After a disappointing 4-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, the Boston Bruins will have enough time to regroup in order to get back in the mix for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. As the NHL enters a two-week break during the Four Nations Face-Off, interim head coach Joe Sacco announced a crucial decision involving one key teammate of captain Brad Marchand.
The Bruins will have four players participating in the NHL’s mid-season competition: Brad Marchand (Team Canada), Elias Lindholm (Sweden), Charlie McAvoy (Team USA), and Jeremy Swayman (Team USA). The rest of the team will have two weeks off to recover and recharge ahead of a jam-packed regular season finale, as they battle in a heated playoff race in the East.
While the weeks of rest are deeply appreciated by the players, as they get the chance to be with their families, not every player in Boston will be granted that luxury. Joe Sacco announced pivotal movements within the organization that involve a key teammate of Marchand.
Matthew Poitras and Michael Callahan have been dropped down to the AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins. With this move, Sacco hopes to keep them in game shape and ensure they don’t lose a step when the season resumes after the international competition.
Key contributor
While 25-year-old Callahan plays mostly on the team’s third defensive pairing, sophomore Poitras has stepped up into a bigger role this season and has played alongside Marchand in the second line in many occasion, though he’s been mostly on the third line recently.
Poitras centers the Bruins’ secondary power-play unit and has recorded six points over the last ten games, though none have come on the man advantage. However, this is less a criticism of Poitras and more a reflection of Boston’s struggling power play, which is operating at a 14.5% success rate—third-worst in the NHL.
Marchand’s wish isn’t granted
While Marchand will get the chance to represent the Maple Leaf during the upcoming Four Nations Face-Off, his longing to play alongside fellow Nova Scotian mates, Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon wasn’t fulfilled by head coach Jon Cooper.
Marchand will slot in on the third line, while MacKinnon and Crosby will play together on the second line and the top power-play unit. Although Marchand won’t be used on the man advantage—at least for now—he will lead the primary penalty kill unit.
On that note, Marchand’s PK unit played lights-out during the media-open scrimmages held by Team Canada ahead of their Feb. 12 debut against Finland at Bell Centre.