The Boston Bruins ended their latest leg of the season with a heartbreaking 4-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, putting them at a crossroads heading into the 4 Nations Face-Off. You won’t see your Bruins take the ice again until February 22nd when they square off with an upstart Anaheim Ducks team, and momentum may not be on their side.
Also starting on the 22nd, we’ll know for sure what the Bruins might end up doing as the trade deadline gets mighty close. They have three games remaining in February, with tilts vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Islanders following the Anaheim game to end the month.
How these next three games play out may just shape the rest of the Bruins season. Of course, winning all three games will yield a different route as opposed to if the Bruins lose all three. Let’s discuss each scenario further.
What if the Boston Bruins win out after the 4 Nations Face-Off?
If the Bruins take all three contests, they’ll find themselves at 66 points and well on their way to wild card contention. I’d expect no ‘selling’ here as the trade deadline steamrolls toward the week-to-go mark unless the Bruins land a blockbuster deal that would also add some talent to otherwise weak areas.
The only way this wouldn’t ‘buy’ is if those ahead of them, sans the Maple Leafs for obvious reasons, primarily win out to finish the month. Should that be the case, the Bruins may end up selling regardless and embarking on a retool.
But the overall best odds of fans hoping to see this team seriously contend for a playoff spot would involve them showing the NHL universe that the season ain’t over yet.
What if the Bruins split?
If the Bruins finish 1-1-1, 2-1-0, or 1-2-0, chances are the ultimate decision will be made when general manager Don Sweeney evaluates where the team stands. Should they split and it seems like a more insurmountable task for Boston to end up with a playoff berth, don’t be surprised if a retooling effort is underway.
But if the Bruins split and they’re roughly six points or less out of that second wild card spot, look for Sweeney and Company to wait it out a little closer to that March 7th deadline before they make an ultimate decision.
If it were me, I’d roll with a retool regardless. Why? I’d ask myself one critical question: Can this lineup, even with another player or two supplementing them, seriously contend to win the Stanley Cup? The answer is no.
What if the Bruins lose out?
This is the Captain Obvious question, isn’t it? Should the Bruins lose out, admit defeat. The season’s over, and fans may as well start gearing up for the MLB season or watching to see how the Boston Celtics play out since they’ll be ‘selling’ at the deadline.
Or, if you’re a die-hard NHL fan, start looking at where the Bruins are most likely to pick in the NHL Draft and go from there. They’re not going anywhere should they drop those next three games, as the lineup, at that point, would be nowhere close to contention.
Yeah, they’re blunt words, but I’m not sugarcoating the situation here. The Bruins haven’t been a great hockey team all season and another few losses would drive that point home.