The Boston Bruins faced a difficult start to the season with key players like Charlie McAvoy, Matt Grzelcyk, and their best player Brad Marchand unavailable for the first few games due to injuries.
This news is not helped by the fact that the Bruins did little or nothing in the offseason to suggest that they are ready to compete with the top dogs and fight for a seventh championship. It’s unlikely that many fans of NHL betting would back the Bruins to go all the way this year, particularly as pre-season odds didn’t look like great value.
The Atlantic Division is arguably the most competitive in the league, but the Bruins seem to have folded their arms while the rest of the division passes them by. The Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, and Buffalo Sabres made big moves during this offseason. They will look to hamper the Bruin’s chances of making a seventh consecutive playoff appearance.
This team lacks the depth to compete, and it is safe to say that things might not go their way in Jim Montgomery’s first season as head coach.
With a 51-26-5 record and 107 points, the Boston Bruins finished 4th in the Atlantic Division and qualified for the playoffs. They lost in the first round to the Carolina Hurricanes.
The last time the Bruins failed to qualify for the playoffs was in 2016. They reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 2019, eventually losing 4-3 to the St. Louis Blues.
They will look to replicate their 2019 success and go further to win their seventh Championship.
The Boston Bruins, also known as the Bruins, compete in the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL) under the Atlantic Division. They play their home games at the TD Garden (the same venue as the NBA’s Boston Celtics).
Founded in 1924, the Bruins are one of the oldest active teams in the league and the oldest among teams based in the United States. They initially played their home games at the Matthews Arena before moving to the Boston Garden, where they played for 67 seasons from 1928 to 1995.
They form a part of the “Original Six,” alongside the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, and Detroit Red Wings. These teams were part of the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1942 and 1967.
The Bruins have won six Stanley Cup Championships; These victories came in 1929, 1939, 1941, 1970, 1972, and the most recent in 2011. They are tied for the fourth-most of any NHL team with the Blackhawks and second-most for an NHL team based in the United States.
The 1930s Bruins are considered one of the greatest dynasties in the league’s history; That team led the league’s standings five times in the decade and helped Boston capture its second Stanley Cup. It included players like Shore, Thompson, Babe Siebert, and Cooney Weiland.
The Boston Bruins are affiliated with several Hall of Famers and Hall of Fame Builders. This long list includes legendary goaltender Frank Brimsek who won the Vezina and Calder Trophies in his rookie season.
This team shares a notable rivalry with the Montreal Canadiens, and some consider it one of the greatest rivalries in sports. Both teams have faced off more times (both regular season and playoffs) than any other two teams in the league’s history.