The Boston Bruins have long been regarded as a top shelf Eastern Conference playoff contender but that perception is beginning to change. After several years as one of the top teams in the NHL that included a 2011 Stanley Cup and 2013 Eastern Conference championship, the B’s were struggling to get the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Just as disturbing was the fact that there were signs that the Bruins lofty stature as one of the best teams in the game could be over.
Mediocre Metrics
Boston was an underwhelming 19-15-6 on the season and in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. The Bruins peaked on Nov. 21 with a mark of 13-8 and have gone 6-7-6 since that time. Boston is coming off a horrible week in which they lost home games to Toronto and Ottawa before a 2-1 shootout loss at last-place Carolina on Sunday. The Bruins ranked 21st in the NHL for goal scoring while ranking 16th for goals against. What has been just as disturbing as the weak numbers has been Boston’s noticeable lack of passion on the ice.
Lethargy Setting In
It’s bad enough for a team that still considers itself a top shelf contender to lose to a bad team like Carolina. But to be out-shot 36-20 by the Hurricanes and to go the first 16:55 of the game without a shot is an embarrassment, if not a flat out disgrace. Head coach Claude Julien gambled by starting G Tuukka Rask in back to back weekend games and had lost the bet in that loss at Carolina.
Julien Defends Players
“How much do we want to jump on our players,” asked Julien. “I think we’ve got to focus on tomorrow. Take our loss here, move forward and go win ourselves a game.”
The coach is yet to publicly call out his struggling team and is trying to ride out the slump with a steady demeanor.
Leadership Lacks
What has been most disturbing about Boston’s struggles has been the lack of effort and a leadership gap that is as noticeable as the Bruins lack of a sniper that can light the lamp with regularity.
Julien has begun to resort to juggling lines as he flipped top LW Milan Lucic with Brad Marchand in the Saturday loss to Ottawa. Lucic has been one of the Bruins biggest disappointments as the carryover from his undisciplined playoff series against Montreal last spring has continued.
Rask, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, has also slumped and, as Julien stated, has not “stood on his head” and stolen games like in the past.
Boston was a team that was showing more age and wear by the game as the years of deep playoff runs and battles are taking their toll.
