It’s anyone’s race in the Eastern Conference. Just six points represent the difference between 1st and 10th place in the East. The Atlantic Division is even closer, with just 3 points separating the top 5 teams. With the Bruins’ recent overtime win against the LA Kings, the Bruins jumped from 4th to 1st in the Atlantic Division.
The race is so tight that every game has a meaningful impact on the standings. What this means for the Bruins is that every single game matters. Two or three wins or losses in a row could be the difference between 1st and 10th place. If the Bruins manage to string some wins together, they have a real opportunity to pull away from their competition. So, with any team in the East having a real opportunity for the playoffs, can the Bruins make it this year?
Young players are stepping up
Let’s start with Fraser Minten. At only 21 years old, he is making a strong case for being a reliable middle-six forward and has positively impacted this team defensively. Minten has shown he can win faceoffs, averaging over 51% so far this season. Minten has also shown he has a high hockey IQ and can kill penalties.
Minten, at such a young age, is showing a defensive prowess that is reminiscent of someone who has been playing in the league much longer. He could be a great asset moving forward if he continues to prove himself, and still could have more offensive upside if he continues to develop and could move up the lineup.
Marat Khusnutdinov was another trade acquisition for the Bruins at the end of last season from the Minnesota Wild. Originally thought of as a depth player for most of last season and the start of this season, he is making a very strong case for staying in the Bruins’ top-six forward group. Khusnutdinov is another young player, at 23 years old, so the Bruins have yet to see his full potential. When Elias Lindholm was injured, Marco Sturm put Khusnutdinov on the top line playing with Pastnrak and Morgan Geekie, and he did not look out of place.
In an interview with WEEI Boston Sports Radio Marco Sturm had this to say about Marat playing with that top line,
"Just that speed. And also he has that ability to hunt pucks, get pucks a lot of time for them. That automatically limits their time in the D-zone. That’s where he’s really good at. He’s closing a lot of plays. He’s getting pucks right away. And that shows for us, not just on the score sheet, but also on our stat sheet, that they spend way more time in the offensive zone because of him."
That extra time in the offensive zone is paying off especially for Morgan Geekie who is currently tied with Nathan MacKinnon for the league lead in goals with 16. Even when the Bruins were hit with further injuries to Casey Mittlestadt and Viktor Arvidsson, Khusnutdinov remained in the top six for the Bruins against the Kings, centering Morgan Geekie and Alex Steeves on the second line.
Nikita Zadorov
The Bruins have unfortunately been hit with some injuries to key defenseman already this season. With Hampus Lindholm being injured earlier this season and now Charlie McAvoy taking a slapshot to the face and undergoing facial surgery, one player has remained steady on the back end and that is Nikita Zadorov.
Zadorov has been a physical presence this season and has really stepped up this year for the Bruins as they battle injuries. Zadorov leads the Bruins and ranks 7th in the league in hits and is 2nd on the Bruins in time on ice per game behind Charlie McAvoy. Zadorov was even rewarded with wearing an assistant captain “A” on his jersey during the absence of McAvoy.
Can the Bruins make the playoffs?
The Bruins have a lot of positives they can build on early into the season that absolutely increases their chances of being a competitive playoff team. The standings in the East are both a blessing and a curse. The Bruins have an opportunity to pull away from their competition if they manage to string a few wins together, but a few losses can send them just as quickly to the bottom of the standings. The injuries also hurt the Bruins, especially Charlie McAvoy, whose timetable is now hopeful for the Olympics.
However, if both the young players and the veterans can play to their potential for the majority of the season, there should be no doubt that this team is capable of being a playoff hopeful team. From what the Bruins have shown so far, it seems that Marco Sturm and the rest of the team are going in the right direction to make that happen.