnicka, who was knocked for some brutal turnovers and failed clears that a player can’t make at the NHL level. 

But also, the B’s completely whiffed in terms of carving out a solid landing spot for Studnicka — which frankly, should have been last season. Yes, even with Krejci gone, the B’s still had some safety nets in place for 2021-22 with Bergeron and Coyle. 

But rather than appoint Studnicka as 3C and let him learn on the fly, the B’s instead went out and signed guys like Erik Haula, Tomas Nosek and Nick Foligno — allocating available capital to veteran players who were expected to lock up everyday roles on Boston’s depth chart.

Even if Studnicka’s offensive gifts might be showcased a bit more in Montgomery’s system, it still remains to be seen where exactly he fits into Boston’s roster puzzle — if Bergeron and Krejci are back, that is. 

Trent Frederic - Forward

Given the number of reps he earned last season (60 games), it’s safe to assume that Frederic probably has the best odds among this bunch when it comes to settling back into a regular role in Boston’s lineup.

All things considered, you could make the case that the 24-year-old took an encouraging step forward in 2021-22 — recording a career-high 18 points while earning a good amount of minutes on a third line with Coyle and Craig Smith. 

However, the St. Louis native’s encouraging returns fizzled out near the end of the year — with Frederic posting just four points over his final 18 regular-season games, before eventually getting scratched in three playoff outings in Boston’s first-round loss to Carolina. He didn’t do himself any favors in a do-or-die Game 7 down in Raleigh, posting a minus-2 rating and logging just 7:55 of ice time in what was a 3-2 loss. Ouch.

Still, given Frederic’s unique skillset, one has to think that the Bruins want to stick with the power forward — especially with a new coach in Montgomery now at the helm. Whether it be unlocking a bit more of a scoring touch out of him or encouraging Frederic to operate with more of the sandpaper style of play that makes him such an effective agitator, Frederic is a project worth investing in if you’re Boston.

His offensive ceiling likely won’t exceed 25 or so points in a season, which is why I’m a bit hesitant to pencil him back on that third line in 2022-23. But a fourth line that eventually features a bunch of prickly, cost-controlled youngsters like Frederic, Johnny Beecher, Oskar Steen and Marc McLaughlin (more on them in a bit) could be pretty appealing. 

Jakub Zboril - Defenseman

We dissected this quite a bit earlier this week, but Zboril seems like the early favorite to step into the void created by both Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk’s expected time on the shelf in October/November. 

Even if his encouraging returns last season came under a very small sample size (10 games) before he was lost for the year with an ACL injury, Zboril looked like an effective everyday blueliner during his most recent call-up — making smooth plays in transition, executing proper reads down both ends of the ice and even injecting some much-needed physicality on a D corps known more for its skill than its size.

Given the circumstances surrounding Boston’s roster and its injury woes, it’s not out of the question for Zboril to earn 17-18 minutes a night this fall, especially with his ability to also play on the right side. 

And even when both McAvoy and Grzelcyk get the green light to return, I wouldn’t be surprised if Zboril carves out a regular spot on Boston’s third D pair and fights for minutes alongside names like Connor Clifton. He had some rotten injury luck last winter, but Zborl sure seemed like a player that had finally started to figure it all out at the NHL level.

Jack Ahcan - Defenseman

Zboril might be the current frontrunner for proven minutes on Boston’s blue line, but don’t overlook a prospect like Ahcan — who probably doesn’t have much more to prove down in Providence at this point of his career.

The 25-year-old D-man has been an offensive conduit down in the AHL ranks (33 points in 65 games with Providence), but has only appeared sparingly up in the NHL level with Boston so far. 

And when up there, Ahcan has both showcased that poise with the puck and playmaking prowess that made him a top collegiate free-agent target a few years back — and been knocked by a few expected growing pains when it comes to adjusting to stronger competition up in the NHL. 

