The Boston Bruins could be in the running for a wild card spot his upcoming season, The Athletic’s James Mirtle believes.
In an August 14 mailbag post, Mirtle delved into the question of the Bruins turning things around this upcoming season. Mirtle conceded the point that the Bruins were a “trainwreck” last season. In particular, their late-season collapse was hard to believe.
The collapse precipitated a hurried selloff that saw numerous veteran stars get the heave-ho at last year’s trade deadline. But even with the gutted roster, Mirtle believes the Bruins could compete for a wild-card spot this upcoming season.
Mirtle wrote:
“As far as being good, though, it depends how you define that. They’re definitely thinner up front, where it’s going to take some surprises from their young players to keep them competitive. But I could still see them in competition for a wild-card spot, given the talent they still have.”
Those comments underscore the solid core in place featuring 100-point scorer David Pastrnak, top blue liner Charlie McAvoy, and number-one starter Jeremy Swayman.
However, Mirtle offers a word of caution:
“Their path to competing with the contenders, however, is pretty murky right now, given last year’s selloff, their meager prospect pool and all of their holes.”
So, it seems the Bruins could hang around the fringes of the Eastern Conference playoff race for most of the season. It would have to take a solid run at one point of the season to catapult the Bruins into a playoff spot.
Is it realistic to expect the Bruins in a playoff spot this season?
As much as Bruins fans would like to see the team in the playoffs next season, it may not be plausible yet. A lot of things have to go right for the Bruins to make it back to the playoffs.
For instance, the younger players expected to make the jump to the team would have to play extremely well off the bat. We’re talking about players like Fraser Minten and Matej Blumel. Similarly, big years will be needed from guys like Mason Lohrei and Morgan Geekie.
Then, there are the vets who could rebound. Viktor Arvidsson, Pavel Zacha, and Elias Lindholm come to mind. Also, Tanner Jeannot will have to prove doubters wrong after joining the Bruins via free agency.
If all of those players can come together and have a solid season, the Bruins could give the Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Tampa Bay Lightning a run for their money.
Again, is it realistic to expect the Bruins to challenge for a playoff spot? Yes, especially if the Metro Division proves weaker than expected. The Bruins will need to fight off the Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, and Detroit Red Wings for a playoff spot. But it’s doable as long as Pastrnak, McAvoy, and Swayman lead the way.