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NHL coach on Bruins’ forward depth: “God bless them, but they have two fourth lines”

Boston Bruins v Winnipeg Jets

WINNIPEG, CANADA - FEBRUARY 17: Boston Bruins’ head coach Claude Julien talks to David Krejci #46 on the bench in a game against the Winnipeg Jets in NHL action at the MTS Centre on February 17, 2012 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Marianne Helm/Getty Images)

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In his latest installment of previews for playoff-bound teams, ESPN’s Craig Custance tackled the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins.

The Bruins hope to become the first repeat champion since Detroit won back-to-back Cups in 1997-98 but, as one NHL coach said, their title defense will be difficult given their lack of depth up front.

“They have two fourth lines,” the coach told Custance. “God bless them, but they have two fourth lines with the injuries they have. There’s not a lot of offensive depth.”

That quote might come as a surprise, given the Bruins sit third overall in the NHL with 254 goals. Boston also has six 20-goal scorers (Tyler Seguin, Brad Marchand, Milan Lucic, David Krejci, Patrice Bergeron and Chris Kelly), so depth doesn’t appear to be a major issue.

But, digging a little deeper...

During their run to the Stanley Cup last spring, the Bruins got a combined 21 goals from Michael Ryder, Nathan Horton and Mark Recchi. Ryder is in Dallas. Recchi is retired and Horton isn’t close to returning from his second concussion in the last year. Adding a guy like Edmonton’s Ryan Smyth at the deadline would have been ideal, but he wasn’t available.

Brian Rolston has been a nice find for the Bruins with 14 points in 20 games since being traded to Boston by the Islanders, but his production has cooled and it’s asking a lot to expect Recchi-like production from Rolston in the postseason.

“There’s a reason [Roltson] was available,” said an NHL source. “Recchi was a really special player. Something special.”

Against Pittsburgh on Tuesday, the Bruins rolled Benoit Pouliot-Chris Kelly-Rolston and Dan Paille-Gregory Campbell-Shawn Thornton as their third and fourth lines (or, two fourth lines.)

Jordan Caron also draws into that mix but after him, options are limited -- especially compared to last postseason, when Boston had the luxury of platooning in the likes of Seguin (who didn’t play the first two rounds) and Thornton (who got parked after Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals, only to re-emerged for Game 3 of the Cup finals.)