As of October 21, the Bruins are 3-1-1-0.

A nice start, no?

The arrival of hockey season only serves to remind me that winter is around the corner, when walking to my car in daily subzero weather is prefaced by a short prayer, and each start of the engine is akin to a minor miracle. Unshoveled sidewalks and parking space wars, all for Jack Frost’s grandiose amusement, and my misery.

And the icy months will serve to chill Bruins’ fans enthusiasm about the season’s fortunes and playoff prospects. After all, consider the following…

The Bruins lost their best forward from last season in winger Bill Guerin. The 40 plus goal scorer signed on with the Dallas Stars for a princely sum of 45 million dollars over five years. The issue of economics aside, the Bruins did little, if nothing, to replace Guerin’s production.

Come crunch time, a player of the power forward’s caliber becomes essential, and the team has no proven athlete that fits the bill. His grit and leadership skills don’t show up on the score sheet, but the locker room will miss his presence.

The exile of Byron Dafoe may come back to haunt the Bruins. The team felt that his money demands were ludicrous, and its assessment may be validated by the stark fact that no other NHL team has approached the former starter to sign.

The concern lies not in the fact that the Dafoe is no longer with the team, but that a committee of mediocre goaltenders is his collective replacement. John Grahame is tabbed as the number one, but who knows if he is ready. (Grahame is also injured at the moment with a separated shoulder, the effects of which will become apparent as the season progresses.)

The nomadic Steve Shields has NHL experience and the Bruins went into the season with him as the backup. He was signed as insurance in case Grahame faltered and he will now have the opportunity to showcase his ability in front of Boston fans and media.

The minor league affiliate Providence Bruins has no discernible young stud that is ready to protect the pipes is the situation arises. Currently, Tim Thomas is designated as the team’s call up. Although he played an admirable game against the Edmonton Oilers last Saturday, again, the lack of experience should make Bruins management uneasy.

The absence of Kyle McLaren leaves the defense in a precarious state. The team should take responsibility for the alienation that McLaren’s feels, who grew tired of the cat and mouse game of management in regard to contract negotiation. He plans on sitting out until he is traded. With all due respect to longtime Bruin Don Sweeney, McLaren’s size and physical play make him the team’s best defenseman. If the Bruins do eventually trade him, it is hard to imagine they will receive anything of comparable value for the blueliner, since the team is in the hard luck place of retaining a player who no longer wants to play for the organization that drafted him.

After a successful and surprising season, the Bruins have regressed in player improvement and depth. The team had an extraordinary opportunity to advance far in last year’s playoffs, but the Montreal Canadiens had something to say about that. The above average start the team has had should not be blown out of proportion; it’s a long season that spans seven months. I’m only saying that the team’s fortunes look to me like winter does: long, cold, and very little daylight.