Over the past decade, the Boston Bruins have been the most consistent team in the NHL. They’ve been a consistent playoff team for the past eight seasons, with 2015-16 being the last time they missed the playoffs. Even in that season, they only missed the playoffs due to tie-breakers. Although they didn’t win the cup in the span, they did have several notable accomplishments. Like going to Game 7 of the 2018-19 Cup Finales, and setting the record for wins and points in 2022-23.
However, something feels off about this Bruins team so far. They aren’t playing at the dominant level we’re used to. Twenty games into the season, the Bruins are 8-9-3, good for 19 points. They’re currently holding on to the last wild card spot, but the entire East is nipping at their heels. Only three points separate them from the last-place Canadiens.
This came to a head Sunday night when the Bruins lost to the Blue Jackets 5-1 in Boston. The loss caused head coach Jim Montgomery to lose his job. Just two seasons after he led the Bruins on their record-breaking season. So what has gone wrong for the Bruins this season?
Why The Bruins Are Struggling
One of the main reasons for the Bruins’s falloff is the collapse of their special teams. The special teams had long been a big part of the teams’ identity. It was a huge reason for the team being so successful over the past decade. Their power play percentage has continuously been in the top half of the league. More importantly, their penalty-kill percentage has been in the top ten.
However, this season we have seen a major dropoff. So far this season the Bruins power play percentage is 11.7, dead last in the NHL. This is a ten-point drop-off from last season. Their penalty-kill percentage is 75.6 which is 25th in the league. This is a seven-point drop-off from last season. The way the Bruins have played for years is no longer working. When that happens, it’s no wonder why the team looks off on the ice.
It also doesn’t help that several key pieces of the Bruins core have underperformed. David Pastrnak who is the heart and soul of the Bruins lineup hasn’t played up to what was expected. When a player as important as Pasta is struggling it has ripple effects, it causes other players to fall short of expectations, which is exactly what has happened with the Bruins. Players like Charlie Coyle, Pavel Zacha, and Nikita Zadorov have all struggled.
Is It Time For A Rebuild?
With the Montgomery firing, it’s clear that the organization is open to changes. However, how far are they willing to go? Do they think that the coaching change is all this team, or are they going to tear the whole thing down and start over? When looking over the current state of the NHL the smart move would be for the Bruins to begin their rebuild.
The East is a gauntlet this season. The Atlantic has the defending cup champions Panthers, as well as too of the most consistent teams in the Maple Leafs and Lighting. So it’ll be hard to steal one of the three spots from them. So their only hope would be a wild card spot. However, that’s where the Metro comes in. Seven teams in the Metro have a legitimate shot at the playoffs. So it’s likely that the two wild card teams would come out of the Metro.
With all the competition for limited spots, and the Bruins’s struggles starting over may be the best for the future of the organization. They have several players still in the prime of their careers. Trading them could land the Bruins a big return. A return that helps speed up the rebuild process and moves the timeline up on when they can compete again. Unlike if they hang on to their players and the struggle continues. They would then get pennies on the dollar compared to what they get by this deadline. However, painful a rebuild is what’s best for Boston going forward.
Thanks for reading! Credit for my feature image goes to The Boston Globe. You can find more NHL content at Belly Up Sports and follow me on Twitter/X.
