The trade deadline has come and passed, locking in the Boston Bruins’ roster for the final stretch of the 2023-24 season and playoffs. Unlike previous seasons, the front office was quiet, only adding two players, Pat Maroon and Andrew Peeke to bolster their depth. Of course, it is also important to mention that the team didn’t have a lot of wiggle room at the deadline this season, even more than in previous ones. They are right up against the NHL’s cap and have already traded away their first-round pick for this year’s draft.
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While they may not be the most exciting of names, Maroon does bring with him three Stanley Cup championship rings and is the type of physical player that can really make a difference in the postseason. The Bruins have had their defensive woes all season and have dealt with a number of injuries, including Derek Forbort recently being placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR). It makes sense for them to get another defenseman, and one who very clearly needed a change of scenery from Columbus.
Ultimately though, if the Bruins are going to make it out of the first round of the playoffs after early exits the last two seasons, it is going to have to come from within the organization. There is no Noah Hanifin or Chris Tanev arriving to help on defense or Jake Guentzel adding to the offense. If the team is going to make a deep playoff run, it is going to have to come from the roster they’ve had all season.
It’s obviously not a bad roster. The team is currently sitting first in the Atlantic Division, battling a very talented Florida Panthers team for the top position. But a good Bruins’ roster flamed out in the playoffs last season, so the team cannot be complacent as the playoffs get closer and closer.
Top Guys Need to Be Top Guys
The Bruins have elite players on their roster. Last season, they were able to bring in great additions like Tyler Bertuzzi and Dmitri Orlov at the trade deadline, but they still had great players to begin with. This year, without any new big names coming in to provide assistance, it will be even more on the team’s top talent to play up to their abilities.
David Pastrnak is having a fantastic season that isn’t really getting the attention it should. The 27 (soon to be 28) year old, has 41 goals and 96 points in 69 games this season. He’s on pace to get around 114 points, meaning he should match or exceed his career-best 113 points last season. He should be a Hart Trophy finalist again this season and has a real argument to win it. He’s currently fourth in the NHL in total points and fifth in goals.
Another person who will be looked to in the playoffs is captain Brad Marchand. His leadership has shown on and off the ice, and he continues to contribute offensively with 27 goals and 61 points in 69 games. He has dropped off a bit in points the last few seasons, but at 35, he’s still an effective player on the ice and has it in him to step up in the postseason. Charlie Coyle is in the midst of a career year with 54 points in 69 games, almost matching his career-best 56 points from back in the 2016-17 season. He will need to continue his terrific play into the playoffs if the Bruins have any hope of a deep playoff run.
On defense, Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo have been solid all year, bringing some stability to a blue line that has seen a lot of inexperience and up-and-down play from its players. In goal, the importance of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman can not be emphasized enough. Last postseason, the goaltending did not hold up as well as it had during the season, and all eyes will be on them once the playoffs hit to see if there will be a repeat or if they will be as solid as they have been all regular season.
Players to Step Up in Postseason
The additions of players at the deadline can often provide a post-deadline boost. Think about the acquisition of Taylor Hall a few seasons back. He quickly found success in Boston’s lineup, injecting some much-needed energy into the team. While the team may not be getting a big name to help boost the roster in the final stretch, there are guys currently on the roster who can step up and be that energy.
Already, Jake DeBrusk has put together some solid games post-deadline. It has not been the best season for him and with extension talks stalled, it seemed like there was a very good chance he would be on the trade block and even a rumored deal that would have swapped him with Elias Lindholm of the Vancouver Canucks. That deal never happened, keeping DeBrusk on the roster for the remainder of the season, making him a pseudo-postseason rental.
After only one goal and two points in 12 games in February, DeBrusk has four goals and nine points in his last seven games. It has been an up-and-down season for him, filled with some good stretches and long bad stretches, but hopefully, he has finally turned the corner and will be able to provide a necessary boost into the postseason.
Another player that could be looked to in the final stretch is Johnny Beecher. While he made the NHL roster initially out of training camp, he was sent down to play with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League (AHL) in January and was recalled this past week. In his first game back, he demonstrated why he should seriously be considered to stick around in Boston as he won eight out of 11 faceoffs, an area he has done well in all season and the team has struggled in. He continued to make himself known in his second game when he scored his sixth goal of the season. If he can solidify his roster spot, he will be a huge help down the line in the faceoff circle and could be a difference-maker in helping them hold onto leads.
Another guy to keep an eye on to see if they’ll get hot at the right time is Hampus Lindholm, who has recently returned from injury and while he hasn’t had a bad season, he has not been on the same level he was in 2022-23. If he can really get something going in this final bit of the regular season, he will be someone to watch in the playoffs.
The Bruins Know How to Win
The ingredients for winning are on the Bruins’ roster, it’s just a matter of holding it all together. There have been up and down moments throughout 2023-24, and there are still issues the team needs to work out with holding onto leads and not giving up goals late. But, they have proven to have a winning roster and this is a team that is fully capable of making a deep playoff run without any additions from the trade deadline.
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Last season, the Bruins were plagued by injuries and were not able to match the fire of the Panthers. Hopefully, the memories of last season help light a fire under them. They know they are a good team, but that is not necessarily what needs to be proved in the playoffs. What they need to show is whether or not they are a championship team. They have elite talent and players that can provide their own post-deadline boost from within the roster.
