Speculation: Season Predictions

How will the Bruins fare this regular season?

  • Win Division handily, challenge for Presidents’ Trophy

    Votes: 7 7.7%
  • Contend for Division title, playoff lock

    Votes: 61 67.0%
  • Finish 3rd or Wild Card

    Votes: 19 20.9%
  • Barely miss playoffs

    Votes: 3 3.3%
  • Bottom out, badly miss playoffs

    Votes: 1 1.1%

  • Total voters
    91

smithformeragent

Moderator
Sep 22, 2005
33,976
27,350
Milford, NH
For the sake of this discussion, let’s focus on solely the regular season results and let’s assume that Swayman misses at least the start of the season.

If you want to hedge your prediction based on if/when Swayman signs and/or what they get in return on a trade, feel free!

Have fun!
 

Kegs

Registered User
Nov 10, 2010
3,985
4,738
Hard to say. I think it’s likely the leafs keep it close. And they are in the same division. So they probably don’t win the division easily but still challenge for the presidents trophy. Can’t sleep on the leafs.
 

smithformeragent

Moderator
Sep 22, 2005
33,976
27,350
Milford, NH
For the sake of this discussion, let’s focus on solely the regular season results and let’s assume that Swayman misses at least the start of the season.

If you want to hedge your prediction based on if/when Swayman signs and/or what they get in return on a trade, feel free!

Have fun!
Bumping now that Swayman is in the fold!
 

Beesfan

Registered User
Apr 10, 2006
4,969
2,118
Elite coach
Elite goaltending
Elite defense
Elite first forward line (hypothetically, Marchand/Lindholm/Pastrnak)

Too many ingredients here to bomb the season. We look like a semi-contender. Need another elite forward to be a major contender.
 
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BigGoalBrad

Registered User
Jun 3, 2012
10,667
3,362
I think its another year like 2 seasons ago. Enough options up front that scoring won't be an issue and the D and G are loaded.

Not as confident in us over 7 games vs the other elite teams in the East but regular season I expect us to be dominant and be around the record for points.
 

Fenian24

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Jun 14, 2010
10,992
15,386
They will get in as division champs or 2 or 3 in division. Then a team finally built for the playoffs will shine. Defense and goaltending win in the playoffs, Marchand, Lindholm, Pata, Frederic should score enough for a deep run. Ideally add a 25 goal RW at the deadline.

Lysell plays whole year in Providence and then leaves to play in Europe next year.

Swayman wins Vezina.

Kastellic and Zadorov become fan favorites, healthy Max Jones leads team in hits.

Brazeau gets 20
 

goldenblack

Registered User
Apr 15, 2024
1,041
2,505
Elite coach
Elite goaltending
Elite defense
Elite first forward line (hypothetically, Marchand/Lindholm/Pastrnak)

Too many ingredients here to bomb the season. We look like a semi-contender. Need another elite forward to be a major contender.

I will add: elite SIZE
 
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Aussie Bruin

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Aug 3, 2019
10,724
24,555
Victoria, Aus
The Bruins have scored at least 100 points every year since 2018 apart from the shortened 2021 season, and I see little reason for that streak to stop now. Team speed and scoring look like being challenges, but they have a stacked defense, strong goaltending, size and hopefully grit and toughness. They should be tough to play against. The D is going to need to be better than it has been the last two years, but it should be.

I'm not seeing a dominant regular season team here - the offense just isn't there, IMO - and I expect the Leafs under Berube and the Panthers, despite having lost a few players, to be slightly better regular season teams. But that's ok. The Bruins should comfortably enough settle into a qualifying spot and only find themselves in any difficulty if at least two of the Sabres, Sens and Red Wings finally get their act together properly or Tampa somehow bucks their decline.

Overall I'm predicting a slow-ish start for the Bs, after which they pick up pace as they go. Add top 6 wing help at the deadline, wind up with about 105 points. From there it will depend on injury luck, the draw, and just how much they've learned and instilled about what it takes to play effective postseason hockey as to how they'll fare in the playoffs. They're not going to get by on speed and skill, they lack raw talent compared to some rosters, and I don't have them pegged as a tippy-top contender. But if they gel well, play tough, hard and disciplined, and everyone buys into the same mindset and direction, then you never know.

On the flip side I see four ways the whole show could fall off the rails - Pasta getting a serious long-term injury (God forbid), the D not meeting expectations and faltering badly, the middle 6 completely failing to get their act together and provide meaningful secondary scoring, and Sway getting major yips following an acrimonious summer. Any one of these could be fatal, all are possible if unlikely, or are otherwise in the hands of fate. Hopefully they are avoided.

Anyway, going to be an intriguing season, that's for sure.
 

VanIsle

Registered User
Jun 5, 2007
12,412
4,966
Comox Valley, B.C.
Playoff lock and in contention for division easily.

How could a better team finish much worse.

109 points last year, im going with 106 this year as the divisional bottom feeders did get better.
 

RoccoF14

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Mar 1, 2016
6,249
9,530
Chicago, IL
Playoff lock and in contention for division easily.

How could a better team finish much worse.

109 points last year, im going with 106 this year as the divisional bottom feeders did get better.
Agreed. The only wild card is injuries. Especially on our top 6. That's true for most teams, but our scoring depth is a real concern.

I'd keep Pasta in bubble wrap when he's off the ice and keep him away from sharp objects.
 
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Sheppy

Registered User
Nov 23, 2011
58,481
64,156
The Arctic
The one thing I can see is the lack of offensive firepower up front.

I think there will be such a gap in scoring. I'm hoping the bottom 6 can put up half decent numbers, but yeah, looks like Pasta will be the offensive driving force again.
 
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McGarnagle

Yes.
Aug 5, 2017
30,266
41,497
Similar to last year, finish second, win a round, probably get best by Florida again in the divisional finals.

We may lose a few standings points just going from Ullmark to Korpisalo, but we have more depth this year than last and an actual top six center.
 

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