The Boston Bruins are facing a must-win Game 5 in enemy territory against the Buffalo Sabres after a brutal showing in Games 3 and 4 at home. While most fans are okay with the pairing of Charlie McAvoy and David Pastrnak as the team's leaders moving forward, the pair have put forward some underwhelming playoff appearances during their time in Boston.
If the Bruins go out with a whimper again in Game 5 against the Sabres, the fan reaction isn't going to be pretty. Boston didn't have a ton of expectations this season, but once they get to the playoffs, you'd like to see their best players perform when it matters most. Pastrnak has the points to show for it, but his play has been subpar, while McAvoy is falling apart with the lack of help around him on the blue line.
A loss tonight will end this season, but local radio host Ken Laird via WEEI believes that it could have a farther reach than just heading into another offseason without a lengthy playoff run.
Tonight is a franchise defining game for the Bruins and if David Pastrnak or Charlie McAvoy don't show up don't be surprised if there is a roster shakeup this off-season - @KenLairdWEEI pic.twitter.com/fgC1kgTDO3
— WEEI (@WEEI) April 28, 2026
While I don't necessarily believe that one of the two franchise pillars will be involved in a trade during the offseason, it could prove that the pieces that Don Sweeney put around them aren't as valuable as he might've thought.
However, there is always the possibility that Game 5 will be another embarrassing loss, even worse than the one on Sunday in Boston, if that is possible. If that is the case, the tide could quickly turn on the Bruins' biggest stars, and all bets may really be off in the offseason.
Could a bad loss have even further reach? Bruins fans seem to disagree, but a terrible loss might be a shot in the arm for the organization, prompting a question: is the front office currently in charge the right people to lead the team into the next era?
The only question, according to Laird, is whether the next era includes McAvoy and Pastrnak. While it'd be tough to see one of them go, the return the Bruins would get in a trade would certainly set them up to potentially have a team that performs better in the playoffs 3-5 years down the road, instead of continuing to roll out the same type of lineup with similarly devastating results.
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