The Boston Bruins' subpar season last year is becoming a distant memory. The Bruins' resurgence is fueled by impressive depth and great performances from star winger David Pastrnak, solidifying their playoff contention.
Last season, the Boston Bruins had a nightmare year. They failed to make the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2015-16, finishing last in the Atlantic Division with a 33-39-10 record.
In addition, the Bruins dealt team captain Brad Marchand and veteran defenseman Brandon Carlo, putting the focus on their longer-term future.
Lo and behold, Boston is showing this season that last year was an anomaly, and selling their older assets for younger players was the right call.
The Bs struggled out of the gate this season, posting a six-game losing streak that dropped their record to 3-6-0. But in short order, they posted a seven-game win streak – and although they’ve been one of the streakier teams this season, since Dec. 29, the Bruins have gone 10-2-0 to occupy the second and final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
With Boston’s win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, the Bruins now have a five-point gap between them and the next closest teams chasing them for a playoff spot. They’re thriving because they’re getting meaningful contributions from up and down the roster.
To wit: star right winger David Pastrnak has at least one point in 11 of his last 12 games. In that span, Pastrnak has generated a total of six goals and 17 assists for 23 points. To say he’s carrying the team would be unfair to his teammates, but there’s no question Pastrnak has been one of the league’s best players this year – and he definitely should be in the conversation for the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player.
Meanwhile, other Bruins are doing their part to make Boston compatible. Star defenseman Charlie McAvoy has posted 29 assists and 33 points in 40 games, putting him on pace for 51 assists and 58 points – and that would set a new career-high in the assist and point department.
He’s also averaging 24:04 of ice time per game. This is what an elite D-man looks like.
David Pastrnak has eclipsed the 100-point mark in three consecutive seasons, and Charlie McAvoy ranks 11th in points per game among defenseman. (Natalie Reid-Imagn Images)In addition, Boston is succeeding in part because they’ve got great years from many of their younger players. Twenty-three-year-old center Marat Khusnutdinov has 11 goals and 22 points while averaging just 14:10 of ice time. Twenty-one-year-old center Fraser Minten has 13 goals and 25 points while averaging only 14:38. And 26-year-old winger Alex Steeves has eight goals and 14 points while averaging just 12:14.
The Bruins receiving contributions from up and down the lineup allows stars like Pastrnak to be free of the burden of doing all the heavy lifting for the team. It also means Boston’s opponents can’t focus on shutting down only one Bruins line. The Bs can hurt you in many different ways, and that bodes well for their future.
Now, we’re not saying Boston should be considered a favorite to win a Cup this season. There’s still a lot of hockey to be played, and there’s no guarantee the Bruins will hold on to their playoff spot. Their streakiness speaks to the Bruins' unevenness.
That said, we’re not sure we’d want to play Boston in the first round. They’re playing with house money this season, and there’s a distinct possibility they can continue to exceed expectations this season.
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