The Boston Bruins could have made a run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2023, but they never made it past the first round, thanks to the Florida Panthers. Fast-forward to this past spring, and the two teams met in the second round, only for Boston to sustain the same results.
Now, after an offseason worth of making a few high-quality moves and the fact that a sense of urgency should be at an all-time high, can the Bruins finally get the best of what has become a heated division rival? The answer isn’t as clear-cut as you may think.
Adding players like Nikita Zadorov and Elias Lindholm definitely helps, as they’re not just a pair of seasoned veterans but seasoned teammates in not one but two different cities - Vancouver and Calgary. Jeremy Swayman will also sign an extension, don’t you worry. And he’s just scratching the surface of his prime, so there’s a lot to like about Boston when comparing them to Florida.
Boston is also, overall, better equipped to handle Florida’s physical style by adding size to their lineup this past offseason. Last season, physicality meant a lot in the Eastern Conference, and when you’re playing the Panthers, expect them to hit you often.
Boston Bruins have a better chance to get the best of Florida in 2024-25
Boston was physical as well last year, landing 2,259 body checks. And gaining even more of that edge in 2024-25, theoretically, anyway, will at least increase their chances of getting past that Florida Panthers-sized obstacle.
But the Bruins also can’t abandon their overall game, as it led them to 135 and 109 points over the last two seasons, respectively. Instead, bringing on the likes of Zadorov and Lindholm and keeping most of their core intact should add to what has been one of the NHL’s best and most consistent teams in the 2020s.
There are a few other avenues in which they can also stand to improve, starting with their 5-on-5 play. Boston was a good team last season, but a 47.7 Corsi For Percentage, a 48.4 Scoring Chances For Percentage, and a 49.2 High-Danger Chances For Percentage all need to increase.
Sure, Boston scored more and allowed fewer goals on average, thanks to some stellar overall play. But if they improve their 5-on-5 game offensively in addition to maximizing their physicality plus the strengths of Zadorov and Lindholm, they will give not only Florida but every elite team in hockey a tough time.