Thoughts on the Boston Bruins?

[nmbr_24]

The Bruins will need to fill a couple of key positions to have success. They need a winger or two for David Krejci. The good news is that they have a bunch of forwards who could be ready for the NHL as soon as this season. Whether they will be able to fill a spot on the second line or not is going to be the biggest question.

Finding a second line forward or two would enable David Backes and Ryan Spooner to form what could be a fantastic third line. Wherever these young forwards slot in, they are going to be about 6-7 of them competing for whatever spots are open.

On D they have Chara, Krug, and Carlo penciled in to the top 4 and if McAvoy plays anywhere close to how he played in the playoffs he will be in the top 4 as well. Kevan Miller who thrived in the playoffs in a top 4 spot will anchor the bottom pairing with either Paul Postma or Adam McQuaid to round out the bottom pair and be the extra D.

Rask was far better than many seem to think he was last season. If he didn't play so well they would not have made the playoffs. He basically spent 80% of the season without a reliable back up. That is another key hole that has to be filled. Whether Khudobin continues to play like he did after Julien was fired is going to determine whether they need to find another solution.

That leaves the best line in the NHL.

They are a work in progress. They are also better than last season in my opinion.

 

[kmo429]

Barzal is not a #1C prospect. Poor mans RNH.

A poor man's RNH so like, a 35-40 point player? Barzal is a quick, high skill, high IQ guy. If hios skills don't translate to the NHL, he won't have the size or grittiness to be a long term NHLer in the top 6. With that, his ceiling is without a doubt 1C potential. No one can predict the likelihood he reaches his upper level potential but he certainly has the potential to be a 60-70 point C in the NHL, which would make him a 1C.

 

[Onry]

My disdain for the Bruins dates back to this when I was a wee lad:



Other than that, I hope they bottom out and draft a total bust next year.

I was at that game, courtesy of an old girlfriend. Third fight that night. Despite my Bruins hate, they'll contend ahead if my Sabres for the playoffs again this year.

 

[BruinLVGA]

They have some elite forwards, but not a lot of scoring depth. Their defense is okay, but I want to see more from Carlo and McAvoy before I'm convinced that the blueline is a long term strength. I'd say they're set up to be a bubble or slightly better team in the East for many years to come, but I'm not really worried that they're going to be an outrageously stacked team. They will need their young blueliners to be bonafide stars if they want to have lasting success as Bergeron and Krejci will probably start slowing down at some point in the next five years, and they don't have replacements lined up yet. A few good drafts could change that, but that's Sweeny we're talking about.

I'm well aware of my own bias, as I am a card carrying member of the "Hate the Bruins Club".

I don't hate Marchand that much.

As a self professed member of the Bruins haters club, this is not an awful post at all. You nailed it especially with the lack of scoring depth. This is currently our major, major problem. After line 1 and 2, the scoring literally drops off a steep cliff.

 

[BruinLVGA]

Great first line. Defence is atrocious, goaltending is meh, forward depth might be among the worst in the league. If Bergeron declines they are a lottery team.

9th in GA in the whole league in 16-17 + 2nd best in the league for shots allowed + brought Ottawa to 6 games with pretty much all our regular defensemen out injured + Carlo/McAvoy incoming = you are comically wrong.

 

[Teufelsdreck]

Rather ridiculous. We have been drafting nothing but D and draft very well we did. Talking about the next few years without thinking about the fact that good players can be hired/drafted is a major fail. If anything, history indicates that the Bruins make it work pretty much on a constant basis (43 playoffs in the past 50 seasons, never missed the playoffs for more than two seasons in a row in that span). As pretty much everyone knows, the Bruins have been retooling for a couple of years and while doing that, missed the playoffs by 1 point and 0 points and then back into the playoffs. That's the kind of franchise you are talking about. Counting the Bruins out is a mistake.

While the Bruins are retooling Bergeron, Krejci, and Chara continue to age.

 

[BadBruins]

Slowly going down the ranks, soon to have worst D in the league, only Bergeron, Pasta, Rask and Marchand going forward. The next few years they'll be a Wild Card or bust team. Tampa, Ottawa, Toronto will be tough teams to get passed, then Buffalo getting better will put them in the shadow with Detroit.

The outlook for the D is one of the few things that is promising. I'm openly against a lot of what Sweeney has done, but the focus beefing up the blueline through the draft is something I've always wanted to see. Can't do it though trade or free agency.

2015 - Zboril (13) - Carlo (37) - Lauzon (45)
2016 - McAvoy (14) - Lindgren (49)
2017 - Vaakanainen (18)

McAvoy and Carlo are NHL'ers. Carlo was the Bruins #3 defenseman last year. McAvoy was their #2 in the playoffs. To go along with Krug, that's a solid starting young foundation. Zboril, Lauzon, Lindgren, and Vaakanainen have legit top 2-4 upside. Just need one to hit, or even kind of hit, and they will be golden on the back end. My money is on Lauzon.

I agree with those suggesting they are generally shallow at the NHL level. Too many "training camp battles" for my liking. Can go a number of ways.

 

[BruinLVGA]

While the Bruins are retooling Bergeron, Krejci, and Chara continue to age.

It would have been a miracle if they stayed the same age.

Anyways, the retool is pretty much done, Bergeron turned 32 in July, Krejci is 31: they have probably another 5 outstanding years left in the tank or more. Chara just ended a 24 minutes TOI season at age 40. Drop him to 19-20 and he will play for a few years more and still be very effective. And if he doesn't, we have a high profile kid named McAvoy that can become the face of the franchise for D.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

One of the best lines in the league and Krug is great, but not much of anything else. I think McAvoy will be great but overall Boston is a bubble team with their best years behind them

 

[These Are The Days]

As a team I hate them and wish them nothing but years of pain.

A few individual players I like on the team.

Marchand isn't one of them.

I couldn't find the right words but I'm glad I could find it in someone else just a mere 4 posts in.

Couldn't have said it any better.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Great first line. Defence is atrocious, goaltending is meh, forward depth might be among the worst in the league. If Bergeron declines they are a lottery team.

Could not be more wrong if you actually tried.

 

[GellMann]

About a year ago I was laughing because I was sure they were going to crash and burn very soon.

With the emergence of Carlo and McAvoy and the play of Krug recently, the defensive implosion is not going to happen.

They should be able to stay in the playoffs regularly during this "lull", and if they can find/draft/develop a few centers in the next 5 years or so, they'll have had a brilliant retool.