Everyone’s NHL Team Needs a Cornerstone Player to Base Their Team Around…Who Will it Be For the Boston Bruins?

Every NHL team needs a cornerstone player to base their team around. A stud to rely on when times are tough for the team. As a fan of the Boston Bruins, I believe that they have struggled to find that guy completely ever since Chara was at his ceiling of play. Patrice Bergeron took the reigns for a little bit, but ultimately the small injuries and somewhat lack of offensive output may have taken that away from him. Brad Marchand had the goals to be “the guy” in the 2016-17 season, and is certainly a skilled player, but with injuries and his age it may be too late. I even thought David Pastrnak could be it with a great season with 70 total points with 34 goals. Since the elite Chara era the cornerstone of the Bruins franchise was a committee of Bergeron, Marchand, and Pastrnak, but after watching the playoff series and the start of the 2017-18 season, I now know who will be the future face of the Bruins for the next 10-15 years.

He is Charlie McAvoy. Not to over exaggerate, but this kid is a total stud. He played unbelievably well in his first few games in the NHL, which was in the PLAYOFFS against a team that took the loaded Pittsburgh Penguins to seven games and ONE GAME away from the CUP FINALS!! Granted at the time the Senators did not really have a star forward, but Charlie is a guy that is an Erik Karlsson and Drew Doughty type defensemen. Although he has not gained the comparison to Karlsson yet, the way he could help his team could be like Erik Karlsson. However, coming out of college at Boston University last April, NHL reporters and GMs said he has the play style of someone like Drew Doughty, but at a little faster pace.

Having seen him play many many times in person at the Tsongas Center in Lowell while he attended BU, it was always a treat to watch him play. Often times he would be doing it all pretty much from his defensemen spot and burning my Riverhawks by taking the puck low in the zone, battling everywhere on the boards, or even leading the offensive rush. He seemed to always make the big play for the Terriers when they needed it. After seeing him play for the first time I knew he was something special. So I looked up his draft stock and it was through the roof (no wonder why with his skill level). It was awesome to watch him play even if my team lost at his hands. I was elated when the Bruins drafted him, and when he was selected to the US Junior team I had to watch. He was the MVP of the Gold medal game against Canada, tallying a goal and an assist in the shootout win over the powerhouse Canada. Luckily I got to see him one more time in person in one of his final college hockey games and he was phenomenal again.

How does he fit into the future of the Bruins?? When Peter Chiarelli left the Bruins and current GM, Don Sweeney, took over he somewhat blew up the core of the team and got draft picks for that years draft, which included moves like Lucic to the Kings for Martin Jones, which led to two first round picks. The team seemed to have no real identity. Having the young guys like Pastrnak and newly drafted rookies headlined by Jake DeBrusk mixed with veterans like Chara, Krejci, and Bergeron, who are not getting any younger. To me it seems the only reason Chara is still around is to help the bigger picture for the B’s, which is the future. McAvoy is paired with Chara to learn for the future.  They want to win now to help the young guys down the road. I know in the NHL all it takes is a goalie to get hot and you can go all the way, but with all the talent around the league today I am not sure if the Bruins are true Cup contenders. In the whole grand scheme, Charlie McAvoy is the future of the Bruins. I am talking Caulder Trophy contender this year and Norris trophies throughout his career. Charlie is the real deal and I have not been this excited for a Bruins player since Tyler Seguin. Being the face of Boston hockey will be his for many years to come.

Written by Mason Wilkins