If somebody gave you a remote control to rewind to six weeks ago before the beginning of this season, what were your expectations for the Boston Bruins?
Heck, rewind roughly three weeks, right after the Bruins lost six straight games and sat at 3-6-0 after a 3-0-0 start
How did you think things would go the rest of the way?
Almost everyone wrote the team off. The odds had the Bruins as one of the longest shots to make the playoffs.
Mix in an indefinite injury to Elias Lindholm (has missed the last 7 games) and an injury that sidelined Hampus Lindholm for 8 early games, and you'd have thought this team might be last in the NHL.
Instead, these Bruins defeated the media darling Montreal Canadiens last night in the Bell Centre, surging into first place in the Atlantic Division through their first 20 games of the season, unofficially the quarter mark of their season.
How have they gotten there? There are a few things that have anchored this team.
Firstly, the team's gotten elite goaltending from both Jeremy Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo, especially during this 9-2-0 run, with a seven-game win streak mixed in.
The level from Swayman's been impressive, and Korpisalo's been nothing short of excellent in almost every start.
Beyond that, Morgan Geekie and David Pastrnak both are on 40+ goal paces, with Pastrnak inside the top five of the NHL in total scoring.
Depth forwards Mark Kastelic and Marat Khusnutdinov have been phenomenal since breaking camp, with Kastelic's motor being the best on the team while Khusnutdinov's excelled as the team's top-line center in lieu of Elias Lindholm.
Fraser Minten's been another key piece throughout the season, dominating play at both 5v5 and on the penalty kill. Ditto for Tanner Jeannot, the biggest signing of the summer.
Defensively, it cannot be overstated how big Hampus Lindholm's effect on this team is. The Bruins are 10-2-0 when he's played this year and just 2-6-0 when he hasn't.
That type of split speaks for itself, but the level of stability he's brought has been remarkable. Now with Charlie McAvoy injured, he's going to absorb top power play minutes along with even more responsibilities at even strength.
Jonathan Aspirot's been a story of the season, with his steady play earning himself consistent playing time, even at the expense of Mason Lohrei and Henri Jokiharju.
It doesn't get easier from here for Boston. Elias Lindholm, McAvoy, Casey Mittelstadt, and now Viktor Arvidsson are all on the shelf for some time.
The Bruins have excelled despite doubters this year. They'll host the Carolina Hurricanes tomorrow and then ship out to California for a trio of games in five days.
In all likelihood, they'll be without any of those listed players for that road trip, with Boston's depth set to be tested to a whole new level.
For now, they're happily in first place, continuing to exceed all expectations.