Thanks for the.....Demotion?

Much maligned Bruins forward Blake Wheeler's play has been, to say the least, less than pleasing to the masses at The Garden over the past year or so. Coach Claude Julien has been toying with line combinations for most of the season to find the right spot for Wheeler. He has spent time on the second and third lines for the majority of his career as a Bruin.

The University of Minnesota product was, much to the fan's chagrin, re-signed by the team before the season. Although his numbers are decent, it seems Blake, to take a quote from the movie "Miracle", needs to be told "Don't forget to bring your game." Inconsistent play has plagued #26 for the better part of two seasons (not to be singled out as multiple other Bruins have been labeled as inconsistent).

But with the surprising quality play from previously unknown forward Brad Marchand, Wheeler has found his self dealing with a demotion to the fourth line alongside agitator Gregory Campbell and fan favorite tough guy Shawn Thornton. Although a demotion can have an adverse effect on a player’s confidence, it seems Blake is thriving in his new role as the newest addition to the "Energy Line."

But Energy is exactly what Wheeler is giving the Bruins in the Past few Games. He notched a helper during a 7-0 rout of the Carolina Hurricanes during a matinee on Martin Luther King Day. The next evening, the Bruins were getting shelled by the Canes during the second period of Boston’s 3-2 victory at RBC Center, Julien called on Wheelers unit late in the period. They kept sustained pressure in the Hurricanes zone for the entire shift and energized a Bruins third period rally for the victory. In yesterday’s 4-2 defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres, Wheeler made an appearance on the score sheet with a heady redirect pass to Campbell in the slot for the second goal of the game. The trio was also able to establish an effective cycle with some quality puck possession for most of the game.

One can only speculate as to why Wheeler has found success so quickly. It could be that, while on the second and third lines, he was trying to keep up with the other skill players while playing a reactionary style and now, while on the fourth line, he has the ability to control the play. This “demotion” could result in the boost he needs to become a consistent producer for a Cup-Hungry franchise.