It still hurts. It’s been almost three months since the Boston Bruins played (and ultimately lost) Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden.
What was meant to be an opportunity for the ages, turned out to be a bit of a nightmare. Now, it’s the Boston Bruins obligation to find impetus in all of that and not to simply mull over it forever.
The new season is just around the corner and the Boston Bruins have to act quickly. Their physical preparation has never been in question; the Bruins players will be ready at 100% for opening night in Dallas.
But what about their mentality and their psychological approach? One would question it, for sure.
More from Editorials
- Pavel Zacha’s veteran status leading to bigger role in 2023-24
- The Bruins should take a look at these four free agents
- Why the Bruins should wait to name a captain until after the season
- 3 players the Bruins can, 3 players could trade, 3 players they shouldn’t trade
- It’s time to offer Jake DeBrusk a contract extension
“I’m not over it. I don’t think I ever will be,” said David Krejci after the captains’ practice on Wednesday at the Warrior Ice Arena. He was not alone.
“I don’t think we’re over it. I don’t think I’m over it,” added Sean Kuraly, the man who scored two game winners in that Stanley Cup Final. “Three periods away, so we obviously did a lot of good things to get there. And with a lot of the guys coming back, it’s still in the minds a bit,” commented Chris Wagner.
Those were just three players talking about that Stanley Cup Final loss from June. But they represent the whole Boston Bruins locker room and the fan base too. As the new season approaches, the most difficult step of the preparation for it will be to take that Stanley Cup Final loss as a teaching lesson.
It’s already over, don’t dwell on it; find an impetus from the most terrible and tough-to-overcome loss in your life. How to accomplish that?
The best always take notes from the toughest possible losses and failures. The Boston Bruins need to be those best. Whatever they do, they shouldn’t over-think it too much.
“It’s just something that you have to learn to live with it. The only way out of it is to have a good season and make a push in the playoffs.”
They are already impatient to play in the Stanley Cup playoffs again.
It’s a case of grabbing the moment when you were so close to winning the Stanley Cup. Rewind it to that moment when Alex Pietrangelo scored the game-winner. Rewind it and let’s correct that exact play. Thinking about it before each of the upcoming 82 regular season games would be a mistake – a big one.
You can always learn. The Boston Bruins cannot rewind the time and defend Pietrangelo on that same situation, but they can make sure that it doesn’t repeat the next time.
“We’ve got hockey to play. Playing hockey will help. It will be something fun you get to enjoy and try to win some games and feel good about that and get right back there, realise that’s our goal,” said Kuraly.
Much like the way Sean Kuraly plays himself, the whole Boston Bruins team have to play the role of the grinders. Grinding away at their minds to stay positive and take the most brutal loss as something that fuels you; as a motivation.
“It is tough to think about it, but you kind of want to take it as a learning lesson to move on,” added Chris Wagner, who had a tough time after his injury which prevented him from playing in that Final.
The Boston Bruins players and their fans as well are readying for the season to come. It’s not going to be easy.
Once the Bruins hoist the Stanley Cup, maybe next year, they will cherish that loss. You can never cherish a loss if you don’t learn from it.
It’s been talked about for a little while now. September and all it brings is one of the most important months of the hockey season. If you are not prepared to get over it and stop pondering over it, don’t come.
Let’s sum it up with the phrase of Sean Kuraly: “You realize how much you want it after how close you get and almost get that taste – it makes you pretty hungry to get back.”
The Boston Bruins are (almost) back!