By: Chad Jones | Follow me on Twitter/X @ShutUpChadJones
As the National Hockey League takes a break for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, the Boston Bruins have 60 points and a 27-24-6 record after 57 games. They are currently out of the playoff standings.
It has been an up-and-down season for Boston. In November, Jim Montgomery was fired as head coach and replaced by Joe Sacco. The Bruins season, while frustrating, has had no shortage of storylines. Here are the most notable topics for Boston during this campaign, both good and bad.
The Good
David Pastrnak has been otherworldly for the Bruins this season. Playing in all of Boston’s 57 games, the electric winger has potted 28 goals and corralled 68 points. He was recently named the NHL’s First Star of the Month for January. Pastrnak has put himself into the Hart Trophy discussion. Boston would be even further out of playoff contention without his spectacular production.
Morgan Geekie has been a bright spot for an inconsistent Bruins attack. Riding shot-gun alongside Pastrnak, Geekie has caught fire since early December. He has buried 15 goals in his last 30 games after only finding the back of the net twice in the first 22 contests. With the forward set to be a restricted free agent this summer, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney has to decide whether to trade Geekie at the deadline or extend him.
Brad Marchand has been his usual crafty self for Boston. The Bruins captain has submitted another 20-goal campaign. This is the 12th straight season and 14th overall that the feisty winger has hit the benchmark. Despite three off-season surgeries and skating at the age of 36, Marchand remains a crucial cog in Boston’s lineup.
The Bad
The Bruins’ defense has been subpar throughout the season. Boston has allowed the eighth-most goals in the league, at 181. They are allowing 3.18 goals against, the ninth-highest in the NHL. Furthermore, Boston has been abysmal on the penalty kill, allowing teams to score 75.4 percent of the time. Team defense has been crucial to the Bruins’ recent successful seasons, so their sloppy defensive play has been unacceptable.
There are multiple Bruins players not living up to their contacts this season. After holding out for training camp and eventually signing an eight-year deal, Jeremy Swayman has not been as sharp between the pipes. In 40 games, he has posted a save percentage of .898 and has allowed 2.98 goals a game. While the Bruins have had problems in their defensive zone coverage, Swayman has not played at the level the Bruins expected.
Elias Lindholm was brought to Boston to help fill the hole in the Bruins’ top six. But after signing a seven-year deal with Boston, Lindholm has been disappointing. He has only buried 10 goals and scored 29 points in 57 games. While Boston did not necessarily expect him to be a point-per-game center, his offensive production has not been good enough.
At the break, the Bruins find themselves in a dogfight to make the playoffs. It remains a distinct possibility that Boston will miss out on postseason hockey for the first time since 2016. It will be fascinating to see if the Bruins front office thinks this team is worth investing in at the trade deadline.
Leave a Reply