Boston Bruins: Predictions for the 2017-2018 NHL season
Atlantic Division
- Boston Bruins
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Tampa Bay Lightning
- Montreal Canadiens
- Ottawa Senators
- Florida Panthers
- Detroit Red Wings
- Buffalo Sabres
I did a divisional preview and Bruins season preview for Chowder and Champions last month. I took some flack from readers for putting the Bruins on top. I’m sure some of you reading this are thinking I’m crazy, some rosy-cheeked rah-rah fan. But answer me this…why can’t they finish atop the division?
The Bruins finished 3rd in the division last season with a weaker roster than this year’s edition. The team now has two potential Calder Trophy candidates in Charlie McAvoy and Anders Bjork, a perennial Selke Trophy favorite in Patrice Bergeron, and a Hart Trophy candidate in Brad Marchand. Not to mention, a young Czech phenom who just signed a new 6 year deal in David Pastrnak and a former Vezina Trophy winner in Tuukka Rask.
The NHL has shifted into a younger, faster game, and the Bruins have finally crafted a roster that meets those needs. Plus, name a team in the division that significantly improved? The Maple Leafs are a young team who exceeded expectations last season. But their main addition was an aging Patrick Marleau. The Lightning get Steven Stamkos back, but they’re putting all of their eggs in a young goalie’s basket in Andrei Vasilevskiy.
I think Boston, Toronto, Tampa Bay make the playoffs, and Montreal takes a Wild Card spot.