A few days ago, I posted a possible break out for line combinations this year for the Boston Bruins and the forwards. Here is how I think the defensive pairings are going to be broken out this year.
1) Chara - Seidenberg
Chara is a no brainer here obviously as he is one of the most dominant defensive players in the game. His size and power intimidate opposing forwards and the combination of his wing span and poke check easily can clog the passing lanes and interrupt any potential scoring chances. Chara had a rocky season last year after suffering an injury to his pinky finger which interfered with his grip while shooting and his willingness to impose himself physically on other teams. With the summer to help it heal, Chara is hoping to have full use of the finger which will help him deliver his powerful slap shots on net once again. Seidenberg is the clear favorite to be paired with Chara as the combination had a very successful but short stint together last season. Coming off a contract extension, Seidenberg has to prove he was worth the $3.25 million he is being paid this season. In Seidenberg, the Bruins have a player that fits in nicely with Chara as a complimentary player who is defensively sound but can also chip in offensively as well. In the last 2 seasons, Seidenberg has set career highs in both points and average time on ice, so the upside on the defender is in favor of the Bruins as he enters the prime of his career. Last year the Derek Morris experiment didn't go according to plan, but with the sample we got to see last year, the top line D pair is going to be a very effective weapon for the Bruins in the 2010 - 2011 season.
2) Boychuk - Stuart
I was extremely excited to hear that Boston would be bringing back both Boychuk and Stuart this season. Both have spent time coming up in the Bruins system, especially Stuart, and both players are fan favorites and for good reason. By putting these two players on the same line you will most certainly see some of the biggest and exciting hits. Take a look at this one from Stuart and these two gems from Johnny Boychuk (Ellis Hit , Stajan Hit). Look, I never like to see a player injured, but its legal and clean hits like this that help define you as a hockey team...something Boston struggled to do last year. Putting these two players together will help to set the tone, and when they are paired with Lucic's line...watch out. Stuart finds himself returning to Boston after an injury plagued season last year which made it hard for him to get in a rhythm. Coming into camp healthy and staying healthy will only allow Stuart to continue to develop as he is still a relatively young defender as he will be only 26 to start the season. I love the way that Stuart plays on the ice and he brings a consistent effort night in and night out. I think the Bruins are looking at a future leader in Stuart, and could potentially lock him up long term based on his performance this year. Boychuk is another young defender who the Bruins will be looking for him to step up and continue to develop. Last year, Boychuk had to wait in order to get a chance to see the ice in Boston, but once he had the opportunity, he was a mainstay on the blue line for the remainder of the year. He also missed sometime due to a fractured orbital bone thanks to taking a slap shot to the face. In the playoffs is where Boychuk really came to life in being paired with Chara and logging nearly 26mins of ice time each game! He is not afraid of throwing his body around both on the glass and in front of the crease to block shots. It is that kind of reckless abandon that will both help his ice time and popularity with the Bruins faithful to continue to grow. Boychuk has incredible power on his slap shot, and if he can focus on increasing his accuracy this year, he can be an effective weapon from the point. I think Boychuk might even be able to be paired with Chara on the top line if needed. It might even work out better with a Seidenberg-Stuart line so that both of the developing D men have a NHL veteran to play alongside them.
3) Hunwick/McQuaid - Ference
There isn't much talk going on about the positional battle that I expect to see between Hunwick and McQuaid for the final D spot on the roster. The Bruins cap problems have been well diagnosed and discussed, and Hunwick carries a $1.4 mil cap hit as opposed to McQuaid's $.575 cap hit...a savings of almost $900,000. While it won't fix the problem, it may be a piece of the puzzle that the Bruins can consider when trying to become cap compliant. Hunwick has certainly had his struggles with his time in Boston. At 5'10 and 187lbs, he is a smaller defender who relies on his speed to counteract the opponents offensive rush. Last year, whether it was inconsistency in line pairings or just a regression, Hunwick just wasn't nearly as effective as he had been in 2008-2009. While this is his last year under contract, Hunwick will be looking to have a solid campaign in order to remain in Boston. McQuaid has the size that Hunwick is lacking as he is listed at 6'4 and 197 but has little when it comes to NHL experience. Last year was his first season in Boston, and in the 19 games he saw action in, we got a glimpse at a defensive project who might be ready to be a full time Bruin this year. Having a 2 way contract as opposed to Hunwick having a 1 way contract might help McQuaid in the argument to start him in Boston. I am hesitant to have both Ference and Hunwick on the same line as they are both undersized. With the tight leash that Hunwick should find himself on this training camp, it wouldn't be surprising to me to see McQuaid take that last spot. I am still questioning the contract extension the Bruins handed out to the oft-injured Ferrence this year. In fact, if I remember correctly, he was given the extension while he was currently injured....to me it just doesn't add up. I know the Bruins have him projected as a 2nd pair defense men but I just don't think he will be healthy enough and consistently productive to be placed here. He is a gritty player who plays smart and controlled with nothing flashy in his game. That's not a negative, but he just isn't someone to get overly excited about. I do like the leadership he can/could bring to the team and I think we will really need to see that from him this year. He can log a lot of minutes on the ice, so he may make that 2nd pair this year...I just would like to see that time given to Stuart or Boychuk instead.
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