Slow Start
In the NHL there is a common belief that if your team is above the playoff line by Black Friday, then your practically a lock for the playoffs. This shows that the good teams have strong starts and never look back. For the Bruins that should be quite concerning. The Bruins had a cakewalk of a schedule to start the new season. Boston should come out of the gates hot and rack up some easy points. However, it’s been anything but easy for the Bruins so far. Currently, they sit at 3-3-1 with a total of seven points. The Bruins are on pace for 82 points, about 12 points off of what it will take to make the playoffs.
Tough Road Ahead
And now, the real teams start popping up on the schedule. So far, the Bruins have played the lowly Sabres, the Avalanche twice, the Golden Knights ( who started Malcolm Subban) and Arizona. What do all these teams have in common? Oh yeah, they suck. Yet the Bruins looked lost most nights, dominated up and down the ice.
Now the Bruins have a gauntlet ahead. Over the next month they play San Jose twice, the Kings twice, Anaheim, Washington, the Rangers, Toronto twice, and the Penguins. Looking at that schedule, no games offer relief as one that the Bruins could chalk up as a win. If the Bruins don’t watch out, in three weeks they could very easily occupy at the basement of the Eastern Conference.
These are the stretches where your veteran players step up and guide the young kids through the grind that is the NHL schedule. But every time the Bruins turn around, another injury pops up. And a new young kid gets significant ice time. Which brings us to the core problem surrounding the Bruins. The management of the roster.
Sweeney decided to keep Adam Mcquid and Kevin Miller this offseason for some ungodly reason. Now both are injured when the Bruins need veteran presences. Why? Because both can’t stay on the ice. The Bruins are trying to keep open foot in both worlds and it’s gonna cost them. The Bruins can’t expect to be a contender when the top of their defense and forwards are composed of rookies. Hardly a recipe for success in the NHL. On top of that McCavoy, Debrusk, and Bjork have never played the grueling 82 game schedule. So the production is bound to dip.
Youth Movement
The Bruins need to realize that this season is a lost year. It’s time to focus completely on the young kids. Chelarik played a bit last year and showed a solid comprehension of the NHL game. In the short time, Chelarik flashed his NHL-ready vision and passing ability. Call him up along with any other kid with some potential. Get them more ice time. Focus on the next three to four years. Not just making the playoffs this season and getting knocked out in six games.
It’s gonna be a tough pill for Bruins fans. But the future lies with the young kids. Chara, Rask, even Bergeron aren’t gonna be the reason the Bruins win a cup. This is a bridge team to the future. So speed up the process any way possible. The more ice time now will benefit the development for years to come.