By: Ryan Bosworth | Follow me on Twitter / X @RyanJBosworth
For the first time in eight years, the Boston Bruins have been officially eliminated from the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoff contention. Their last postseason miss came in the 2015-16 season, but thanks to a win by the Montreal Canadiens over the Philadelphia Flyers, the Bruins can no longer clinch a berth in this year’s playoffs.
The Bruins had previously secured a postseason spot in each of the past eight seasons, starting with the 2016-17 campaign. However, despite consistent playoff appearances, they only advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals once, in 2018-19, where they fell short in seven games against the St. Louis Blues.
As Ty Anderson reports, this elimination marks the earliest they’ve been eliminated from postseason contention since the 2006-07 season. The 2006-07 saw the Bruins get eliminated from contention in late March of 2007, just slightly earlier than the 2024-25 Bruins squad.
A combination of factors led to the Bruins’ elimination from playoff contention. These included their sluggish start to the season, multiple attempts to kickstart their campaign—such as the firing of former bench boss Jim Montgomery and the fire sale at the Trade Deadline—and a forward group constructed by the front office that ultimately lacked the offensive capability needed to compete.
Last night, three different scenarios could have eliminated the Black and Gold from contention. The first was Montreal earning at least a point against Philadelphia, which knocked them out of the race. The other two involved a loss to Carolina in any form and a New York Ranger victory over the New Jersey Devils
The Black and Gold came out dominant against Carolina, delivering a high-energy performance in front of a lively TD Garden crowd. Jeremy Swayman, David Pastrnak, Elias Lindholm, and Morgan Geekie all showcased their skills, contributing to an overpowering Bruins performance. Fans were left wondering where that kind of effort had been all season. If the Bruins had been more consistent with their offensive production, like they were tonight, their situation might be very different now.
With only five games left on the Bruins’ schedule, it would be easy to write them off and shift focus entirely to the upcoming offseason. However, these final games are crucial for several players vying for a spot, most notably Fabian Lysell. The 22-year-old right winger was called up before the B’s West Coast road trip and has suited up just seven times this season. These remaining games are vital for Lysell to secure a spot on next year’s Opening Night roster. He was a healthy scratch against the Washington Capitals earlier this week, but he will remain in the lineup tonight as the Bruins travel to Buffalo to face the Sabres, according to interim head coach Joe Sacco.
With opportunities open for next season and the Bruins finding themselves a better drafting position, there’s certainly some excitement to be had despite a difficult 2024-25 campaign and no postseason that Bruins fans are accustomed to.
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