The Boston Bruins had the best statistical season in NHL history during the 2022-23 campaign, setting records for points (135) and wins (65). Additionally, the team won the Jack Adams Award (Jim Montgomery), the Vezina Trophy (Linus Ullmark), and the Frank J. Selke Trophy (Patrice Bergeron), capping off a spectacular run that will be hard to duplicate in the future.
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However, significant changes occurred in Boston this past summer, with former captain Bergeron retiring after 19 seasons and his longtime teammate David Krejci also hanging up his skates. Moreover, the Bruins had little to no cap space to keep the 2022-23 team together, so players like Dmitri Orlov, Tyler Bertuzzi, Taylor Hall, and Nick Foligno are gone.
Interestingly, fan favorite Milan Lucic returns to town, with James van Riemsdyk, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Morgan Geekie joining the ranks. Realistically, the Bruins will not win games at the same rate they did in 2022-23, but it is the franchise’s centennial season, and with plenty of special events planned to honor 100 years of hockey, there will be a handful of key games to watch.
Considering the Bruins have yet to release a schedule of centennial-related events, we decided to look at some critical regular season matchups that fans should watch in 2023-24.
Oct. 11, 2023, vs. Chicago Blackhawks (Game #1)
Although the Chicago Blackhawks begin their 2023-24 season on Oct. 10, 2023, against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Bruins will get their first chance to play against first-overall pick Connor Bedard on just his second night in the league. Despite going 1-1 against the Blackhawks in 2022-23, this game is monumental for several reasons, including being the first contest in 20 years without Bergeron in the organization.
As the heart and soul of the franchise for almost two decades, it will be hard to process that Bergeron will not be part of the team anymore. Of course, he’s missed significant time during his career due to injuries, but he always came back. Ultimately, this first night will be a “turning the page” moment for the Bruins as they begin the next chapter in franchise history without someone so instrumental in the team’s last Stanley Cup championship in 2011.
Mar. 2, 2024, vs. New York Islanders (Game #62)
According to CapFriendly.com, the Bruins will have five forwards, five defensemen, and one goalie set to become free agents at the end of 2023-24, which means that Boston will be a team to watch leading up to the NHL Trade Deadline. Whether the club turns into buyers or sellers will depend on how successful they are leading up to 3:00 p.m. ET on Mar. 1, 2024.
Interestingly, their next contest after the deadline takes place the following day, on Mar. 2, 2024, against the New York Islanders, and could be one of the most exciting dates on the calendar. Ultimately, general manager Don Sweeney’s actions leading up to that time will affect how Boston plays in the final month of the season, starting with the game against New York.
Even if the team is battling for a playoff spot or jockeying for position in the draft lottery, the lineup for that game will be the one that takes them to the finish line, wherever that would be.
Feb. 22, 2024, vs. Calgary Flames (Game #58)
When news broke on July 1, 2023, that Lucic was coming back to Boston, many people in the fanbase went to their closets and dug out their old #17 jerseys from almost a decade ago. Whether fans love or dislike him, Lucic will bring energy to the team and should positively impact his original team, which drafted him in 2006.
After Bergeron and Krejci retired, Brad Marchand remained the only player left from the last championship in 2011, but with Lucic back in the fold, these two veterans can carry on memories from that year. Although Lucic’s former team, the Calgary Flames, will come to Boston in early February, just a few weeks later, they will meet again in Calgary, and the former 30-goal scorer should be greeted with a warm welcome by his old friends.
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The game in Calgary is on the second night of a back-to-back and in the middle of their northwestern trip. It will be interesting to see where the Bruins are at that point and how the results of this four-game swing impact their place in the standings.
Apr. 4, 2024, vs. Carolina Hurricanes (Game #77)
As the second-best team in the NHL last year, it is safe to say there is some bad blood between the Bruins and the Carolina Hurricanes. Realistically, the Hurricanes could have been the top team in the entire league, but Boston was near unstoppable for lengthy stretches last year, leading to a historic finish.
The rivalry between these two franchises dates back to 1979 when the Hurricanes were just down the highway in Hartford as the Whalers. However, times have changed, and things are less intense than in the 1980s and 1990s. However, the main reason an early April contest between the two clubs is so high on the list is its implications on the Bruins’ overall season.
Surprisingly, Boston and Carolina won’t meet until January and have their two final contests in five days in April. Ultimately, the April 4 game is essential and will take place at the end of the Bruins’ most extended road trip of the season. Starting on March 23, the Bruins will visit the Philadelphia Flyers, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals, and Nashville Predators before stopping off in Raleigh, N.C., for their six-game in 11 days.
Hopefully, this road trip doesn’t make or break Boston’s campaign, but if they stumble through the rest of the regular season, this two-week stretch could be the most crucial time for the franchise.
Oct. 30, 2023, vs. Florida Panthers (Game #9)
In 2022-23, the Bruins finished the year with a 65-12-5 record, only losing two contests to the same team on two separate occasions, the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers. Of course, the Bruins then met the Panthers in the opening round of the playoffs and took a 3-1 stranglehold on the series, only to lose in overtime in Game 7.
Ultimately, the loss was the last game for Bergeron and Krejci and ended what could have been one of the most magical seasons of all time had the Bruins followed up their historic regular season with a Stanley Cup victory. However, it all came undone in the first round at the hands of the Cinderella Panthers, who lost in the Stanley Cup Final two months later.
Now, on October 30, the two teams will meet for the first time since Carter Verhaeghe crushed the dreams of the Bruins faithful on April 30. Additionally, there was bad blood during the playoffs, and there should be some carryover into this year as Boston looks to avenge their previous losses. Statistically, the Panthers were the only team in the league to beat the Bruins more than twice, securing six wins in 11 meetings.
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Overall, there will be a lot of exciting moments to celebrate with the Bruins during their centennial season. Whether the team plans to retire a number or honor star players from eras gone by, it will be fun to watch Boston contend for another Stanley Cup title in 2023-24. Besides all the upcoming ceremonies, these five games should be on everyone’s calendar.
