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Help on the way: Bruins get Pastrnak back, while Backes getting closer

Boston Bruins v Toronto Maple Leafs

TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 15: David Pastrnak #88 of the Boston Bruins waits for a faceoff against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game on October 15, 2016 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Leafs defeated the Bruins 4-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

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The Boston Bruins will get David Pastrnak back from suspension tomorrow in Tampa Bay. Because of that, they announced this morning that forward Danton Heinen has been assigned to AHL Providence.

Heinen, a 21-year-old rookie, played seven games for the B’s, failing to register a point while skating mostly with center David Krejci.

Indeed, scoring has been an issue for the Bruins (4-4-0), who now have the 26th-ranked offense in the NHL. The B’s have won their last two thanks to the return of Tuukka Rask, but nine games into the season they only have four players with two or more goals: Brad Marchand (5), Pastrnak (4), Dominic Moore (3), and David Backes (2). Six others have one, the rest none, for a total of just 20 goals.

Backes has missed the last four games due to elbow surgery. He won’t play tomorrow in Tampa Bay, but the 32-year-old was back skating today in Boston, suggesting a return Saturday at home to the Rangers may be in the cards.

Tomorrow against the Lightning, Pastrnak could be reunited with Marchand and Patrice Bergeron on the top line, with Krejci centering a second line between Austin Czarnik and Ryan Spooner.

However they line up, the Bruins could really use some scoring beyond their few contributors to date. Wingers Matt Beleskey and Kevin Hayes have each been held pointless in their first nine games. Those two have mostly been centered by newcomer Riley Nash, who’s also been held pointless.

“There are some guys that aren’t where they should be production-wise,” said head coach Claude Julien, per CSN New England’s Joe Haggerty. “You hope it’s gonna come and they get their game where it should be.”

The return of Backes could help in one of two ways. First, he could play right wing with Krejci. Or two, he could center Beleskey and Hayes.

Unfortunately for the Bruins, he can’t do both.

As for Heinen?

“We saw some spurts of [creativity and offense] during the regular season, but in his case he probably needs to go down there, get better, get more confident and get stronger,” said Julien, per CSN New England. “We talked to him about that as far as getting better, but we’re certainly not unhappy with him. I thought he had a great camp and he’s going to be a great player for the future, whether it’s shortly or a little later. I think he has all the potential to be a good player in this league.”