The Boston Bruins had to deal with the tough departures of Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Tyler Bertuzzi, Dmitry Orlov, and Garnet Hathaway over the summer.

Since then, they haven't made any blockbuster moves to replace them but still signed a few players in the free agent market.

Now, Jim Montgomery, the Bruins' head coach, revealed his early thoughts on the Bruins' lineup.

Montgomery's Early Thoughts on the Bruins' Lineup

Losing your first two centers is a tough blow to any team. They have significantly fewer top assets than last season, and they'll need to spread them a bit more in the lineup.

Here's what Montgomery believes will be the Bruins' top six next season:

Van Riemsdyk - Zacha - Pastrnak
Marchand - Coyle - DeBrusk

For the rest, he doesn't really know yet:

"Everything else is going to be a work in progress," said Montgomery. "The great thing is there are lots of opportunities for the players that are returning, like AJ Greers, Jakub Lauko, and obviously Trent Frederic. We think he's going to be a big part of the third line. But who plays with whom? I try not to get fixated on that, even though I might have ideas. I like to see it play out in camp and have the opportunity to see chemistry develop."

New Arrivals

Many intriguing players joined the Bruins this summer, such as Milan Lucic, James van Riemsdyk, Kevin Shattenkirk, Morgan Geekie, and Patrick Brown.

What's interesting is that all of them have short-term contracts. This means they'll absolutely try to prove their value to get the biggest possible deal next season.

However, we doubt this will be enough to replace Bergeron, Krejci, and the others.

In the tough Atlantic Division, where the Senators, the Sabres, and the Red Wings are looking to surprise and clinch a playoff spot, don't be surprised if the Bruins don't make it far this year.

As seen on Boston Herald - Jim Montgomery still bullish on the Bruins

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Jim Montgomery Reveals How the Bruins Will Survive Without Bergeron and Krecji