Boston is much more well-coached than Toronto
The Bruins went through some turnover between the end of the 2022-23 season and when the puck first dropped in October 2023. Last year, the Bruins were supposedly “too old,” and they ranked third in the league in age. While they didn’t last in the playoffs, Boston still enjoyed a stellar regular season and easily won the Presidents’ Trophy.
Following an offseason when they lost players like Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, among others, meant an improbable downfall. Only it didn’t come, and the Bruins were leading the Atlantic Division for most of the season, and the division title came down to the final game when the Florida Panthers edged them out by a point.
Such epic performances and back-to-back 109-plus-point seasons are a testament to head coach Jim Montgomery, who continues to make the most out of what he has. On paper, you would think Toronto is the better hockey team, with their lead-leading 303 goals for and the fact some of their best forwards are elite two-way players.
But in back-to-back seasons, Montgomery’s Bruins have gotten the best of Toronto, and it foreshadows what could happen over the next four-to-seven games. While the Maple Leafs are a good hockey team that shouldn’t surprise anyone if they beat the Bruins, it would be far less shocking to see Boston win this one.