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Boston Bruins: Three big questions heading into the 2019-20 season

By Filip Canda

ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JUNE 03: Charlie Coyle #13 of the Boston Bruins celebrates his goal with teammates during the first period of Game Four of the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Final against the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center on June 03, 2019 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JUNE 03: Charlie Coyle #13 of the Boston Bruins celebrates his goal with teammates during the first period of Game Four of the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Final against the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center on June 03, 2019 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL - MARCH 25: Steven Stamkos #91 of the Tampa Bay Lightning shoots the puck wide against goalie Tuukka Rask #40 of the Boston Bruins during the third period at Amalie Arena on March 25, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/NHLI via Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – MARCH 25: Steven Stamkos #91 of the Tampa Bay Lightning shoots the puck wide against goalie Tuukka Rask #40 of the Boston Bruins during the third period at Amalie Arena on March 25, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Can the Boston Bruins maintain the pace in the Atlantic Division?

The Atlantic Division has definitely gotten stronger, ahead of the new season. For the Boston Bruins, it will be much tougher company, compared to previous year. Indeed, the Bruins have been struggling within their division lately as it is.

In the 2018-19 season, the Boston Bruins lost three out of four head-to-head meetings with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning, overwhelmingly, took care of the whole NHL during the regular season. Nevertheless, they failed to deliver the goods as they got shockingly swept by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round.

What if, that’s always an intriguing question.

But what if the Lightning beat the Blue Jackets in, let’s say, comfortable fashion in only five games. Would they have been too steep of a challenge, almost impossible to overcome, for the Boston Bruins?

Don’t forget that Tampa Bay won eight of the last 10 head-to-head games with the Boston Bruins. And they just got stronger. Adding Kevin Shattenkirk and Pat Maroon, who Bruins fans certainly know well for his time in St. Louis, alongside shipping guys like Ryan Callahan or J.T. Miller certainly helped the issue in Tampa.

Last season, the Bruins went 2-2 against the Florida Panthers, while going 2-2 versus the Montreal Canadiens or 1-3 facing the Detroit Red Wings. All those teams, who missed the playoffs by season’s end, improved. It’s not going to be easy to handle any team in the Atlantic this year.

Of course, then there are the Toronto Maple Leafs, who improved, mainly on their defense. Adding a player like Tyson Barrie will make the Leafs look better on the blue-line.

Can the Bruins repeat the second-place finish in the Atlantic Division for the third straight year? Or can they even win the Division for the first time in six years?

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