Khusnutdinov Gets His Extension. The Center Depth Problem Stays.

The Bruins locked up Marat Khusnutdinov on a three-year extension Wednesday, and the 24-year-old earned it — 15 goals and 33 points in a breakout campaign last season. It's a reasonable piece of business, the kind of move you make when a young forward shows he belongs.

It just doesn't touch what actually ails this roster. Center is a genuine problem. Pavel Zacha is the top option at the position, and behind him there's essentially nothing — Alex Steeves has produced nothing in the role, and Morgan Geekie isn't far ahead of him. That's a thin middle for a team built around David Pastrnak, who I noted back in September needs real support around him to make any of this work. Left wing isn't better: Lukas Reichel is listed as the starter but has contributed next to nothing, leaving Brian Halonen and Tanner Jeannot to carry the position.

The Fraser Minten extension, reported a week ago, drew some optimism about the center situation — and if Minten develops into a legitimate second-line pivot, that matters. But that's a projection, not a solution on the ice right now.

Khusnutdinov's deal is fine. The Bruins needed to do it. But the holes at center and left wing were there in September and they're still there today, and a three-year extension for a forward who doesn't play either position doesn't change that math.