However, the 2025-26 Boston Bruins season turns out, one thing is for sure: it's going to be a rollercoaster ride that deals with a lot of ups and downs. Winning streaks and losing streaks have been the name of the game through the first half of the season, and that isn't likely going to change.
As a result of their streaking season, the Black and Gold are in a tightly compacted race in the Eastern Conference for a playoff berth. This is going to go down as one of the wildest postseason races after the Olympic Break in February. March and April could be insane.
If the Bruins end up on the outside looking in for a second straight season when the dust settles, they will have no one to blame but themselves. After beating the Pittsburgh Penguins, 1-0, on Sunday night at the TD Garden, defenseman Nikita Zadorov said it like it is when it comes to Boston and a potential postseason berth.
Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov says the quiet part out loud about postseason hopes
After a gusty 1-0 win over the Penguins, Nikita Zadorov joined the NESN broadcast and didn't beat around the bush when it comes to the Bruins and the playoffs.
"We're streaky, we just have to find a way to be consistent,'' said Zadorov. "If we want to get in (the playoffs), we have got to find a way not to lose six in a row."
The Bruins and the word consistent have not been going together well this year. The long losing streak early in the season was followed by a long winning streak, then another losing streak dropped the Black and Gold in the standings. Those streaks have allowed the teams in the standings behind the Bruins to gain some ground.
The playoffs feel like a long shot because of the inconsistency in Marco Sturm's first season in Boston, but if they are going to be postseason-bound, Zadorov is right: consistency is needed.