The Boston Bruins have had an interesting 2025-26 season. At times, they make their fans want to haul their hair out, at times they look like they could make the postseason, and at times they look like they could shock the world and make a run towards the Stanley Cup. A small percentage of the fanbase actually believes that could happen, but this stat might tell you it's time to start.
The Bruins feel like they've been up-and-down over the past few months, which might have been blown a bit out of proportion because of the strength of the Eastern Conference. However, the Bruins have actually been the second-best team in the entire league since the calendar turned to 2026. Their record in 2026 stands at 21-6-6, which is behind only the Buffalo Sabres, who are 25-7-4.
The problem for the Bruins and the reason why it feels like they haven't made up any ground is that the Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes are third and fourth on that list, with the Columbus Blue Jackets close behind in fifth. In fact, the top eight teams in points percentage since the calendar turned to 2026 are all from the Eastern Conference.
Right now, it might feel like the Bruins are nowhere near a playoff lock, which is true if they lose a couple of these tough games on their upcoming schedule. However, after dropping a disappointing game to the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier this week, they've responded with back-to-back wins against the Sabres and Minnesota Wild.
Some fans might've written down the Sabres and Wild as scheduled losses when looking at the upcoming games earlier in the week. They might've even said the same about the Blue Jackets, who have been red hot since hiring Rick Bowness. I'm here with this promising stat to tell you to stop doubting this season's Bruins and realize that they have been one of the best teams in the league for months now.
The unfortunate thing for the Bruins is that with the way the playoff picture is shaking out, they may have to face the Sabres in the first round, which is the only team better than them since January 1. However, if they get past them, you could consider them the favorites to win the Stanley Cup, despite what some people think.