What could the Bruins lineup look like with Dmitry Orlov and Garnett Hathaway?

VANCOUVER – Dmitry Orlov and Garnett Hathaway were scheduled to land in Vancouver on Friday night. It is possible that the former Capitals will play their newly-enhanced employer on Saturday against the Canucks.

However, the Puck drop, at 4 p.m. local time. The Bruins will not hold a morning sled. So if all sides conclude that Saturday is the day Orloff and Hathaway make their debuts, they’ll do so without a single tuning on the ice with their new teammates.

That may be fine.

“It’s finally going to be their chance,” said Coach Jim Montgomery. “I would have imagined the excitement of putting on a Type B uniform and joining us and they would want to play. That would be a conversation I had with them.”

If Orloff and Hathaway want to play, Montgomery will have to make some tough decisions, especially on defense. Orlov gives the Bruins eight defensemen in the league. Jakob Zboril, who played as the No. 7 defender in Thursday’s 6-5 win over the Kraken, is likely to return to the press box. Who will join Zaburil upstairs at Rogers Arena is unknown.

The other six defensemen have played together in 36 consecutive games. None of them deserve to be seated. For now, Montgomery could offer it as an opportunity for relief.

“That would be who we think might need a night off,” Montgomery said. “We’ve got seven, eight really good defensemen. We’re spoiled by embarrassment of riches. There’s going to be a turnover there.”

Montgomery met with the defensemen after the trade on Thursday. He knows that, as individuals, they are considering how Orlov’s arrival will affect their prestige. It could be that in the playoffs, for example, Matt Grzelcyk finds himself out — assuming a fully intact blue line — due to his previous postseason performance.

At their meeting, Montgomery reminded the defenders of all the injuries they had picked up in the playoffs. In the past two years alone, Grzelecik (shoulder, head), Hampus Lindholm (header), Charlie McAvoy (shoulder, COVID-19) and Brandon Carlow (header) have all missed some time in the postseason. Everyone will be needed, even if the Blue Line is now more crowded than before. The team, after all, comes before the individual.

“That’s not the Bruins culture,” Montgomery said of players who think of themselves first. “That’s why we communicate about it. We talk about it. It’s like, ‘Hey, we wanted everyone here. ‘Cause you’re all going to help us win. Orlov’s coming to help us win. Hathaway’s coming to help us win. We’re deeper, right? We’re the best fit for a deep playoff run.” Hopefully we can have that kind of success as we have a deep playoff run.”

Grzelcyk played at 14:00 against Kraken, the least of the six regular defensemen. If Grzelcyk sits out on Saturday, Orlov could see time on McAvoy’s side. That would make the transition very easy. According to Montgomery, the Capitals play a man-to-man variation on their ending. The Bruins play zone defense, which can take a while to understand. It will take Orloff more than a pre-game video session to get his bearings.

However, Orlov should not be upside down if he plays.

“The adrenaline of playing your first game in a new uniform, the excitement of closing in and getting ahead, is something you want to do so much as a player,” said Montgomery.

It should be easier for Hathaway, given his position and straight-forward style. He is not known for taking shortcuts. Hathaway is enjoying taking the most direct route of checking his opponent next week.

“He’s a guy you don’t like playing against because he plays you hard,” said Charlie Coyle, Hathaway’s former coaching partner at Foxborough’s Edge Performance Systems. “He’s finished his checks. He’s a guy who’s going to be very important to us, especially game time. He’s a playoff kind of guy. You want those guys on your team.”

Hathaway’s lineup position depends in part on whether Thomas Nozick plays. The fourth line center practices on Friday for the third day in a row. Nosek, who missed 12 straight games due to a broken foot, is a prospect against the Canucks.

If Nosk plays, Montgomery said Hathaway will be the No. 4 right winger. Nick Foligno will be on the opposite flank. Foligno and Hathaway are both belligerent and eager to put opponents through the glass.

“The way he plays, he’s an all-out effort, kind of with heart and soul,” said Foligno. “When you have those people in your team who understand the importance of that role, first of all, it makes you a much tougher team to play against. Then he’s also a guy you line up with, you know what he’d do for your club. He puts you in the hole together a little bit. He’s a guy with potential.” He brings a lot of players into combat the way he plays.”

In this case, Nosek’s fourth line Trent Frederic could return to right wing No. 3 next to Coyle and Taylor Hall. AJ Greer will take a day off tonight.

If Nosek does not play, Foligno will likely remain the third right winger. Hathaway will ride with Greer and Frederick on the fourth line. Totaling 630 pounds.

“He works so hard,” Coyle said. “We push each other in the weight room. He’s a great guy. Because he pushes himself. He pushes others. I’m sure he does that on the ice as well and in the locker room, which is good. These are just the kind of guys who are willing to work and make the effort to play the right way.” It fits that description very well.”

(Photo by Dmitry Orlov: John McCreary/NHLI via Getty Images)