The regular season hasn’t even started yet, and the coaches’ plans have taken over. Hockey Boston lost another offensive support and again has to mix with the lines. After all, a completely Czech attack could be created that way.
Star Taylor Hall was originally supposed to play with David Krejčí and Pastrňák, but he injured his upper body in practice against Philadelphia over the weekend. He probably paid for the situation in the second period, when he fell uncontrollably to the ice after being hit by a high stick from defender Ronnie Attard.
According to Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery, it wasn’t supposed to be anything serious at first, but then the winger’s status changed to “week-to-week,” meaning Hall would be back in weeks rather than days.
So it’s possible Boston will enter the regular season on Oct. 12 without its top two lefties. Brad Marchand, whose hip surgery will be out until at least the end of November, will definitely be missing.
Coach Montgomery has to reassemble the second line. First of all, he thought that instead of the injured Hall, he would put Pavel Zacha next to Krejčí and Pastrňák and create a Czech trio.
“It will be easier for them to understand each other. Not because of the language, but because they grew up in the same hockey school,” said the team’s new coach.
He then elaborated on his idea: “Toward the end of my playing career, I went to Russia (in the 2003/04 season, editor’s note) just to learn how they work with hockey players there. I was thinking about training even then. And it’s incredible how everyone from the same hockey school plays the same. So the Russians get along quite easily on the ice, and it’s the same with other European countries.”
Zacha was slated to play alongside elite center Patrice Bergeron and Jake DeBrusk until Marchand’s return. He made his Bruins debut with them over the weekend against Philadelphia and contributed one assist to the 4-0 win.
But the day after the match, he was already training alongside Pastrňák and Krejčí.
So far, Montgomery has nothing but praise for Zach, who came in a trade from New Jersey in the summer. “What I like about him is that he’s getting better every day in camp, which is the mark of a good NHL player,” the coach said. “I’ve been surprised by how much he can do on the ice. I can’t say I’ve watched him closely before, but from what I’ve seen, he’s showing better puck play and overall awareness.”
Instead of Zacha, the experienced Nick Foligno, the improving Trent Frederic or AJ Greer, who has not yet fully established himself in the NHL, could start alongside captain Bergeron.
“We will try different options. Of course, Bergy will have a big say in this, because he has to sit down with that player. One of the options is still Zacha. Hopefully we will solve it in the rest of the camp,” added Montgomery.
The Zacha – Krejčí – Pastrňák formation is close anyway. It would be a minor sensation.
The completely Czech line last appeared in the NHL in 2014 in Arizona, where Martin Erat, Martin Hanzal and Radim Vrbata played together. However, due to injuries and unconvincing performances, the offense soon fell apart. Petr Nedvěd, Radek Dvořák and Jan Hlaváč left the biggest mark behind them, who shone together at the turn of the millennium with the New York Rangers.
