With injuries mounting, the Boston Bruins have had to rely on their depth early on. As a result, young players such as Trent Frederic, Urho Vaakanainen, and Zach Senyshyn have seen time in the NHL. The injury news only worsened on Monday afternoon as it was announced that Patrice Bergeron would be out indefinitely. In his place, the Bruins recalled prized prospect Jack Studnicka, who has been on fire in Providence over the last few weeks.
The Bruins took Studnicka in the second round of the 2017 NHL draft with the 53rd overall pick. Since then, he has risen to the top of the Bruins’ prospect list due to his offensive talent. The 20-year-old has only played in 26 games in Providence over the past two years but recorded 23 points. Although the rookie has lofty expectations to fulfill, the Bruins showed their faith in the young center Tuesday night.
With the Bruins facing off against their arch rival the Montreal Canadiens Studnicka was placed on the second line alongside Charlie Coyle and Jake DeBrusk. The rookie was impressive as he recorded one assist and won eight out of twelve faceoffs. Studnicka also played 18 shifts and a total ice time of 14:30. He did not seem daunted by the increased pressure in his first taste of NHL action.
Heinen makes it 8-1 and Studnicka gets his first NHL point with an assist #NHLBruins https://t.co/JdirHOioWG
— Jamie Gatlin (@JamieGatlin17) November 27, 2019
Although Studnicka cannot replace Bergeron’s skill, he showed in his debut why the future in Boston is bright. The 20-year-old has a special scoring touch but also can put his linemates in a position to be successful. He was good with the puck and did not back down from any challenge. With Bergeron’s status uncertain, the Bruins will need that talent to help fuel the offense.
Furthermore, every game will not be as easy as Tuesday night. The Bruins displayed their depth as twelve different players recorded a point. The second line, which was a force, factored into four of the Bruins’ eight goals. It was an impressive performance, considering the pieces that are missing.
While Studnicka still has a lot to learn, his debut was a success. His future remains bright as the Bruins hope Tuesday night was the start of something special.
