Boston Bruins: How are the offseason departures performing with their new teams?

While the Boston Bruins were lucky to have the majority of their roster from last season returning for the 2019-20 season, there are a few players who have left to pursue their next opportunity.

After coming up just short of their ultimate goal last season, the Boston Bruins are entering the 2019-20 season with much of their roster still intact.

However, they’re now without one of their better playoff performers from last season as Marcus Johansson left Boston to join the Buffalo Sabres.

While the Bruins and many of their fans were hoping to find a way to keep Johansson in black and gold, their salary cap situation prevented any contract extension from happening. The same can also be said of Noel Acciari, who signed with the Florida Panthers.

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

Everything seems to be going well for Johansson and the Sabres so far this season. Buffalo currently sits atop the NHL standings with a 9-2-2 record, while Johansson has four goals and five assists.

He is currently slotted as the second-line center, playing alongside Jeff Skinner and Vladimir Sobotka, a step up from the third-line role that Johansson had after joining the Bruins at the trade deadline.

While Buffalo has shaken up the Atlantic Division early on in the season, the Sabres did the same thing to start last season but ended up missing the playoffs. Until they prove that they can keep up this pace all season long, there will be doubts as to whether Buffalo is a real contender or not.

Meanwhile, Acciari has gotten off to a solid start with the Panthers. Acciari is playing in his familiar fourth-line role but has been finding the back of the net at a career-best pace to start the season.

With four goals through 12 games, Acciari is actually tied with another former-Bruin, Brett Connolly, for fourth place in goals. To get that kind of scoring from your fourth line is always a nice bonus, but those are also Acciari’s only points this season.

The new additions for the Panthers are proving to be worth the investment early on this season, as the Panthers currently sit in the third playoff spot in the Atlantic Division. The entire division has been shaken up so far, with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs not living up to expectations through the first month of the season.

As a result, the Boston Bruins have earned the top spot in the most recent NHL Power Rankings.