It took a while before the BruinsBelieved in Jack Studnicka. In 2017 as a second-year pro, he scored 23 goals in 60 games and had 26 assists to help lead Providence in scoring for 2019-20.
The right-shot center looked like someone who could be a viable replacement. Patrice BergeronOder David Krejci. He was a fast player. He was innovative. Studnicka was creative and scored seven of his 20 goals in the penalty-kill that season.
Then, something happened. Studnicka’s growth curve went in the wrong direction. The Bruins traded Studnicka, 23, to Vancouver on Thursday for AHL goalie Michael DiPietro as well as the rights to Jonathan Myrenberg (19), a Swedish defenseman.
“His initial onboarding was really good,” said general manager Don Sweeney. “Trajectory was really good. He kinda stalled a little bit during the COVID years, which was very disjointed for many players. It was then up and down. Opportunities everywhere. No fault of Jack’s. Maybe more fault on ours in terms of not being able to get him fully acclimated to the level he had been playing at in the AHL and producing.”
Studnicka tried. Studnicka was a Boston resident before 2021-22. He gained 15 poundsTo be stronger on the puck.
Studnicka was able to join the big club in Czechia with David Krejci. He had a great camp. However, the Bruins preferred Bergeron. Charlie Coyle, Erik HaulaAnd Tomas NosekHe is at the center. He was at the center.
The Bruins traded Jack Studnicka from the Canucks to Michael DiPietro for Jonathan Myrenberg.https://t.co/urZ7To1X50
— The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) October 28, 2022
The Bruins tried it too. Studnicka was asked to play right wing. It didn’t go according to plan. It was obvious that he wasn’t strong enough to withstand the wall.
This season, without waivers options remaining, Studnicka’s best chance at regular ice time was targeting Nosek’s job as No. 4 center. He did well at camp. But coach Jim Montgomery preferred Nosek’s defensive awareness, experience and flexibility. Studnicka began the year as a healthy scratch. He wasn’t going to replace Bergeron, Krejci or Coyle.
“It’s really hard,” said Montgomery. “We’ve got four centers that are perfectly slotted. We have a solution for any center that is injured. Pavel Zacha who’s played there numerous games in the league.”
Studnicka had his chance against AnaheimOctober 20, 2008. It was disastrous. He only played 8:01. Montgomery was forced to stop playing his shifts. Studnicka received two minor penalties. He got stripped prior to Anaheim’s only goal. Studnicka was able to slip back into the Same patternHe was unable to learn from his mistakes, which was something that bothered him and Bruce Cassidy before he became his coach.
“Just didn’t find the traction when he had his opportunities to really take advantage of it,” Sweeney said. “I think Jack would admit he didn’t play his absolute best hockey the other night. But he’s a great kid. He works hard. He cares deeply. He’s probably hard on himself to allow some of the mistakes to just pass through. I wish him nothing but the best.”
In the short-term, the deal means that the Bruins will be down two points. Krejci was injured in the second period of Thursday’s 5-1 win over Detroit after Michael RasmussenHe was taken to the board. Krejci will not be available for the Blue JacketsFriday. Zacha will be moving from the wing to the center. The Bruins might need to recall a forward from Providence.
Long term, Studnicka’s flameout makes the Bruins’ center situation even thinner. Zacha Trent FredericAnd Nick Folignocan be the middle player, but none of the three projects to be top-two material for Bergeron and Krejci.
John Beecher, the 2019 first-round selection, is without points in Providence. Georgii Merkulov signed as a college-free agent and has scored four goals and provided one assist in five games.
“You generally have to draft impact centers,” Sweeney said. “But Pavel’s a great example of the depth of the organization. Charlie Coyle comes in to increase the organization’s depth. It will be crucial for us to try and grow the next players. We’ve got some young players in Poitras and Spicer, hopefully down the road, will develop into NHL players. It will be interesting to see what happens. Every team in this league is trying to do exactly the same at each position. We’re going to be no different. We must do our best. Providence is doing an amazing job in helping men with all kinds of situations. You’ve got to try and execute a trade if you have to to fill a gap.”
(Photo: James Guillory/USA Today
