It’s the dog days of summer, but the 2025-25 schedule release sparks previews and open discussions for the upcoming season. For the Boston Bruins, there is a lot to talk about. We have recently gone over the best and worst case scenarios, and as the offseason series continues we dive into the area that the Bruins lag behind compared to the rest of the Atlantic Division.
What the Bruins Lack Among the Rest
When it comes to their division, the one word that comes to mind where they lack is “talent.” David Pastrnak is one of the best players in the world and he will once again carry this team offensively. Although, after him it’s very bleak.
Morgan Geekie became the first player other than Pastrnak in the last three seasons to score 30 goals. Goal scoring was a major issue for the Bruins last season and they did little to address the situation. Averaging just 2.83 goals per game, having the second worst power play (15.2% success rate), and negative-14.78 goals scored above expected is as bad as it can be from a finishing standpoint. The rest of the division knows this and teams should expect lower-scoring games when matching up against the Bruins. There are wild cards in play, with the potential bounce back of Elias Lindholm and the youth that’s coming.
So, with that information we see, it’s not great. So here is how the Bruins stack up in this regard to the rest of the division.
Florida Panthers
“They’re the standard.” That’s exactly something Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour said after the loss to the Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final. This is a team that’s gone back-to-back and are on the verge of a three-peat. This team is deep, they play structured, and the system they run is a masterpiece. And what stands out the most among them? Talent.
Related: Bruins’ Best and Worst Case Scenarios for the 2025-26 Season
There is no shortage of talent on the roster. Everyone doubted them, but they brought back Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, and Aaron Ekblad. So not only is it talented, but it’s deep, and their depth is what makes them special.
They were a strong defensive team during last regular season-25, allowing the seventh-fewest goals. They were middle of the pack in goal scoring, but they can beat opponents in so many ways and different players are contributing.
Sam Reinhart paved the way with 39 goals and the Panthers had four 20-plus goal scorers as well. Furthermore, they had five players reach the 10-goal mark, showcasing how deep they truly are. An entire 82-game season with Marchand makes them much more lethal, as well as Seth Jones. They are the class of the division and their talent blows the Bruins out of the water.
Toronto Maple Leafs
This Maple Leafs team is going to be interesting to watch. Mitch Marner has moved on, signing a big-ticket contract with the Vegas Golden Knights via free agency. There is no denying his talent and what he is able to do with the puck. Losing him is a blow to them offensively, but they still have high end talent on the roster.
Marner had 102 points lsat season. The next closest was William Nylander with 84 and they are still going to get great production from Auston Matthews (78 points) and John Tavares (74 points). It is no longer a “Core Four,” but this team will now be leaning on Matthew Knies.
The Maple Leafs’ depth will be tested this season. They had just six players surpass the 20-goal mark during the 2024-25 season, nut this is a team that finds a way to get it done offensively with their high-end talent, as they scored the seventh-most goals and had the ninth best power play unit (24.8% success rate). They have better high-end talent than the Bruins even with the loss of Marner, but depth will be a question mark.
Tampa Bay Lightning
You can never count the Lightning out. That’s a good hockey team with some of the best talent in the league on it. Nikita Kucherov played at an MVP level throughout the regular season and Jake Guentzel made himself at home in his first season in Lightning blue. Brayden Point and Guentzel each had 40 goals and 80-plus points, and their top two lines are some of the best in hockey.
Here is where they stand out the most. They capitalize on their chances and make opponents pay. In all situations, the Lightning finished the regular season with 20.27 goals scored above expected. That’s very good finishing ability. There are always concerns about their depth after you get past the second line, but they have some of the best impactful talent on their roster. Comparing it to the Bruins roster, the depth and higher-end talent beat them by a wide margin.
Ottawa Senators
This Ottawa Senators team was special to watch. When it comes to a talent standpoint, they have more of that than the Bruins currently do. A full season with Dylan Cozens in the fold will be fun to watch and so will seeing this young core finally blossom into a consistent playoff team.
This club has numerous contributors during the regular season. Captain Brady Tkachuk led the team in goals (29) and this team had 10 players with double digit goal marks. They have a lot of impactful depth across their lineup and they don’t have to lean on their top guys. They are in the spot where the Bruins would like to be in the next few years.
Jake Sanderson took the next steps in his young career, as did Drake Batherson. This team earned their right to get into the playoffs and given the talent they do have, they should be able to punch their ticket to the playoffs again in 2025-26.
Buffalo Sabres
One day the Sabres will make it to the playoffs. Maybe they take the next steps to making it much like the Senators and Canadiens. They do have talent, it just needs to break out of its shell.
When it comes to talent, this team has more impactful depth than the Bruins currently have. The high-end talent is led by none other than Tage Thompson up front and Rasmus Dahlin on the back end. This Sabres team had 13 skaters finish with 10-plus points. Seven of those players finished with 30-plus points, which is good from a depth perspective. Trading away JJ Peterka does sting in that regard, but getting a good young talent in Micheal Kesselring is a good prize.
Their back end is deep and the forward group is young, but promising. As a team, they finished 10th in goals (265), but struggled to keep the puck out of their net. Just dissecting their young depth, it’s a bit better than the Bruins.
Montreal Canadiens
This might be one of the most fun teams in the Eastern Conference. They are young, but they are skilled and we saw that skill make it to the playoffs this season. The first-round exit wasn’t the result they wanted, but this team has a special blend of talent that should make more noise in 2025-26.
The Canadiens went out and acquired Noah Dobson from the Islanders ahead of the draft. They then gave him the big extension. Dobson might be coming off a down season (39 points), but he is a player that can quarterback a power play and give the team more offense from the back end. Lane Hutson is coming off a Calder Trophy winning season as well.
The forward group is special. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield are a phenomenal duo and Ivan Demidov is officially in the fold. A lot will be telling if some of their younger players can take the next steps further, but for as young as they are, they have talent and if there is a team that is toe-to-toe with the Bruins in that regard, it’s the Canadiens.
Detroit Red Wings
This might be the most intriguing team when comparing their talent to the Bruins. Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin are very special players and a huge reason for their success offensively. Alex DeBrincat would instantly become the second-best winger the Bruins have if he is on their roster. Those three players all finished the season with 70-plus points.
The real debate lies within the bottom of their lineup. Patrick Kane is still a threat offensively, even at his age. But you ask yourself, “is Andrew Copp or J.T. Compher better than the Bruins’ third line?” Honestly, you can make a compelling case for that right now. Those two combined for 55 points and the Bruins would take that right now.
The Red Wings finished 22nd in goals scored, which isn’t very far up from the Bruins. But just from a talent and depth perspective, the Red Wings do have that edge.
The Bruins are Way Behind
After looking at each team in their division, it shouldn’t shock anyone that the Bruins lack talent. The other teams have just as much as the Bruins, or better. As we go through the 2025-26 season, the word “talent” will be a constant talking point. Of course things can change, but as currently constructed, the Bruins are behind in this regard.
