We’re only 14 games into the 2024-25 Boston Bruins season, and as of November 6th, they sit just a point off Tampa Bay for third in their division. But one can’t help but feel this iteration of the Bruins more closely resembles the 2014-15/2015-16 version rather than the world-beaters of years past.
A brief retrospective: In 2015 and 2016, the Bruins failed to make the playoffs after riding the coattails of a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2013 and a Presidents Trophy in 2014.
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Determining what ultimately sinks an 82-game-long season is never easy. But lackluster offense certainly doesn’t help. Patrice Bergeron set the high-water mark for points in both years with 55 and 68. Unsurprising their power play operated at 17.84%, slightly below league average, and 20.51%, which was slightly above league average. Compare that to 2022-2024 team leader David Pastrnak and his 223 points and consecutive power plays clicking at 22.22%, and the difference is obvious.
Unlike their Montgomery-era predecessors, who lost a combined 32 regulation games. Boston is off to their worst start at 6-7-1, holds a -12 goal differential, an abysmal 13.33% power play, and a woeful 76.19% penalty kill. What were once pillars of their structure are now the very things holding them back.
Take the Washington Capitals, Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild, Winnipeg Jets, and Florida Panthers, for example. They’re all enjoying tremendous starts and feature at least one member in the league’s top 10 in points scored. In short, success often comes off the back of your best players. While Pastrnak and Brad Marchand top Boston’s point production, the top five are rounded out by Mark Kastelic and Cole Koepke. Depth scoring is always welcome. But its a clear everyone has more to contribute.
Glancing at NHL.com’s league-wide point leaders and you’ll need to scroll to find a Bruin. Pastrnak ranks 82nd, Marchand 110th, and Hampus Lindholm, Boston’s point leader on defense, is 310th.
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Now is it fair to expect your stars will carry you to victory night in and night out? Of course not. At the same time, you’d like them not to put you at a disadvantage. Montgomery went after Marchand on the bench in Utah for a turnover, which ultimately resulted in a disallowed goal against. Last week, Pastrnak sat out the entirety of the third period against the Seattle Kraken, a “coaches decision.”
Truthfully, you never know which version of this team you’re going to get. Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde? Whether it’s getting your doors blown off by the Hurricanes on Halloween, rebounding for back-to-back shutouts of the Philadelphia Flyers and Seattle, or going belly up against an Auston Matthews-less Toronto Maple Leafs, any step forward seems to require two backward.
Granted, they hold the benefit of not only time but equally mundane starts from division rivals, enabling them to turn things around. But ask anyone who has found themselves stuck in a New England blizzard, and they’ll tell you whenever your tires are spinning, seconds feel like an eternity until you find traction.
For now here’s to hoping they bust out of their funk. As well as the Ottawa Senators not calling up their third string goalie who goes 20–1–2 to end the season. Or this year’s version of Brent Connolly doesn’t break his finger mere days after joining the team via trade.
