Couple of interesting points here. Colorado weren't ranked in the top tier for any of their forward groups, and were for their defense largely based on the otherworldly talent of Makar. Reinforces how well balanced that team is - not super-stacked in any one area, just very very good across the board. With Georgiev and Francouz in net though, goaltending will remain their question mark again.
Other Atlantic teams like the Sens, Red Wings and even the Sabres are all taking steps forward, as we know, but at least on paper they aren't at the Bruins' level yet. What they each be banking on is some of their younger talent really progressing and being able to hold their form through a long gruelling season. Up and comers tend to fade post-New Year's, can one of them buck that trend?
Yost really rips into the Bruins in the piece on RWs:
"...if the Bruins (stop me if you have heard this one before) could get any firepower in the deeper parts of their lineup, they really would be a tough out again this year. The Bruins entire lineup comes off extraordinarily top-heavy and while that’s plenty enough to get through regular season play, it makes them vulnerable against deeper teams. Case in point: Boston’s struggles against Carolina all of last year. I’m not sure the top of the Hurricanes lineup is any more talented than the Bruins, but I am certain the bottom-half of their lineup is an order of magnitude better. And watching the games, you can see it – Carolina’s entire lineup plays at a ferocious and unrelenting pace, whereas half of Boston’s does.
He is at least not entirely wrong. I don't agree with 'extraordinarily top-heavy' but nonetheless Boston IS in the weird position where they only have one player earning more than $6.7 mil but they still lack depth. The same issue has bitten them in the playoffs three seasons in a row now and we're banking on Zacha, a returning Zboril and whichever kids can step up to change that narrative. That's asking a lot and depth is again going to be one of the big stories in terms of whether the Bruins have it in them to go further in 22/23.
