By: Declan Flavin | Follow me on Twitter / X @FlavinDeclan
The Boston Bruins’ first regular-season game has finally arrived, and the team enters it with understandably low expectations. The team has moved on from a franchise pillar in Brad Marchand, while parting ways with other core players like Charlie Coyle in an effort to get younger and, eventually, more talented.
For fans who still believe more than most, the start-of-season press conference may have been puzzling, as management’s comments about their offseason approach didn’t exactly inspire confidence that the franchise’s current plan was fully thought through. Regardless, the fanbase has to move on, and now is the time to recognize some key points heading into the season.
Defense matters
With a defensive core that has flown under the radar amid the team’s offensive roster losses, there’s reason for optimism when it comes to keeping the puck out of the net. The three defensive pairings featuring Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, and Nikita Zadorov, spread across the lines for most of the time, make for one of the league’s top defensive situations.
After injuries to McAvoy and Lindholm last season, the unit should be well-rested and ready to handle the pressure of contributing consistently for the team. Hopefully, they’ll continue to build on their game, embracing a physical style under Head Coach Marco Sturm that demands more presence in front of the net.
Shot totals are your friend
With roster skill still a concern, the Bruins will need to fully embrace a high-shot strategy to compensate. Young players like Fabian Lysell and Matej Blumel not making the NHL roster underscores this point, as they were among the few short-term sources of optimism for adding skill to the lineup.
With team-wide emphasis on pace and physicality, taking shots whenever the puck is retrieved in the opponent’s zone will be crucial. Expect shot volume to be a key indicator of the team’s productivity.
Game-to-game consistency should improve
Now that Sturm has amped up the energy in team preparation, the Bruins should be able to play their style on most nights. Whether it translates to more wins remains to be seen, but the players are unlikely to look different from night to night.
If they continue to skate out a new version of themselves every night, that could be a key indicator of how the Sturm era unfolds. The team will need to lean on its identity to get the most out of the season.
Based on Sturm’s recent answers, that last point may be the one the organization emphasizes most. Overcoming the team’s structural issues on the offensive side in short order would be a testament to both strategy and mindset.
The Bruins know this, and fans should get to see it from the first puck drop to the final horn. Players will go through slumps and miss assignments, but the team’s effort should remain engaged and collective. Expect that to be addressed immediately.
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