Entering the 2019-2020 season, Jeremy Lauzon was coming off his first taste of NHL action.
The former second-round pick appeared in 16 games the year before as the Bruins blueline was decimated by injuries. While Lauzon performed well, he battled injuries down the stretch. As a result, Lauzon did not appear in the playoffs and began this season in Providence. Over the last month, however, Lauzon has gotten a second chance and became an integral part of the Bruins roster.
Lauzon appeared in one game in December before returning to the NHL Jan. 21st against Las Vegas. Against the Golden Knights, Lauzon recorded his first goal of the season and has been hard to keep off the ice ever since.
Great play by Jeremy Lauzon to tie up Coleman and negate a prime scoring chance for Tampa. pic.twitter.com/RRXyGpfDRd
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) March 4, 2020
In 17 games this season, Lauzon is averaging 15:17 ice time per game and has one assist. He has also landed 29 hits and blocked 18 shots. The Canadian native has been smart with the puck as he only has five giveaways this season.
Additionally, Lauzon has shown a knack for coming up with big plays when needed most. In the second period on Thursday night, he prevented a superb scoring chance by Aleksander Barkov with a poke check. He also had a big defensive breakup against Tampa Bay Tuesday when the Bruins held a one-goal lead late in the third period.
Jeremy Lauzon with a BIG defensive breakup on Blake Coleman.
Lauzon’s been very solid tonight. pic.twitter.com/42geQTJMu5
— Evan Marinofsky (@EvanMarinofsky) March 4, 2020
While the Bruins lead Tampa Bay by 11 points Lauzon is playing a crucial role against teams fighting for their playoff lives. He uses his size, strength, and reach to break up plays. While the Bruins have dealt with injuries to players such as Connor Clifton, Lauzon has filled in perfectly at a critical time.
Lauzon was called up to be a solid third-line defenseman, and deliver big hits. He has done exactly that and is seemingly improving every game. His emergence has made John Moore and Kevan Miller expendable as the Bruins look to re-sign key players such as Jake DeBrusk and Torey Krug this offseason.
Furthermore, Lauzon has set himself apart in a system that is stacked with defensemen. The Bruins also have Urho Vaakanainen and Jakub Zboril waiting for their chance down in Providence. Lauzon’s play has allowed them to develop their skills without being rushed.
Although the regular season is nearly over, Lauzon is just getting started. He has been a key piece of this team of late and will only be relied on more as the pressure continues to increase down the stretch.
