We are at the midway point for the Boston Bruins’ 2024-25 season and what a rollercoaster ride it has been. As it stands, the Bruins sit in third place in the Atlantic Division and occupy a playoff spot. Awards are normally given out at the end of the season, but here are some midseason awards to be handed out for the Bruins.
Most Valuable Player: David Pastrnak
The captain has been more than deserving of this award as well. Brad Marchand has been a force this season and in certain games has put the team on his back. He is second in goals and points for the Bruins and continues to help anchor the second line. His leadership is also what makes him valuable. However, this award goes to David Pastrnak and it’s not particularly close.
Pastrnak only leads Marchand for the most goals on the Bruins with 17. Yes, he is not scoring at the rate the hockey world is used to, as he is on pace for 33 goals this season. Things are beginning to trend upwards for Pastrnak, as he is coming off two straight multi-goal games. Can you believe he didn’t score two goals in a game until this past weekend against the Toronto Maple Leafs? It’s crazy to think about, but that’s hockey baby.
Pastrnak is the heartbeat of this offense and if they are to have sustained success he needs to be part of it. What he has lacked in goal scoring he has made up for with his phenomenal playmaking ability. Pastrnak has 25 assists for the season and 18 of them have been primary, which is telling of him setting up the goals that are being scored.
He is doing everything right, from shooting the puck to helping create chances. Even from a defensive standpoint, Pastrnak is second among all Bruins skaters in takeaways. He’s valuable and always will be and has been for the last three seasons.
Most Disappointing Player: Jeremy Swayman
There are many different angles you can take when it comes to this question. There is a compelling case to be made for Trent Frederic, who has had two fantastic seasons by flashing the offensive side of his game. It has not gone his way this season in that regard and Frederic is in a contract year. The other compelling case you can make for this is the expectations laid out before you. Which brings us to Jeremy Swayman.
Related: Bruins Need Jeremy Swayman to Start Playing Better
When you look at the way the Bruins are constructed, they are built from the net out. The true strength of the team is its goaltending and defense, but that has not been the case entirely this season. Goal scoring is a glaring issue and should be a trade deadline need, but the strength of the team has been a weak point. Swayman without a doubt earned and deserves the number one job. Despite being in a tandem with Linus Ullmark, Swayman did his part and showed his true potential. From 2021-2024, Swayman finished with a 2.41 goals-against average (GAA) and a .916 save percentage (SV%). His goals saved above expected (GSAx) was a major positive and he stole the net for the Bruins during the playoffs last season and slayed his Game 7 demons.
The keys to the crease have been handed to him, especially after the new contract that made him the fifth highest paid goalie ($8.25 million per season). With a contract of that nature comes expectations and the expectations may not have been met.
Swayman has suffered his fair share of blowouts this season. Most notably against the Carolina Hurricanes, Winnipeg Jets, and Dallas Stars. Also, there have been plenty of games where he has slammed the door shut and the offense doesn’t know where the net is. Overall, he has a 2.91 GAA, .891 SV%, and minus-8.0 GSAx. That’s not the Swayman the hockey world saw last season.
Missing training camp and seeing no preseason action, Swayman has had to figure it out on the fly. That’s not the easiest thing to do. But the Bruins need their Vezina Trophy caliber goaltender to shine brighter in the second half of the season.
Seventh Player Award: Morgan Geekie
This is the best one. You are always going to have your star players that you rely on continuously and rightfully so. Although, there is always that unsung hero that comes along and gets his shine. For the Bruins, they give out a seventh player award, which goes to an unsung hero type of player. Through the halfway point of the season, the seventh player award goes to Morgan Geekie.
You can make a compelling case for players such as Mark Kastelic, who got rewarded with a three-year contract extension, and Justin Brazeau, who ranks in the top five in points for the Bruins, but it’s Geekie who stands out.
Geekie has been often criticized for being played out of position and being asked to do more than he is capable of doing. During the 2023-24 season, he was one of the players that had a career season for the Bruins and was a key part of the team finishing with 109 points. The 2024-25 season has been much different.
Geekie had a tough start to the season. Just in the months of October and November, he had five points combined and even got healthy scratched. However, Christmas came early and the Bruins reaped the benefits of his success. Geekie has had 13 points from December up until the present day, which is more than double what he did the first two months. He is able to play on the top line and play it effectively.
The biggest thing about Geekie is he has a wicked shot and is at his best when he is shooting the puck. So far, he is shooting 12.2%, which is not far off from the 13.1% he shot last season. He is sixth in points on the Bruins and continues to prove his worth.
The Bruins So Far
These are the Bruins’ midseason awards so far. Pastrnak continues to shoulder the load offensively and Geekie has been a bright spot up and down the lineup. The Bruins are still in the playoff mix and they’ll need Swayman and other players to continue to improve if they want to punch their ticket to the dance.