This could be a critical season for Ahcan, who inked a one-year, $750,000 contract with Boston back in July. Is this the year in which Ahcan takes that next step and learns how to operate at hockey’s highest level, or is he more of an AHL stalwart that can fill in when needed when injuries creep up with the parent club? We should get our answer this season. 

Marc McLaughlin - Forward

After making an immediate impact last season with the Bruins (three goals in 11 games), it’s to be expected that McLaughlin will once again be in the running for more minutes with the B’s in 2022-23 — especially given the number of vacancies present on the fourth line. 

Praised for his two-way game, leadership intangibles and heavy shot during his tenure at Boston College, McLaughlin might boast a higher offensive ceiling than a few other of Boston’s older prospects — with that effective wrister potentially putting him on pace to be a 15-20 goal scorer if all works out well for him.

But with guys like Pavel Zacha and Craig Smith currently in place on Boston’s middle-six grouping, McLaughlin might have to start his first full season down on the fourth line — where he could fit in at the 4RW spot vacated by Curtis Lazar’s departure to Vancouver. 

Of course, McLaughlin will need to put forth a strong training camp and preseason to actually seize that spot, especially with some NHL vets like Nosek and Foligno also in line for fourth-line minutes.

But if Boston ultimately opts to move out some established NHLers via a trade/buyout, a green skater like McLaughlin should stand to benefit. 

Oskar Steen - Forward

McLaughlin might be the early favorite among youngsters for that 4RW spot, but don’t overlook Steen — who looked like a potential everyday contributor on this team at one point in 2021-22. But after recording five points over his first seven games, Steen ran out of steam in his most recent call-up, scoring one goal and zero helpers over his next 13 games before ending his season back down in Providence. 

Maintaining a steady level of play is often a developmental learning curve that all young players must adjust to in the NHL, so it wouldn’t come as much of a surprise if Steen enters camp looking to battle with the likes of McLaughlin for those valuable minutes on the fourth line.

Steen, much like McLaughlin, could develop into a prospect that can give you 30+ points if he continues to mature, while his willingness to mix things up post-whistle and irritate opponents makes him an appealing candidate for fourth-line minutes. 

Joona Koppananen - Forward

Koppananen may not be on the radar of a ton of B’s fans, but Don Sweeney noted back in July that the 24-year-old forward could be in the mix for NHL reps this season, especially after appearing to finally put it all together last season in Providence.

"Joona Koppanen finished the year really well, was contemplating going back [to Europe] and wanted to know what his opportunity was and what it might look like," Sweeney said. "So, there's a player that, in deciding to return, felt close to potentially pushing for an NHL spot.”

John Beecher - Forward

Given that he’s only played nine games with the Baby B’s, Beecher will likely start the 2022-23 season in Providence, where he should benefit from potential top-six minutes on Ryan Mougenel’s team.

But if Beecher and his play style thrive up at the pro game (a sentiment that Beecher shared during Development Camp), the 2019 first-round pick might be a potential mid-season call-up — where he could begin to settle into a role on the fourth line. 

His offensive ceiling has either not been realized or is a tier or two below his once projected status as a top-six pivot. But Beecher’s speed, transition talents and willingness to throw his weight around could make him a fourth-line stalwart in short order.

Georgii Merkulov - Forward

Merkulov has the offensive tools to put himself on the fast track to the NHL in short order, but he still needs more time to marinate down with Providence — especially when it comes to rounding out his two-way game. 

The 21-year-old forward could potentially be a mid-season addition if he really lights up the scoresheet with the Baby B’s, but I’d imagine the Bruins want to give him a full season down in the AHL ranks to really learn the ropes of the pro game. 

Kai Wissmann - Defenseman

A bit of a forgotten signing, Wissmann could be in the running for those valuable minutes on Boston’s D corps this fall — with the 25-year-old looking to make the jump over to North America after an impressive career in his native Germany. 

Wissmann played with Eisbären Berlin in the German Ice Hockey Federation in 2021-22, scoring four goals and recording 16 assists for 20 points with a plus-31 rating. The Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany native (the same town that Dennis Seidenberg hails from) is coming off of a strong performance at the 2022 World Championships, with the 6-foot-4 defenseman scoring two goals and five assists for seven points in eight games.

