Sounds like we're not going to be here for much longer ... but Snives, if nothing else, your projections for the B's top two lines should frighten any sane B's fan. Coyle was gonna be a stretch as a 2nd line NHL center, but first line?? I don't think Coyle was ever even a first line center at BU (and if he was, it wasn't a great year for them). Frederic probably has a ceiling of a 3rd line wing, and it will be interesting to see how well Debrusk fares without Bergeron (HR is right - even as damaged goods late in his career, he is a HUGE loss). And I've said enough about JvR and his limitations, you folks will get to see those up close and personal for 70 or so games this year IF he's lucky with injuries.
Bruins are praying that last year's 2nd round pick Matt Poitras (Guelph OHL) is ready for prime time a year or two early, as he could fit in long term as a top six center. But he is young (19) and small by NHL standards (5'11" 170 lbs.) and while he's had an eye-opening preseason with the big team, he'll probably get a 9 game tryout in Boston to test whether he is ready for regular season NHL hockey, or will go back to juniors for one more year. IF he's ready, he could be the answer to a lot of Don Sweeney's prayers ... if not, at least there's some hope in an otherwise barren B's talent pipeline. Don't shoot the messenger, but the B's could go from their record-setting RS last season to fighting it out for a wild card playoff spot in the East. Depth of talent everywhere in their line-up has taken a major hit - even if Poitras sticks and fares well - with only the goalie position not impacted directly (although the fall-off of blue line talent and a retired Bergeron will indirectly impact them). And should McAvoy or Lindholm go down to injury for an extended period ... even a wild card slot could be in serious jeopardy.
Hard to believe, after the wagon that was last season ... but cut out Bergeron (1+C), Krejci (2C), middle six wingers Hall and Bertuzzi, Orlov (a potential top pair D) and some effective veteran role players on your bottom six forwards/bottom pair defense in Hathaway, Foligno, Nosek and Clifton, and replace them with over-the-hill vets like JvR, Lucic and Shattenkirk, that's not likely to paint a pretty picture. And with so much draft capital having already been dealt away in recent years, and a bottom-3 in the NHL farm system, an untimely injury to a key player (with young Poitras not quite ready for prime time yet) could spell the end of the road for Sweeney, and possibly even Cam Neely. I only hope that Monty is spared in such a circumstance, given the hard road he's traveled in recent seasons, but the B's are notoriously impatient with their HC's (mostly pre-Sweeney TBF) so he could be in danger too?
If that were to transpire, Jimmy Montgomery could be a candidate for the HC job opening in Durham next Spring ...
