The Boston Bruins need to be deeper down the middle of the ice
The Boston Bruins need to figure out the center position before the 2024-25 season begins. That was a big issue for them in this series vs the Florida Panthers.
They are strong at goalie, on the wing, and defense but they couldn't get what they needed in the center of the ice.
Last summer, both Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci retired from the NHL. That created the big hole at center for Boston.
Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle are good players but they didn't cut it as top-six centers in this series. It is hard when you are going up against guys like Sasha Barkov, Sam Bennett, and Anton Lundell.
You aren't going to just find a franchise center anywhere. They are very hard to come by. Normally, those truly elite guys are only drafted in the top five but there are plenty that find their way down the draft.
The Bruins may not need to get a guy like that right now though. They just need to find a player or two that can be an upgrade. If they do that, they can slot Zacha and Coyle down into more fitting spots in the lineup. We'll see who becomes available during the summer.