Boston Bruins: Ondrej Kase doesn’t deserve a roster spot

It wouldn’t be surprising if Boston Bruins fans forgot about Ondrej Kase. He has been an afterthought and has been unable to stay on the ice. At this point, a roster spot in Boston shouldn’t be guaranteed.

Kase is still sidelined with an injury after taking a big hit from Miles Wood. He is skating, but Bruce Cassidy said that there isn’t a timeline for his return.

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With Kase’s concussion history, fans should be nervous not just about this season but his future. It looks like Kase might not return for a while.

Why the Boston Bruins shouldn’t force Ondrej Kase into the lineup.

Since being acquired, Kase has played in less than 20 games for Boston. He has yet to tally a goal and has five assists. On the surface, his Bruins career has been an absolute bust.

There is no doubt that Kase is a skillful winger but when you combine his health with his inability to score, he is more of a hindrance than an asset.

Kase also had issues returning to the United States when the NHL announced they would resume play in 2020. Both he and David Pastrnak ended up arriving late and that surely had to upset Bruce Cassidy and the front office. While Pastrnak was able to get away with it because of his scoring output, the same can’t be said for Kase.

Finally, there is the simple fact that Boston has players already performing well in the lineup currently. Kase shouldn’t get dibs on a spot with how players such as Nick Ritchie, Trent Frederic, and Jack Studnicka have been playing.

In order to fit Kase into the roster someone like Studnicka or Frederic could likely lose their spot. Also, Ritchie could get demoted even though he is having a phenomenal season. He is a top five scorer for the Bruins with seven goals and seven assists.

Honestly at this point it might be time for the Bruins to simply move on from Kase. A move could be difficult to find considering his injury history, but since he is still relatively young, a team might be willing to take a chance on him.

It’s time for Boston to invest in players like Frederic and Studnicka. It’s time to see what the kids can do. There is also Jakub Lauko who is tearing it up down in the AHL.

So the Boston Bruins shouldn’t sacrifice their current line pairings just to get Kase in the lineup. He had his chance and he was unable to do anything with it. A fresh start would be beneficial for both parties.