Wow, the Boston Bruins have found themselves on quite the roll lately, and it’s made for an outstanding change, considering the struggles this team has faced recently. Now the burning question is: Will it keep up?
We’ll never know, but there are ways the Bruins can at least increase the odds that it will be the case. One of which is for a few key players to bring the best possible versions of themselves as we fall deeper into November, and a pair of them are stars who deserve higher expectations.
1 - Jeremy Swayman
Yes, I’m completely aware that Jeremy Swayman’s most recent outing ended in a shutout, and it could be a sign of consistency to come. But let me rephrase that: It needs to be a sign of consistency to come, as Swayman, who should be a routine Vezina contender, will be a big reason behind whether the Bruins keep their run going in November or if they start to stagnate again.
Yeah, I can point to a few reasons why Boston had a rough October, but even with spotty performances this month, Swayman, their last line of defense, still should have played better than he did. We’ll see which version of him shows throughout the rest of November, but let’s hope it’s one that didn’t struggle so much along with the rest of the team in October.
2 - David Pastrnak
To be clear, this isn’t a knock on David Pastrnak, who has enjoyed a strong season to date, with six goals and 11 points in 13 games. But with the Bruins still playing catch-up hockey, nobody needs to step up more than the star forward, and one who can play at an MVP-caliber pace.
Pastrnak is currently on pace to see his 100-plus-point streak snap this season if he keeps putting up under a point per contest, and in a situation in which the Bruins are a consistent bunch, this wouldn’t be an issue. But, given the current landscape, hitting midseason form even in November is a must for the 2022-23 Hart Trophy runner-up.
Yeah, he was benched recently, but given the reasoning behind it, this is something nobody should be worrying too much about yet.
3 - Pavel Zacha
I’m not saying that Pavel Zacha needs to play lights-out, as it’s something he has yet to do so far in his career. But he’s got to give the Bruins more than the one goal and three points in 13 games that he’s brought so far, one that translates into a 3.1 shooting percentage.
Zacha has emerged in recent seasons as a fair depth scorer and playmaker, with 57 and 59 points, respectively, so far during his time with the Bruins. Last season, he was a physical player who also fared well at the faceoff dot, but none of that has come to the forefront in 2023-24.
The Bruins need all their scorers to step up, but players like Zacha, who have severely performed below expectations, must find their game more than anyone else.