Are the Boston Bruins as good as their 10-1-2 start to the season? Probably not, but are they as bad as their recent 3-5-2 stretch? No. There have been some surprises this season, as well as some disappointments in the terms of performances from some of their players.
Aside from the top line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and David Pastrnak, who have combined for 32 of the Black and Gold’s 64 goals, there has been not a lot of production from many players. Stop me if you have heard this before, but the Bruins are struggling with secondary scoring. They are struggling with a right wing on the second line. They need to make a deal for a top-four defenseman. Same struggles, different year.
If the Bruins are going to turn things around, finish in the top four in the East Division, they will need some of their bottom-nine forwards to step up. At this point, Boston will take anything from anyone. Here are three players that have been a disappointment through the first 23 games of the season.
3. Anders Bjork
Last season, the 24-year-old Bjork had a breakthrough in 58 games with nine goals and 10 assists. There was hope that he was beginning to find his offensive game and could produce for the Bruins as a bottom-six forward. In 2016-17, he had 21 goals and 31 assists at the University of Notre Dame. There seems to be something there that the Bruins were hoping they might get in his fourth season as a pro.
Unfortunately, the results have not been what the B’s had hoped for. In 22 games, Bjork has one goal and two assists. Bouncing around as third and fourth-liner, he has not found any consistency. If things don’t turn around, Bjork could be a trade piece in the next month for general manager Don Sweeney.