Going into the season, it didn’t seem like it was a guarantee that the Bruins would even make the playoffs. Obviously, based on recent years of success, one can assume that they would be in pretty good shape, but with the realigned divisions, some people weren’t sure if the Bruins would be a top four team in this division. All that speculation and doubt has now gone to bed as the B’s sit in first place in the Eastern Division and have been playing some terrific hockey.
One of the biggest surprises this season is how good the Bruins defense has been. So far this season, the Bruins are third in goals allowed and first in shots on goal allowed. After losing captain Zdeno Chara and offensive defenseman Torey Krug, people thought that the Bruins defense would suffer. However, that has not been the case, as the young defensemen that have stepped up have fit in seamlessly and look as if they are NHL ready.
On the offense of end, it has been the usual suspects that have always been here for the Bruins. The perfection line has been nothing short of perfect. At the age of 35 years old, Patrice Bergeron is on track to have yet another career season, and in just nine games, David Pastrnak has had two hat tricks, including one being at the outdoor game on Lake Tahoe. The Bruins have struggled with injury on the second line, as Ondrej Kase has been out since the second game of the season, Jake Debrusk has missed some time, and now David Krejci is set to miss some time due to an injury suffered at Lake Tahoe. Despite these injuries, players like Nick Richie and Craig Smith have stepped up in the scoring department. Ritchie has been close to a point per game this season, as he has 13 points in 16 games. If the Bruins can get continued secondary scoring, they should be in good shape in the standings.
When it comes to the goaltending side of things, it has been the same old. For the past three seasons, the Bruins have had the pleasure of having one of the best goalie tandems in the entire league. Tuukka Rask currently has a 7–2–1 record and Jaroslav Halak holds a 4–1–1 record. It is safe to say that if the defense continues to allow the league the least number of shots per game, then both Rask and Halak should end the season with exceptional stats.
Early in the season, the biggest emphasis was that points were at a premium. That had to get the change, but the Bruins have created a bit of a cushion in the standings for themselves. However, one rough stretch, or one bad losing streak, could be the difference between coming in first place and potentially missing the playoffs in this division. As of right now, the top priority for the Bruins is to keep everyone healthy. The Bruins currently have a couple key players out due to injury, like Krejci and defenseman, Jeremy Lauzon, but if the Bruins can continue to win games without these players, I don’t see a reason to rush them back into action. The B’s have a lot going for them this season and need to keep up the pace. And with reports that fans could be coming back in March, there could be a lot to look forward to as the playoffs inch closer.