Boston Bruins 2023-24 NHL Season Preview
Every once in a while in sports, an era ends not with a whimper but with a bang. Most teams descend slowly. Sometimes, though, a moment so dramatic happens that it ends an era right then and there. Think Ryan Howard tearing his Achilles making the last out of the 2011 NLDS, sending the Philadelphia Phillies spiraling into a decade of despair. The blocked punt in the 2021 NFC Divisional Round that resulted in the game-winning touchdown in Aaron Rodgers‘ final playoff game as a Green Bay Packer. Kevin Durant‘s 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinal winning three actually being a two because his toe was on the three-point line, setting off a chain that broke up the Brooklyn Nets’ big-three of Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving in less than two years.
Game 7 of last year’s Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at TD Garden felt like, in the moment, it could be that type of moment for the Boston Bruins. The best regular season team in NHL history incredibly avenged a 2-0 deficit, only to implode spectacularly, yielding their lead in the final minute of regulation before Carter Verhaeghe delivered the dagger in overtime. Another year, another too-early exit for a Bruins team with the talent to do much, much more. And, more importantly, the end of the NHL careers of their two best centers, franchise icons Patrice Bergeron and David Krejčí.
The good news for the Bruins is there is still a lot of talent left from last year’s team. Maybe that heartbreaking blown 3-1 series lead won’t mark the beginning of the end. But it’s hard not to see them taking a step back, at least in the regular season, in 2023-24.
Line Combinations (via Daily Faceoff)
| James van Riemsdyk | Pavel Zacha | David Pastrňák |
| Brad Marchand | Charlie Coyle | Jake DeBrusk |
| Jakub Lauko | Morgan Geekie | Trent Frederic |
| Milan Lucic | Jesper Boqvist | A.J. Greer |
New Faces
Six years ago, this would’ve been a colossal offseason haul for Boston. James van Riemsdyk, Kevin Shattenkirk and of course original Bruin Milan Lucic all have played prominent roles for playoff teams before. None of them are those types of players, of course. Lucic is purely a fourth-liner who wasn’t even certain he’d get an NHL contract in the offseason. van Riemsdyk’s 2022-23 season was so underwhelming the Flyers couldn’t even pawn him off for a mid-round draft pick at the trade deadline. Shattenkirk’s three years in Anaheim were nothing to write home about. There’s a reason the three all signed one-year deals for a combined cap hit of $3.05 million.
They won’t make up for a massive talent departure that saw Dmitry Orlov and Tyler Bertuzzi bolt in free agency and a cap-crunch-induced dumping of Taylor Hall to Chicago. Nor will Morgan Geekie and Jesper Boqvist, two young centers who will bring some cheap versatility to the team’s bottom-six. Geekie getting a two-year, $4 million deal after not getting a qualifying offer from the Kraken shows he’s someone GM Dom Sweeney may see something in.
Three Players to Watch
- Hampus Lindholm — It’s definitely not unheard of for a player to step their game up when leaving a bottom-feeder for a contender. But glow-ups like Lindholm are special. He’s blossomed to heights even his biggest fans in Anaheim may not have imagined. We’re talking about a point-producing, puck-moving shutdown defender who simply does it all. And that’s despite spending only 18% of his 5-on-5 minutes alongside Charlie McAvoy. He was a worthy top-five finisher in Norris balloting and could be one of the biggest steals in the league at $6.5 million through 2029-30.
- Pavel Zacha — Making a one-for-one swap with New Jersey to acquire Zacha for Erik Haula seemed like a fair trade, if only a win for Boston because Zacha is six years younger. But the former top-10 pick put it all together in 2022-23, blowing past his previous career high in scoring by 21 points. That production came mostly in a third-line role. But he’ll be elevated to the top six this season. Can he continue to thrive against stronger competition?
- Brad Marchand — Now the only remaining player from the team’s 2011 Stanley Cup victory, questions will probably be asked about Marchand’s future sooner rather than later. It’s not like he’s showing signs of decline, but Marchand is 35 and will be a free agent at the end of next season. He’s an undeniable bargain and a half at $6.125 million. But like every returning Bruin, he’ll be counted on even more in the wake of the team’s stream of departures.
Riser and Faller
Riser: Remember when Jake DeBrusk was relegated to a depth role and had a public trade request? Time heals all wounds, and it also allows a talented player like the 2015 1st rounder to find his role. DeBrusk scored 49 points in 109 games from 2019-2021; last year, he tallied 50 points in 64 contests. DeBrusk always had the tool-kit to embody everything the Bruins are known for; talented, tenacious and thriving in big games. Tallying four goals in seven playoff games certainly fits that bill.
Faller: The Bruins have seemingly had a bit of a problem in recent years where their big additions make a strong early impact but regress as time goes on. It happened with Hall and Mike Reilly, and Charlie Coyle might be another example. It’s not that Coyle was bad last year, or even overpaid. But confidence doesn’t seem particularly high that the second-line center spot is in great hands.
The Big Question
What is Boston’s future down the middle? Losing your captain and another quality player in one offseason is rough, period. But the fact that they both played the same position amplifies the void they’re leaving behind. Zacha was great last year, and Coyle can at least handle a second-line role. But basically every team to win the Cup in the cap era has done so with an elite center leading the way. Neither player is that, and given the team’s lack of prospects, draft picks and cap space, the road to acquiring one is murky at best.
The Verdict
Regular season regression is far from a death sentence. Remember, the Capitals won their Stanley Cup the year after consecutive President’s-Trophy-winning seasons. There’s still a lot of talent returning from last year’s team, especially in goal, where Boston was somehow able to fit the two-headed monster of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman under the cap. Those two alone can be great equalizers capable of carrying Boston to a playoff spot themselves.
But the goal for the Bruins is about more than just making it to mid-April. They certainly have a defense and goaltending capable of going deep in the playoffs. But beyond their three best wingers, it’s painfully obvious the forward core has lost a step. Even the departures of depth pieces like Garnet Hathaway and Nick Foligno will sting. Young players being unable to lock down those spots is often the first sign of a team slipping from the league’s upper echelon, so that will be something to keep an eye on throughout the year. Being on the other side of an all-in year gone wrong is never fun. But the Bruins still have enough pieces to keep the team afloat until they can find a way to reload — whether that means a few months or an entire season.
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Contract Information via CapFriendly
