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Boston Bruins: 2020 was filled with its ups and downs for the Black and Gold

By Scott Roche

TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 31: The Boston Bruins react after their 3-2 loss during the second overtime period to lose Game Five of and the Eastern Conference Second Round to the Tampa Bay Lightning during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on August 31, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 31: The Boston Bruins react after their 3-2 loss during the second overtime period to lose Game Five of and the Eastern Conference Second Round to the Tampa Bay Lightning during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on August 31, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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1. Krug and Chara leave in free agency

When free agency began in early October, it was widely thought throughout the NHL that Torey Krug had played his last game in a Bruins uniform in their eliminating Game 5 loss to Tampa at the Toronto playoff bubble.

That became a reality on the first night of free agency when Krug agreed to a seven-year contract with the St. Louis Blues. Losing Krug is a blow to the defensive unit and he was the quarterback of the first power play unit with 26 assists last season.

Zdeno Chara was widely thought of returning to the Bruins, as the Bruins were told that the 43-year-old captain was waiting to see what the 2020-21 season was going to look like before he made a decision if he was going to return for a 15th season in Boston.

Related Story. Zdeno Chara signs with the Washington Capitals. light

On Wednesday afternoon, in a shocking development to many, Chara agreed to a free-agent contract with the Capitals, ending his tenure in Boston. Why Chara left is the question. It was reported that the Bruins offered Big Z a contract, but in a lesser role on the ice, while the Caps could offer him more playing time and still a very legitimate shot at winning one more Stanley Cup before he hangs it up.

Whether the plan all along by the Bruins front office was to wait for his decision, it sounds like Sweeney and Neely helped him by saying they wanted to get a good look at their younger defensemen in a shortened 56-game season.

Whatever the case may be, the Bruins lost two defensemen heading into the new season and will roll out a young blue line with a lot of questions after the top three of Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, and Matt Grzelcyk.

Next. Bruins: What to expect from Charlie Coyle in 2021. dark

With the calendar officially turning to January 2021 and 2020 is finally behind us, the Bruins season begins in 13 nights against the Devils in New Jersey. Hopefully, 2021 has more to offer the Boston Bruins than 2020 did.

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