Charlie McAvoy is back, and the Bruins are suddenly facing the kind of problem every coach wants and still hates to solve.
After serving a six-game suspension to open the year, Boston’s top defenseman is expected to return Tuesday night in San Jose. That leaves Marco Sturm with a real decision on his blue line: who comes out when McAvoy goes back in?
The Bruins have handled McAvoy’s absence better than expected, skating to a 4-2-0 start and carrying a two-game winning streak into a four-game trip out west. They’ve outscored the Mammoth and Flyers 11-2 in those wins, which explains why Sturm sounded comfortable with where things stand - even if the group gets stronger with McAvoy available again.
“Absolutely, I think we’ve done a really good job without him, but we also know we’re better with him,” Sturm said of McAvoy on Monday. “So it’s nice to have him back.
He’s been very excited. He’s been looking forward to it for a long, long time, and yeah, it’s going to be great.”
The issue is that Boston already had more defensemen than lineup spots before McAvoy returned. Jonathan Aspirot had been the spare blueliner for the last three games, while Henri Jokiharju is down in Providence. With McAvoy back, someone else has to slide out of the six-man rotation.
Monday’s practice in California offered a strong hint. The forward group stayed the same as it was in Saturday’s win over Philadelphia, but the defense pairings changed completely, and Connor Clifton ended up as the odd man out.
The practice pairs were:
H. Lindholm-McAvoy
Zadorov-Borgen
Brunet-Lohrei
Aspirot-Clifton
That alignment suggests Frederic Brunet and Mason Lohrei have the edge over Clifton for now. It also shows Sturm moving Hampus Lindholm next to McAvoy, while Will Borgen was separated from Lindholm despite the pair’s strong start together.
There’s logic to both calls. Clifton and Nikita Zadorov have been Boston’s most-used pair to start the season, but the results have been uneven.
In 95 minutes together at five-on-five, the Bruins have a 39-31 edge in scoring chances, but they’ve been outdone 18-10 in high-danger chances against. The goals are tied 4-4 in that stretch.
Lohrei has made a strong case for himself early this season. After being scratched during last year’s playoff run, he has come out hot with four points - two goals and two assists - in six games, while averaging 19:27 per night. Boston has clearly liked what it’s seen from his confidence and his willingness to jump into the puck-moving style the team is trying to play.
“I feel like I’m at my best when I’m playing with confidence,” Lohrei said Saturday. “That’s something I’ve been trying to do and I’m feeling pretty good, so I just want to continue to do that.”
Brunet’s rise has been just as notable, even if it comes with a different profile. The 23-year-old has chipped in an assist, posted a plus-3 rating, and averaged 18:37 of ice time over three games.
He also briefly handled quarterback duties on the top power-play unit, a spot that will disappear once McAvoy is back in the mix. Still, Sturm has been encouraged by what he’s seen.
“He had a good camp, but we didn’t really know how effective he would be, and he took charge,” Sturm said of Brunet on Saturday. “So I’m really happy about that.
And also on the power play, that means a lot to be on the first unit. Not everyone can do that.”
Boston’s staff spent a lot of camp and preseason time with Brunet and McAvoy together, and McAvoy even compared Brunet to Matt Grzelcyk during camp. If that pairing ever takes hold, it would fit the kind of puck-movement McAvoy has thrived with in the past.
For now, though, the Bruins appear set on Brunet with Lohrei. That duo has been on the ice for 40:43 at five-on-five over the last week, and Boston has outscored opponents 3-0 in that span.
McAvoy’s return also changes the look of the top four. Lindholm skating with McAvoy is no surprise, especially since the two have already shared a pairing in previous seasons. McAvoy said he’s comfortable with whoever he’s next to, but he’s especially familiar with Lindholm.
“I’ve played with Hammer before,” McAvoy said. “I truly think I’ve played with everybody before - having got some reps with [Brunet] in the preseason. So I think I can say I have played with everybody, and no matter who I’m with, my job always stays the same: to be the absolute best that I can be, and try to elevate my partner.
“And in return, it’s what I ask for out of a D partner. So let’s make each other’s lives easier, and if it’s Hammer tomorrow and someone else moving forward?
That doesn’t change. Just trying to be the very best I can be.”
The one pairing that gets disrupted is Lindholm and Borgen, which had been Boston’s most reliable shutdown duo. In 86 minutes together at five-on-five, the Bruins have outscored opponents 6-1. Borgen has spent only 2:34 at five-on-five alongside Zadorov so far, though the size and mobility of that combination could still have some appeal.
Clifton’s status may not be settled for long, though. Sturm pointed out that these are difficult calls, not judgments on who has played poorly. He also hinted that Boston may need everyone before the road trip is over, especially with San Jose and Anaheim offering no shortage of skilled offense.
“Again, they’re tough choices,” Sturm said. “[It’s not] because some guys are not playing well.
That’s not the truth. I think they all played very well.
Sometimes it goes by hands or by feeling, whatever it is. … But I think we feel really comfortable as of [Tuesday].
“And it’s a tough road trip. So I don’t know if it’s going to happen, but we might need all of them at one point, including the forwards. So we’ll see.”
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