Bruins Report Cards: Few Bright Spots In Forward Group
BOSTON (CBS) - To describe the Bruins' offense this past season as being as effective as a popgun would be an insult to popguns.
More than any other aspect of their game, the Bruins' offense cost them a chance to be in the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2014-15. The Bruins ranked 23rd in the NHL with 2.55 goals scored per game and were in the bottom third of the league rankings most of the season.
Most of the blame for Boston's struggles putting the puck in the net falls on the forwards, who almost all had disappointing seasons. Heck, the Bruins' leading scorer had 55 points.
Here are the grades for the Bruins' forwards:
Patrice Bergeron
Grade: A-
Despite a slow start to the season, Bergeron led the team with 55 points and was second with 23 goals. He came up well shy of the 30 goals he scored in 2013-14, but he's not expected to carry the Bruins' offense. His defensive play and possession statistics were still elite and if one player could've willed the Bruins into the playoffs it would've been Bergeron.
Gregory Campbell
Grade: F
One of the worst possession players in the league, Campbell managed to survive without a healthy scratch until April. Although coach Claude Julien leaned on Campbell to take key faceoffs as a left-handed shot and kill penalties, Campbell's constant presence in the lineup was a reflection of the Bruins' misreading of their organizational depth. Unlike past seasons, there were hardly any nights when the Bruins' fourth line, centered by Campbell, was difficult to play against.
Brett Connolly
Grade: Incomplete
The former Tampa Bay forward's five-game audition with Boston after he returned from injury showed off his lethal shot around the net and willingness to muck it up in the trenches. He also showed a propensity for taking foolish penalties.
Loui Eriksson
Grade: B
A great bounce-back year by Eriksson was highlighted by him finishing second on the team with 47 points and third with 22 goals. He finally showed the two-way game general manager Peter Chiarelli bragged about when the trade with Dallas was made and also regained his form as a courageous player around the net. Too bad the Bruins had too many players that were reliant on playing with certain lines and they couldn't maximize Eriksson's ability by moving him up. He still led all forwards in average ice time. Eriksson guaranteed he'll be in Boston's top six next season or serve as a coveted trade chip this summer.
Chris Kelly
Grade: D
Coming off a serious back injury, Kelly at least proved he could stay healthy in 2014-15. As always, he was sound defensively and provided leadership. But he didn't score a goal after Feb. 13. The Bruins needed more contributions from Kelly in tangible areas.
David Krejci
Grade: C
After signing a six-year extension prior to the season, Krejci made it through just 47 games because of assorted injuries. The knee injury from late in the year should be in his past. But the injury from early in the season could turn out to be something that nags him in the future if not corrected. Krejci's unwillingness to share details about it raised suspicions. Amazingly, he was producing early in the season even though he was in and out of the lineup a few times. But he was never the player the Bruins paid for this season.
Milan Lucic
Grade: F
This was Lucic's chance to prove the Bruins could rely on him to be a consistent catalyst. Coming off a 24 goal season, Lucic failed. He scored 18 goals. It took way too long for him to hit his stride and he only briefly figured out a way to produce without Krejci on his line. Lucic should get some benefit of the doubt for having to play without Krejci and also coming back quick from offseason wrist surgery, but $6 million doesn't buy anyone benefit of the doubt.
Brad Marchand
Grade: B
Just when it looked like Marchand was going to produce his most consistent season of his NHL career, he went 15 games without a goal during the stretch run. He scored in the back-breaking loss to Florida and then also potted a goal in the meaningless game against Tampa Bay on the last night of the season. But when the Bruins needed Marchand the most, he disappeared like he did in the 2014 playoffs. He also grew up emotionally and limited his run-ins with the league and coaching staff.
Daniel Paille
Grade: F
Like his linemate Campbell, Paille was given a long leash by Julien. The speedy forward tripped over that leash constantly. He went 36 games without a goal at one point. You could excuse him if he was bringing anything else to the team in that stretch. But he wasn't. And he even had a chance to play higher in the lineup and failed. Paille was a valuable penalty killer, but was another reminder of how much the Bruins' depth failed. By the end of the season, Julien lost faith in Paille and scratched the forward for the final nine games.
Reilly Smith
Grade: F
If Smith's drop off statistically (he scored 13 goals after a 20-goal season in 2013-14) wasn't scary enough, his decrease in engagement during games made his season horrific. He lacked confidence to put his offensive skills to better use and didn't do anything to win enough battles or get in better scoring position.
Carl Soderberg
Grade: B-
With 44 points and 13 goals, Soderberg experienced only a slight drop in his production. He proved that when cast as a third-line center and joined on a line with Eriksson, he could make an impact. But he did little to make up for Krejci's absence when asked to play an expanded role. And Soderberg went one stretch of 24 games without a goal. He said he wasn't a sniper. No one asked him to be a sniper, just to not score like a plumber.
Max Talbot
Grade: C
In 18 games with Boston, he had three assists but was unable to reinvigorate the fourth line for a long stretch. Talbot was brought in as much for his off-ice presence as his on-ice ability. Maybe his leadership will be helpful next season.
Ryan Spooner
Grade: B
There were two different NHL seasons for Spooner. He went five games without a point to start the season. Then he returned to Boston in February and had 18 points in 24 games. He was the only center to get anything out of Lucic this season. Although there's no telling what the Bruins have planned for Spooner, he at least made his case to be in the NHL somewhere.
David Pastrnak
Grade: A-
The 18-year-old struggled under the glare of the playoff race and couldn't earn more minutes against heavier opponents. However, he not only proved he had an NHL-ready offensive game, he also showed he could learn defensive concepts and apply them to the best of his current ability. He skated hard every shift and was fearless in the so-called dirty areas.
Seth Griffith
Grade: B-
Although his Boston stint ended in January, Griffith accelerated his development and made a major impact for the Bruins when they needed him most. He had six goals in 30 games. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to produce any hint of consistency and wound up back with Providence in the AHL for the second half of the season. Still, he wasn't supposed to do anything in the NHL this season, so now he has a head start on 2014-15.
Looking Ahead
A full training camp will help Connolly establish his position among the Bruins' top six and he could turn out to be Chiarelli's best parting gift to the Bruins. ... Pastrnak is definitely a keeper who will only get better at both ends of the ice with experience. ... On the other hand, it'll be difficult for the next GM to decide what to do about Smith after his Jekyll and Hyde first two seasons with the Bruins. ... Talbot is signed for next season, but he's cheap enough that the Bruins could cut him if they decide to go really young on their fourth line. ... Brian Ferlin will definitely be a candidate for a bottom-six role next season after a solid seven-game stint in Boston. Ferlin, Matt Lindblad and Justin Florek should give the Bruins options that will prevent them from wasting time with a veteran line. ... Spooner and Alexander Khokhlachev should push Soderberg, an unrestricted free agent July 1, off the roster. ... Lucic's contract situation will look over the Bruins until it's resolved. Boston will have to decide whether to sign him to an extension after July 1, trade him or let him play out his contract year. Every GM candidate is probably losing sleep over how to solve that predicament during the interview process with president Cam Neely.
Matt Kalman covers the Bruins for CBSBoston.com and also contributes to NHL.com and several other media outlets. Follow him on Twitter @TheBruinsBlog.
