The Boston Bruins had a slow return to action after the All-Star break. They played the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday, Feb. 1, heading into All-Star Weekend and didn’t play again until Saturday, Feb. 11, with a disappointing 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals.
The last few weeks have been the roughest of the Bruins’ season. They have not been playing with the same confidence, and we know the difference between winning a championship and not can come down to attitude. But before we sound the alarm, remember that the Bruins are still first in the league, seven points ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes in second, and have a record of 40-8-5.
In the upcoming stretch, they will have a chance to get back to their level of play and regain their confidence, and several factors will help them do that.
Return of Jake DeBrusk
Jake DeBrusk has been an essential part of the lineup this season and has been out with a leg injury since the Winter Classic on Jan. 2. Even after missing some time, he has 30 points, including 16 goals, in 36 games and there is a pretty good chance that he’ll surpass 30 goals for the first time in his career.
The team has gone 11-4-1 during his absence and combined for four goals in their regulation losses. The scoring has not quite been the same without him. In the past, the Bruins have struggled with their depth scoring, but they finally seemed to have found the right line combinations this season. But without DeBrusk in the lineup, the chemistry has been off.
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What DeBrusk brings to the ice besides his scoring touch is a tremendous amount of speed to create odd-man rushes. The power play has also missed his presence and has become a weak spot during this rough patch. Getting him back will go a long way in helping the team get back on track.
Getting the Bruins’ Offense Back
Naturally, the team’s struggles have coincided with scoring droughts from key players. Helping those players find their groove would also help the team find its game again.
Taylor Hall has been able to get involved on this road trip; he had a goal in Tuesday’s game against the Dallas Stars. But since the calendar flipped to 2023, he has struggled to produce at the same level he did in the first half of the season. In 17 games this year, he has three goals. He is a big name, and the team will need him back on track for their stretch run.
Brad Marchand has also been quiet recently. He hasn’t registered a point since their loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Jan. 26, an uncharacteristically long stretch for an elite player. Similar to Hall, Charlie Coyle has only scored two of his 11 goals in 2023. If the third line can get something going again, the team should bounce back.
The next few games will also give Jakub Lauko a chance to settle in on the fourth line. With Tomas Nosek out and not coming back in the immediate future, the team has tried several players in his position. Lauko is the current call-up from Providence and has already shown improvement from the game against the Capitals to the one against the Stars. The Bruins need to find a stable fourth line, and the quicker he can settle in, the better.
Bruins’ Important Stretch
The Bruins put together an important win against a tough Stars team last night, so they’re already working on getting things back on track. They came from behind to win in overtime against the top team in the Central Division, which has one of the best goaltenders in the league. If a win like that doesn’t give them a boost of confidence, I don’t know what will.
As mentioned, the power play has been especially bad during these last few games. Even one goal in the upcoming games would be a remarkable sigh of relief. DeBrusk’s return and having players back in top form should make that happen.
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Getting a win against the Nashville Predators on Thursday should also help get things rolling again. The Bruins have not had two wins in a row since Jan. 24, and getting a winning streak going will be important. They follow it up with two games at home against the New York Islanders and the Ottawa Senators. The Islanders, of course, have recently added Bo Horvat, and the Senators have been a thorn in the team’s side all season. All three are important games for them to win.
DeBrusk is expected to return soon, and as others regain their form, it shouldn’t take long for the Bruins to put this small rough patch behind them. With less than 30 games to play and the trade deadline approaching, the team should start focusing on the postseason.
