The NHL's official Facebook account has revealed their defense projections for each team in the Atlantic Division. This includes the Boston Bruins, of course.
For the Bruins' top pairing, the NHL's account sees Mason Lohrei skating alongside Charlie McAvoy. McAvoy being on the right side of the Bruins' top pairing is a no-brainer, as he is by far their best right-shot defenseman. However, things get more interesting when it comes to Lohrei, as he is a young offensive defenseman on the rise. Perhaps playing with a steady veteran blueliner like McAvoy could help Lohrei take that next step in his development.
For the Bruins' second pairing, the NHL's account sees Hampus Lindholm playing with Henri Jokiharju. While Lindholm is the Bruins' top left-shot defenseman, he has often played on their second pairing instead of with McAvoy. As for Jokiharju, it would be understandable if he got top-four minutes after landing his nice three-year, $9 million deal this off-season.
As for the Bruins' bottom pairing, the NHL's account has Nikita Zadorov playing with Andrew Peeke. The Bruins have had these two players together in the past, so it would not be too surprising if they did again. However, Zadorov could be a candidate for top-four minutes, given his importance to their blueline.
It is going to be interesting to see what the Bruins' defense pairings look like on opening night. They certainly have multiple options to consider with their blueline.