A.J. Greer - Forward

Boston’s signing of Greer on the first day of free agency didn’t steal many headlines, but the Bruins were intrigued by the 25-year-old winger’s upside — especially after a season in which the former BU product posted 52 points in 53 games with Utica (AHL). 

Greer, who has posted just eight points over 47 games in the NHL, has yet to see his skills translate at the next level. But given Sweeney’s comments after the start of free agency, it does seem like Greer is in the mix for minutes on Boston’s roster. 

"In A.J.’s case, had a heck of a year offensively," Sweeney said. "I think he understands, in talking with him today, doing our background work on him — I think he understands himself a lot better as to what type of player he is and how to be successful. And hopefully that translates — I mean, from the skating and a speed standpoint, getting on pucks and being an aggressive mindset with his size — it’s an attractive quality for us to add to our group. Monty was excited about going through the coaching process and how he envisioned the bottom part of our lineup looking like. I think it was an area that we tried to identify and A.J. was a guy that we feel had some upside there.” 

Fabian Lysell - Forward

The true wild card in this group, Lysell has the skill and O-zone wizardry to make a push for NHL reps right out of the gate this fall, but we’ll still opt for the cautious route here and predict that Lysell begins his pro career in Providence. 

Now, if Lysell does light things up during preseason action and accelerates his timeline, perhaps his emergence gives Boston the ability to move a veteran winger like Smith for cap relief — but I’d still view that as an unlikely scenario. 

Even if Lysell does open the year down in the AHL ranks, he could follow a similar path as David Pastrnak if all goes well in his development — dominate a few months down in Providence, earn a call-up as a teenager … and don’t look back.

Bruins fans should be excited about Lysell’s potential. But I wouldn’t go so far as to expect him to earn reps next to the likes of Bergeron, Krejci or Coyle … at least not in October or November. 

OTHER NOTES:

- Some very interesting quotes from Max Pacioretty about his time with the Vegas Golden Knights and the pressure (or lack thereof) that players dealt with in Sin City.

"There are good sides to everything," Pacioretty said in an interview with the Raw Knuckles Podcast. "When I first got there, it was kind of weird that there was no accountability. I'm not talking about the team; I'm talking about everyone. You couldn't feel pressure coming off anyone else, from the coach or from management. I had an awful game, and everyone is coming in saying hi to me. I'm like, 'Okay, this is a little weird.' Normally, we walk by each other and stare at the carpet."

He added: "I even mentioned that at the end of the year. I didn't say this specifically. I didn't want this to be like playing in Montreal, but I told them, 'No one is really holding us accountable.' If we had a bad year like this, the city would be half on fire. Here we are showing up to the rink, and it's 80 degrees, and it's sunny, and we're getting our car washed, getting our organic food, and playing golf. I was kind of like, 'We've got to police this thing better amongst each other.' I don't want to say it was a country club, but you have no one from the outside holding you accountable."

Sheesh. Granted, playing for a team with zero pressure and a bevy of golf courses to frequent does sound like an awfully good free-agent pitch to some NHLers. (So long as you have a no-movement clause in place, that is.)

- Much like Bergeron/Krejci, no news to report about Nazem Kadri — perhaps the best available player left on the free-agent market. And while we noted that the dearth of teams with loads of cap space could open the door for Kadri to sign a cheaper, short-term deal for a contending team this offseason, it doesn't seem like the top-six pivot is giving up on a hefty pay day. Not yet, at least. 

"The usual suspects continue to report that Nazem Kadri is still looking for a long-term commitment with a sticker price that begins with a “9,” and if that is indeed the bottom line for the second-line center, who will turn 32 the week prior to the season opener, it is no mystery why he remains unsigned," the New York Post's Larry Brooks wrote this week.

If that's the case, best of luck to Kadri — who might want to follow a similar path as John Klingberg and fire his agent after grossly overvaluing himself ahead of free agency.