It's hard to believe, but the calendar has flipped from November to December in what feels like the blink of an eye. The Boston Bruins end the month in second place in the Atlantic Division, but the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference is such a cluster that anyone can make the playoffs at this point, and anyone can miss them.
It is going to be another busy month for the Black and Gold in December, which begins with a trip to the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night and ends on New Year's Eve in Edmonton against former teammate Trent Frederic and the Oilers. Here are some thoughts on the Bruins from November.
Boston Bruins November thoughts
- Every team is dealing with injuries, but the Bruins can't seem to catch a break. First, it was Charlie McAvoy taking a deflected shot to the face against the Montreal Canadiens two weeks ago, to Viktor Arvidsson getting injured late in the same game. After Thanksgiving, Boston has played the last two games without David Pastrnak, and Pavel Zacha missed one game. Here's to a better December health-wise for the Black and Gold.
- One question entering the season was whether or not Jeremy Swayman could have a bounce-back season or not. So far, so good. He was so good that Marco Sturm played him on the final three games on their recent four-game road trip, and against Detroit on Saturday night, he was the reason they stole two points.
- You have to think sooner or later the Bruins will clean up all the penalties, right? They were whistled for five penalties against the Red Wings and somehow killed each attempt. Yes, some of the calls are questionable at best, but you can live and die with all the penalties for so long.
- The Bruins picked up a pair of wins over the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier in the month. Both scores were 5-3, and in both games, Nikita Zadorov knocked out a Maple Leafs player. In the first game in Toronto, Zadorov laid out Scott Laughton with a check at the Toronto blueline. Three nights later, he drilled Auston Matthews in the second period, and the Maple Leafs captain went straight to the room. Zadorov is public enemy No. 1 in Toronto. He returned to the lineup last week, but Toronto finds itself at the bottom of the standings, for now.
- Is Morgan Geekie a threat to win the Rocket Richard Award? Who knows, but he certainly is on pace for another career season in Boston for goals. He's already up to 20 after two against the Red Wings on Saturday night. Without Geekie, it's kind of scary to think where the Bruins might be in the standings.
- It wasn't surprising that the John Beecher era in Boston ended, but it was more of how it ended. Surprisingly, general manager Don Sweeney thought that he would pass through waivers to get to the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League (AHL). He didn't, as the Calgary Flames were quick to pounce on him. Who knows, maybe a fresh start is what he needs.
December is going to be a busy month with another trip out West, this time through Western Canada and Seattle to ring in the New Year. The Bruins have a lot of areas to clean up if they are going to be hanging around a postseason berth as they ring in the New Year in Edmonton.