32 on 32: Bruins analysis for poolers

As part of NHL.com’s 32-for-32 series, NHL.com’s pool team identifies certain players for the Boston Bruins to target.

32 IN 32 BRUINS: Preview of the 2022-23 season | Three issues to watch | The best hopes

NOTE: These point projections (based on an 82-game season) are the result of a collaboration between Pete Jensen and Anna Dua. They take into account several factors, such as recent regular season and Stanley Cup playoff performances, potential line combinations, power play use, the situation of a team’s goaltenders, injury history , anticipated regression for a player or the possibility of him rebounding, age, contract and general potential for the season. The point projections presented here are approximate and do not necessarily reflect a player’s full potential in a hockey pool.

David PastrnakAD – Since 2016-17, the right-winger ranks fifth in the NHL in goals (215), sixth in shots (1,510), tied for sixth in power-play points (161) and 12th in points (451 in 413 games). Some other top Boston players will be struggling with injuries early in the season (Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy), but there is still reason to be optimistic about the performance of Pastrnak, who proved he could lead the charge on his own line last season, when he was often employed with Erik Haula and Taylor Hall.

Projection : 82 dots

Video: CAR@BOS, #4: Pastrnak counts from the face-off

Patrice BergeronVS – The centerman was one of six players with at least 65 points, 250 shots (293; eighth in the NHL) and a plus-25 or better differential (plus-26) last season. The others were Connor McDavid, Johnny Gaudreau, Kirill KaprizovMatthew Tkachuk and Mikko Rantanen. Bergeron had elbow surgery May 31 but is expected to be ready for training camp after signing a one-year contract to return to the Bruins on August 8.

Projection : 74 dots

Brad MerchantAG – Marchand has averaged over a point per game over the past six seasons and is the NHL’s leading left winger in points (506 in 420 games) over that span. However, he had surgery on both hips on May 27 and will need six months to recover, meaning he could be out until December. Despite this timeline, Marchand shouldn’t be underestimated in the first five or six rounds of your pool’s draft, as he should pick up the points when he returns to play. Provided, of course, that your pool format allows you to place an injured player in reserve at the start of the season.

Projection : 70 dots

Jeremy SwaymanG – He has the third-best even-strength save percentage (.930 in 51 games) in two seasons (minimum 50 games), behind Juuse Saros (.932), Nashville Predators, and Igor Shesterkin (.931), New York Rangers. He established himself as the number one goaltender for the Bruins at the expense of Linus Ullmark in the last playoffs (3-2 record, %ARR. 911 against the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round). He could really take off this season.

Projection : 27 wins

Charlie McAvoy, D. – The defenseman is coming off his breakout season by setting career highs in all six standard hockey pool categories (10 goals, 46 assists, plus-31, 21 power-play points, 166 shots, 155 checks). However, he underwent shoulder surgery on June 3 and was expected to need six months to recover, which puts his return somewhere in December. But McAvoy, who ranked 11th among all defensemen in points (56) last season, can still be considered one of the good options at his position.

Projection : 45 dots

Video: BOS@MTL: McAvoy scores Bruins 4th

Taylor Hall, L.A. – The left-winger developed second-line chemistry with Pastrnak and Haula (traded to the New Jersey Devils for Pavel Zacha on July 13) last season and had his highest point total (61) since that he won the Hart Trophy in 2018 (93 points with the Devils). Hall, who has reached 80 points twice, could be a good bet if he slips several rounds in your draft, especially if he makes it to the top line in the absence of Marchand at the start. the country. Later in the season, he could play on the second line with the veteran center player David Krejci and Zacha, his former teammate.

Projection : 63 dots

Other Bruins players to consider in the pools : David Krejci, C; Hampus Lindholm, D; Linus Ullmark, G; Jake DeBrusk, AG/AD; Pavel Zacha, C/AG