The Boston Bruins are at a crossroads entering the 2017-18 season. Boston has the talent to contend for a playoff spot but a lot will need to go their way for that to happen in an improved Atlantic division. A year ago, the Bruins made the playoffs as the third-seed in their division but finished with the same record as the Toronto Maple Leafs just one point up on the Tampa Bay Lightning. With Toronto and Tampa Bay both set to take another step forward, Boston will be in tough to make the postseason in 2017-18.
How They Finished Last Season
The Bruins recorded 44 wins a year ago and finished with 95 points. While the ending was decent, the season as a whole was a bit bizarre. They had a fairly decent start to the season but faded in January. They were 15-10-1 to start the year but mostly played .500 hockey through the end of the calendar year. Then January hit and they started to slip. They went 11-13-5 in their next 29 games and that seemed to make management sour. They ended up firing head coach Claude Julien in a bit of a surprising move. But the move gave the team a big shot in the arm as they went on to win seven of their next eight, which was their best stretch of the season. The Bruins were 26-23-6 when they fired Julien but then finished the year 18-8-2, which is a big reason why they even made the playoffs.
Boston wouldn’t last long in the playoffs as they went on to lose to the Ottawa Senators in six games in the opening round. It was a close series as each of their six games decided by a single goal including four games that ended in overtime. The Bruins probably underestimated the Senators a little bit and it cost them. However, Boston finished the regular season strong and now heads into the 2017-18 season with optimism.
What Changed In The Offseason
The Bruins had one of the quietest offseasons of any NHL club. Boston added defenseman Paul Postma, but lost defensemen Colin Miller and Joe Morrow as well as veteran center Dominic Moore. The Bruins biggest splash was signing winger David Pastrnak to a six-year deal. Pastrnak has star potential but even if he takes another step forward this season. Even if he does, Boston will rely heavily on the same roster they had last year to try to get back to the postseason. The lack of offseason movement is a big reason why the Bruins are one of a handful of candidates to take a step back in the Eastern Conference in 2017-18.
Most Valuable Fantasy Hockey Asset
Pastrnak took a massive step forward as a 20-year-old last season when he produced the ninth-most points among all NHL wingers with 70. Pastrnak scored 34 goals and registered 24 points in a breakout season that led to a massive contract extension over the summer. Pastrnak has the potential to be even better this season and it will be interesting to see if he can flirt with 40 goals and 80 points. The Bruins will give him every opportunity to produce at both even strength and with the man advantage this season.
Regular Season Win Total Outlook
The NHL futures regular season win total for the Bruins has been set at 44.5, which is a little high considering their lack of additions following last year’s disappointing finish. The Montreal Canadiens were the only team in the Atlantic division to finish with more than 44 wins last season. Boston finished with 44 but will have a hard time even getting to that mark again this season with some improved competition within the division. The Bruins still have enough talent and depth to challenge for a playoff spot but expecting them to do better than they did a year ago is a lot to ask of a team that didn’t upgrade in the offseason. Montreal, Toronto and Tampa Bay all improved on paper so the pressure will be on Boston to try to repeat as a playoff team.
Pick: Under 44.5 Wins
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