Speculation: Are the Bruins a playoff team in 2023?

[Spooner st]

I used the comparison in the other thread, but the injuries out of the gate could put the Bruins behind a similar 8-ball to what the Islanders faced last fall with their extended road trip.

It's not easy to dig out of a hole, given the level of parity in the league.
The reality is, in a 32 team league, only half the clubs qualify for the tournament.

Just making the dance is far from guaranteed.

Another one and done at best.

 

[13Hockey]

Hall Bergeron DeBrusk
Zacha Krejci Pasta
Frederic Coyle Smith
Foligno Nosek Steen

Lindholm Zboril
Reilly Carlo
Forbort Clifton

Swayman
Ullmark

The having a miserable start to the season is a little over dramatic

This roster is more then good enough to stay afloat for 20 games

 

[Fenway]

No. The Bruins will struggle to win games until the wounded return to action and then it might be too late to catch up.

The early schedule has challenges

DATE	OPPONENT	TIME	TV	TICKETS
Wed, Oct 12	@Washington	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $62
Sat, Oct 15	vsArizona	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $83
Mon, Oct 17	vsFlorida	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $41
Tue, Oct 18	@Ottawa	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $68
Thu, Oct 20	vsAnaheim	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $44
Sat, Oct 22	vsMinnesota	1:00 PM		Tickets as low as $68
Tue, Oct 25	vsDallas	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $45
Thu, Oct 27	vsDetroit	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $51
Fri, Oct 28	@Columbus	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $28
Tue, Nov 1	@Pittsburgh	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $33
Thu, Nov 3	@New York	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $85
Sat, Nov 5	@Toronto	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $164
Mon, Nov 7	vsSt. Louis	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $47
Thu, Nov 10	vsCalgary	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $49
Sat, Nov 12	@Buffalo	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $29
Sun, Nov 13	vsVancouver	6:00 PM		Tickets as low as $52
Thu, Nov 17	vsPhiladelphia	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $63
Sat, Nov 19	vsChicago	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $86
Mon, Nov 21	@Tampa Bay	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $67
Wed, Nov 23	@Florida	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $39
Fri, Nov 25	vsCarolina	1:00 PM		Tickets as low as $102

 

[ODAAT]

Hall Bergeron DeBrusk
Zacha Krejci Pasta
Frederic Coyle Smith
Foligno Nosek Steen

Lindholm Zboril
Reilly Carlo
Forbort Clifton

Swayman
Ullmark

The having a miserable start to the season is a little over dramatic

This roster is more then good enough to stay afloat for 20 games

that D is frighteningly scary and not in a good way, can they stay afloat? Sure, lots has to go right though

 

[BruinsPortugal]

Without knowing what team they will ice its hard to tell. Probably not.

 

[Dellstrom]

Even with 37 and 46, the injuries are tough. But I do think we are a playoff team with them.

If Coyle-Zacha are our top 2… then the answer is no for a few years.

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

Ask me in November

 

[NDiesel]

As of today no. If Bergeron comes back they'll make it.

I'm not really scared of teams like Detroit and NJ after today, chemistry is not guaranteed to happen regardless of how many names you add. It could take them as many games to figure it out as it takes for the Bruins to get healthy.

I think Pitts and Caps are just as likely to take a step back as we are.

The only team I really could see jumping into the playoffs are the Sens, but they still are far from perfect.

 

[LouJersey]

With Bergeron and Krejci. Playoff lock

With only one of them. Probably

Without either. Lottery team

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

We finished 2 points behind Tampa last year and they lost McDonaugh and Palat and have played so much hockey

Cirelli is out 6 months

The rangers roster is status quo Copp and Trocheck is basically a wash


I Doubt Igor duplicates his season where he was statistically one of the greatest goalies in nhl history

They will drop in the standings

Florida lost Marshmont, Duclair, Giroux
Lot of talent up front

Toronto lost some good depth forwards and got much worse in goal

This guy each off season has doom fate for Bruins and believes so many teams on the upswing are going ahead of them. He was even scared of the lowly Habs last year after their fluke Covid Cup run.

He may be right some day. But this Bruins team with Bergy+Krejci, it’s their playoffs spot to lose.

 

[smithformeragent]

Jacobs knows how painful the Red Wings rebuild has been as he controls retail and concessions at their new arena and he also controls the Sabres operation.

I honestly believe Sweeney fired Cassidy knowing that Bruce would be hired very quickly by another team and in some way did Bruce a favor.

Right?

Feels like he made it pretty clear in the presser earlier this week, he's VERY HAPPY that the seats are full.
Hence, the directive is obvious:
Keep the thing afloat at all costs. Stay relevant in this sports market. Do whatever it takes to remain "competitive". OR ELSE.

 

[Babajingo]

Yup.

 

[TheReal13Linseman]

Playoffs??!? Playoffs?!?!!

 

[BruinsBtn]

They were the 3rd best team in the league after January 1. They're adding Krejci and Lindholm for a whole season. Marchand will be back by Halloween, missing just 9 games.

Montgomery will have them competing for the division title.

 

[BlackFrancis]

The closest team to catching the Bruins points-wise was 23 points back.

