Flavin Media

Charlie Coyle on the team's play tonight:

"You gotta find ways to get to the net more… maybe we're not getting to the inside as much."#NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/a8bvnqDm2p

— NESN (@NESN) October 23, 2024

The 2024–2025 Bruins look undermanned and hesitant so far to start the season. Something has to change, or someone has to be brought up fast.

The offense, as pointed out by Charlie Coyle both after the game and in between periods, needs to play more physically and get inside to the Grade A ice. Not only are they not playing to the sort of identity we’ve talked about for weeks, but they generally look a bit careless—and definitely aged.

Forward Lines Fix in Mind:

Marchand – Lindholm – Pastrnak (Try a new version of Perfection Line)

Frederic – Coyle – Zacha (Get Coyle with Frederic to help revitalize Frederic)

Geekie- Poitras – Brazeau (Support Poitras’ size problem with two bruisers)

Koepke – Beecher – Kastelic (4th line = GOOD)

As for the defense, although they had been keeping goal totals down recently before last night, any and all pairings are playing slow and without any conviction in who they are. Zadorov, the bigger guy, needs to be with McAvoy to allow him to play looser. Other than that, the main adjustment the defense needs is to stop playing so timidly when defending oncoming forwards.

Let’s see if these NHL-level changes and coaching points—as opposed to call-ups—will culminate…