Boston Bruins: Top 3 impact players to watch against Dallas

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 23: Jake DeBrusk #74 of the Boston Bruins looks on during the first period of the preseason game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on September 23, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 23: Jake DeBrusk #74 of the Boston Bruins looks on during the first period of the preseason game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on September 23, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
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DALLAS, TX - NOVEMBER 16: Boston Bruins right wing David Backes (42) and Dallas Stars center Mattias Janmark (13) battle for the puck behind the net during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Boston Bruins on November 16, 2018 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX – NOVEMBER 16: Boston Bruins right wing David Backes (42) and Dallas Stars center Mattias Janmark (13) battle for the puck behind the net during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Boston Bruins on November 16, 2018 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

As the NHL regular season officially begins for Boston Bruins fans tonight, let’s take a look at three players we expect to make a big impact for the Black and Gold.

The short summer’s over, and we Bruins fans can start to really put the disappointing end to the 2018-19 season behind us starting tonight. The Boston Bruins will kick off the new season tonight, Oct. 3, in a Western Conference showdown against the Dallas Stars.

Boston will start out with a very familiar roster this season, having retained most of the players from last years’ Stanley Cup Final team. We were very lucky to lock down both Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo to respectable contract extensions, and in more good news, reports are abound that negotiations between the club and Torey Krug are in motion.

While there is legitimacy in doubting whether the Bruins will have the stamina to make the Cup Final once again this year, much less win it, we know better than to believe anything definitively this early in the season.

Let’s step away from the big picture, though, and focus on tonight. The Bruins face off against old friend Tyler Seguin, and recent acquisition Brett Ritchie will be playing for the other team in an arena he called home for five years.

The storylines are already starting to swirl around this year’s crop of Black and Gold, and much of those topics will have to do with which players deliver in key situations.

Here are three Bruins players I expect will make an impact in tonight’s game against Dallas. If it turns out I’m wrong, keep this in mind: I have not yet mastered time travel.