That team fired the coach who miraculously held that shit pile of a roster together, more often than not.

I am not terribly concerned.

 

[Spooner st]

They were the 3rd best team in the league after January 1. They're adding Krejci and Lindholm for a whole season. Marchand will be back by Halloween, missing just 9 games.

Montgomery will have them competing for the division title.

That's wishful thinking while wearing pink glasses and holding a pitcher of kool-aid.

The closest team to catching the Bruins points-wise was 23 points back.

That team fired the coach who miraculously held that shit pile of a roster together, more often than not.

I am not terribly concerned.

Things have changed, teams have improved, the Conference as improved.

 

[N o o d l e s]

Likely the same as last year. They should get in as a bottom seed and will lose first round. Although I’m less confident they make it this year than I was last year.

Last year it was obvious that they’d get in but not win a round because they didn’t have a 2C. But now even if Bergeron and Krejci return I still don’t think they’ll win a round if they even get in because everyone has just aged another year and the East has gotten even better.

 

[BMC]

The early schedule has challenges

DATE	OPPONENT	TIME	TV	TICKETS
Wed, Oct 12	@Washington	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $62
Sat, Oct 15	vsArizona	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $83
Mon, Oct 17	vsFlorida	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $41
Tue, Oct 18	@Ottawa	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $68
Thu, Oct 20	vsAnaheim	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $44
Sat, Oct 22	vsMinnesota	1:00 PM		Tickets as low as $68
Tue, Oct 25	vsDallas	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $45
Thu, Oct 27	vsDetroit	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $51
Fri, Oct 28	@Columbus	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $28
Tue, Nov 1	@Pittsburgh	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $33
Thu, Nov 3	@New York	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $85
Sat, Nov 5	@Toronto	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $164
Mon, Nov 7	vsSt. Louis	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $47
Thu, Nov 10	vsCalgary	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $49
Sat, Nov 12	@Buffalo	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $29
Sun, Nov 13	vsVancouver	6:00 PM		Tickets as low as $52
Thu, Nov 17	vsPhiladelphia	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $63
Sat, Nov 19	vsChicago	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $86
Mon, Nov 21	@Tampa Bay	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $67
Wed, Nov 23	@Florida	7:00 PM		Tickets as low as $39
Fri, Nov 25	vsCarolina	1:00 PM		Tickets as low as $102

Yes, I saw your earlier post of the schedule & that's why I think they'll struggle. If the schedule was easier they'd have a better shot but it isn't so...

 

[BruinsBtn]

That's wishful thinking while wearing pink glasses and holding a pitcher of kool-aid.


Things have changed, teams have improved, the Conference as improved.

Tell it to Brad: Injury Report: - Bruins 2022 Injured List

 

[Fenway]

Likely the same as last year. They should get in as a bottom seed and will lose first round. Although I’m less confident they make it this year than I was last year.

Last year it was obvious that they’d get in but not win a round because they didn’t have a 2C. But now even if Bergeron and Krejci return I still don’t think they’ll win a round if they even get in because everyone has just aged another year and the East has gotten even better.

Drawing Carolina was the worst matchup for the Bruins last year. If they had fallen to WC2 and faced Florida they might have advanced and the same applies to if they had moved to A3 and faced Toronto.

 

[N o o d l e s]

Drawing Carolina was the worst matchup for the Bruins last year. If they had fallen to WC2 and faced Florida they might have advanced and the same applies to if they had moved to A3 and faced Toronto.

It's certainly possible but I wouldn't have bet on it tbh

 

[Spooner st]

Tell it to Brad: Injury Report: - Bruins 2022 Injured List

Yes, it's Brad... he would play with crutches if they allow. I'm sure he'll be ahead of the rehabilitation time. But there's limits.

 

[Babajingo]

They won't finish top 3, that's for sure. That leaves the wild cards. They are lucky that the Metro is pretty weak after NYR and CAR. The big variable is how long McAvoy will be out. Without him, that D is rough. Let's hope Swayman and Ullmark are up to the test.

 

[JAD]

I posted this a few days ago in the Bruins schedule thread and will repost it here.

assuming Bergeron & Krejci are in the lineup and overall team health. Month by month team record based only on wins/loses not overtime/shoot outs. To optimistic?


Oct 7 2
Nov 7 6
Dec 9 5
Jan 9 5
Feb 5 5
Mar 10 5
April 4 3

Total W51 L31 102 points (+/- 6 points)

A number of teams in the east went belly up early last year. The gap of 23 points between playoff and non-playoff teams is a lot to make up but it is possible. A lot can change between now and the playoffs next season. It will be interesting to see what the Bruins lineup looks like in October compared to the line up come March.
Finishing somewhere within a point range of 96 - 108 and they should be in the playoffs. What they do once they get there is another story.

 

[ElkabombKid9]

NOOO this team is laughable. I really don't understand what Sweeney is doing... Should have blown it up this year and start over. Even IF DK Came back they're to old and slow. Bottom 6 is awful... Who knows what marchand will be like after his surgery, he relies on his lower body so much. Teams are getting younger, faster and more skilled.
We're just aging HOPING JJ gets his first round exit... But they won't even get that