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Three things that should be on the Bruins Christmas List

TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 26: Head coach Bruce Cassidy of the Boston Bruins reacts during the first period against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on August 26, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 26: Head coach Bruce Cassidy of the Boston Bruins reacts during the first period against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on August 26, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
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Three things that should be on the Boston Bruins Christmas list for the 2020-21 season.

As we close the door on 2020, we got the best Christmas gift on Sunday afternoon when the NHL announced that they reached an agreement with the NHLPA for the 2020-21 season. Things will look different with limited travel for each team and new divisions. Gone from the Boston Bruins schedule are the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Central Division and the Montreal Canadiens to the all-Canadian Division.

With changes happening around the league, the season is set to begin on Jan. 13 for 10 teams and then on Jan. 14 for the Bruins when they drop the puck at the New Jersey Devils. As we count down the days to Opening Night, let’s take a look at what could on the Bruins Christmas List.

3. Chara comes back for one more run with the young Bruins defense.

It was widely thought that captain Zdeno Chara was waiting for word on what the season was going to look like to decide if he was going to return for a 15th season with the Bruins.

Chara’s agent has said that as many as 20 teams have reached out to Big Z to see if he would be willing to sign elsewhere. I find it hard to believe that he would, but in 2020, anything is possible.

The Bruins know that realistically Chara is not a top-two defenseman anymore. Heck, he might be dropped to a third pairing should he return, but looking at the state of the defense heading into the season, that is not as bad as the alternative.

With Torey Krug leaving for the St. Louis Blues in free agency in October and general manager Don Sweeney passing on free agent defensemen as well as not trading for a veteran, it looks like the Bruins are going to begin the season with their youngsters.

Charlie Coyle, Matt Grzelcyk, and Brandon Carlo will look to lead the unit, with Jeremy Lauzon, Connor Clifton, John Moore, and Kevan Miller looking to fill out the remaining three spots. Prospects Urho Vaakanainen and Jakub Zboril will fight for a spot on the roster in training camp at Warrior Arena in early January, but having Chara playing in a third pairing is still a move that coach Bruce Cassidy would take, even a 43 years old.

The Bruins defense will go through some growing pains during the season, but a shortened 56-game schedule is the perfect amount of games for Chara to come back and give it one more run with the window closing on the Bruins core players.

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