Going into the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Boston Bruins were built to make a deep run and, at the end of the day, lift the Stanley Cup. They had their key players in their prime, and they had up-and-coming young stars who were making major contributions.
The Bruins took down the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games in the first round before eliminating the Columbus Blue Jackets in six games in the second round. In the Eastern Conference Final, the Black and Gold swept the Carolina Hurricanes to earn a date with the St. Louis Blues, who took down the San Jose Sharks in seven games in the Western Conference Final.
Boston and St. Louis played the deciding Game 7 at the TD Garden on June 12, 2019, with the Blues winning, 4-1. To this day, it feels like a loss that is going to sting for the organization for years and decades to come. However, there aren't many days that go by year after year where some Boston fans ask, "What if the Bruins won the 2019 Stanley Cup?"
What if the Boston Bruins win the 2019 Stanley Cup?
Again, this is a question that is going to live in Bruins lore for a long time. That loss is going to have ramifications that could lead to some major decisions in the not-too-distant future.
Those questions are going to hover over defenseman Charlie McAvoy and forward David Pastrnak. They have yet to come close to sniffing a Stanley Cup since that spring night, and former prospect goalie Brandon Bussi and former defenseman Mike Reilly had their names on the Cup this year with Carolina, who took down the Vegas Golden Knights in six games. Imagine Bussi and Reilly's names on the Cup before Charlie McAvoy and David Pastrnak?
Who knows what would have happened in the 2019-20 season if COVID had not shut down the NHL? Boston was steamrolling through the regular season, but had their run stopped abruptly before the COVID bubble, which was different and kind of a joke.
The 2019 loss to St. Louis is going to create some potential ugly days ahead for the Black and Gold if they can't build a Cup contender quickly for some of their core players. If the dark day ever comes when McAvoy and/or Pastrnak request a trade to try and win a Stanley Cup somewhere else, then it is going to sting longer than the Game 7 loss to the Blues ever did.
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