![]() Bruins gain hope for the upcoming seasons with top defensive prospect, Charlie McAvoy. McAvoy, a Boston University blue-liner, was drafted in the first round by Boston in the 2016 season. The last time a defensemen was picked in the first round was Dougie Hamilton in ‘09. Hamilton has since been traded to the Calgary Flames in return for the first round pick in ‘16, which was used to snag McAvoy. The Bruins have been extremely weak at the defensive positions the last couple of seasons, having a fatigued Chara doesn’t help them much either. The Bruins’ captain, “Big Z,” has been overplayed too much and tends to become injured easily. With not too many other Veteran defenseman, Charlie McAvoy may fit well into the Bruins’ system. Other Bruins’ defensive prospects include Jakub Zboril, Brandon Carlo, Jeremy Lauzon from the 2015 NHL Draft and Selecting Ryan Lindgren in the ‘16 Draft. Zboril has been watched closely for his chance at a spot on the Providence Bruins (Boston Bruins farm team). It is a big deal to be drafted in the first round as a defenseman. McAvoy has the potential to be a force on the Bruins. He played first-line, Division 1 college hockey on an already stacked team and finished in second place on his team with a career high of twenty-two assists, three goals, and a plus/ minus of ten. His leadership led the Boston University Terriers to the Frozen Four quarter finals. The BU blue-liner was ecstatic to have been picked in the first round… even to be picked at all. The Bruins real defensive downfall started to snowball when they traded Johnny Boychuk in October of 2014. “Johnny Rocket” was a staple of the Bruins blue line. Finishing his time in Boston, he put away five goals and drove in eighteen assists. After spending 6 seasons with the Bruins, it was his time to leave as he was traded to the New York Islanders for draft picks. Those draft picks don’t amount to anything compared to the skilled “Johnny Rocket.” After Boychuk’s departure, nothing was the same. Torey Krug had just recently come up from Providence and already had to fill a big spot in the B’s lineup. Krug at a very young age had to step up and make his debut in the playoffs. His first game was against the New York Rangers in the 2014 playoffs. From the start he was a great contributor to the defensive line up. He netted 4 playoff goals, but as everyone knows in sports, it takes a team to win. No one man can carry a team to a Stanley Cup. The Bruins have been “rebuilding” and Don Sweeney has been working to do what he promised. Chara has been overworked for the longest time he averages over twenty minutes of playing time per game. He’s becoming too old to play long games and becoming fatigued early on in the season, leaving the Bruins with barely any leadership.
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