NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, the Boston Bruins.<\/p>\n
Marco Sturm spoke of a certain DNA on June 6, the day he was introduced as coach of the Boston Bruins.<\/p>\n
Sturm had it, playing for the Bruins from 2005-2010. It was there when Boston won the Stanley Cup in 2011.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always called it the heartbeat of the locker room,\u201d Sturm said. \u201cAnd that has to come from the guys inside. And again, I’ve been through it. I’ve been through it because I was part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
This is a different time. The Bruins finished eighth in the Atlantic Division last season after qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs each of the previous eight. Jim Montgomery was fired as coach on Nov. 19 and replaced by Joe Sacco on an interim basis.<\/p>\n
The expectation is to rebound with a similar attitude but a fresh look.<\/p>\n
Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, David Krejci and Milan Lucic are just a few missing names. Brad Marchand, who entered last season as Bruins captain, is currently celebrating a second championship, but with the Florida Panthers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’ve got to reestablish the whole thing because these guys are not here anymore,\u201d Sturm said. \u201cSo, now it’s going to be up to us and the new group to lead this group to a new era.\u201d<\/p>\n
That said, Boston shouldn\u2019t look all that different from the team that averaged 2.71 goals per game last season, tied with the New York Islanders for 27th in the NHL and last in the Eastern Conference.<\/p>\n
Viktor Arvidsson<\/a> was acquired in a trade from the Edmonton Oilers on July 1, adding forward depth. Forwards Tanner Jeannot<\/a> (five-year, $17 million contract), Sean Kuraly<\/a> (two-year, $3.7 million contract) and Michael Eyssimont<\/a> (two-year, $2.9 million contract) each signed that same day with an emphasis on becoming harder to play against.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we\u2019ve always been a team, since I\u2019ve been here, that prides ourself in that,\u201d general manager Don Sweeney said. \u201cThat\u2019s the defensive structure I talked about. At times last year, even when we had our group, we were an easy out. I can\u2019t stand for that. So, we are going to reestablish that.<\/p>\n \u201cAgain, when you have iconic players and people that are driven that we\u2019ve had the fortune of having in leading our group here for a long period of time, the next group needs to really, really embrace that.\u201d<\/p>\n Charlie McAvoy<\/a> and David Pastrnak<\/a> are links to the past.<\/p>\n McAvoy, the Bruins\u2019 top defenseman, sustained a Grade 5 separation of his AC joint while playing for the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off on Feb. 15. He then developed a staph infection, ending his season after 50 games with an irrigation and debridement procedure.<\/p>\n The 27-year-old said he didn\u2019t anticipate his offseason being restricted.<\/p>\n \u201cI can do a lot more,\u201d McAvoy said. \u201cI can have a much more productive summer than the usual two months to try to get everything done. That\u2019s the silver lining I\u2019m taking from this.\u201d<\/p>\n The Bruins would be fine with more of the same from Pastrnak. The forward led them with 106 points (43 goals, 63 assists) in his 11th season and has played a full 82 games each of the past three.<\/p>\n \u201cDid my best,\u201d Pastrnak said. \u201cMoving forward, still have a good group of core (players) and we obviously have a lot of work to do ahead. We will put the time in together and make sure we come and be a much better Boston Bruins team next year.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are guys, still, that have been here a long time, enough to know what\u2019s the culture and what needs to be done. I think that\u2019s what\u2019s in our plans.\u201d<\/p>\n Pastrnak will need some help, though.<\/p>\n