Tonight’s Atlantic Division match-up between the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers will see the return of two of the 2016-17 season’s biggest breakout stars and the season debut of another breakout candidate. According to coach Claude Julien, the Bruins will welcome back David Pastrnak to the lineup after he missed the past two games following surgery to remove an olecranon bursa from his right elbow and will get their first look this season at 2015-16 revelation Frank Vatrano, who has been out all season after tearing ligaments in his foot during training camp. To counter, the Panthers expect Jonathan Marchessault back in the lineup after missing seven of Florida’s past eight games with a lower body injury , as reported by beat writer George Richards. With both teams struggling to best .500 hockey in December, they are hoping that the return of this talent will jump-start the rest of the squad. However, only one team can come out with the win on Thursday night.
Pastrnak has been one of the most exciting players in the NHL this season. Playing on Boston’s top line with Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron, Pastrnak has 19 goals in just 27 games already this year, nearly a quarter of Boston’s 78 total goals. His 19 are second only to superstar Sidney Crosby, who has 22 in the same number of games. Altogether, the 20-year-old Pastrnak has 26 points, just one short of his career-best, and the season is not even halfway over. By year’s end, the Bruins could have their first 50-goal scorer since Cam Neely scored 50 in 1993-94.
The Bruins are obviously excited about Pastrnak’s season, but it has been even more crucial to their success given the unexpected absence of Vatrano. After leaving UMass-Amherst early to sign with the Bruins, Vatrano made the most of his first pro season in 2015-16. With the AHL’s Providence Bruins, Vatrano led the league with 36 goals (in just 36 games no less) and helped linemates Austin Czarnik and Seth Griffith finish in the top ten in scoring as well. With his scoring ability apparent, the Bruins called up the 22-year-old sniper and he contributed eight goals and three assists in 39 games in Boston. Going into the new season, Vatrano was expected to compete for a top six spot. Now that he has returned, Vatrano’s scoring punch will be a much-needed boost for the Bruins’ 25th-ranked offense. Vatrano is expected to skate on the left side of Providence teammate Czarnik and Riley Nash on Botston’s third line tonight.
While not quite keeping pace with Pastrnak, Marchessault has been an equally impressive and surprising revelation this season. After toiling in the minors for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning for years, Marchessault signed with Florida for two years at just $750K per year. That deal has already paid off, as Marchessault made the team out of camp and has already given the Panthers 10 goals and 10 assists this season. Florida is also struggling to score, with the 24th-ranked offense in the league, and Marchessault is their leading goal-scorer. They’ll be happy to get him back, and just in time for a game against a team that leads them in the division.
The Bruins have had 2 40 goal scores since 1993-94 Bill Guerin got 41 in 2001-02 and Glen Murray potted 44 a year later