Yes the Boston Bruins have earned a point in eighteen straight games. But with thirty-five games left on the schedule the Bruins still chasing the Tampa Bay Lightning. There are still a quite few hurdles for the B’s to clear. Up to this point the B’s have proved that they need to be taken seriously. However, let’s look at some concerns the team has even with this point streak.
Composure
This may seem like nitpicking, and it probably is. But could cockiness become a problem for such a young Bruins team? Maybe, while the Bruins have plenty of proven veteran leadership up and down the roster there is a cocky feel around this team. That is what a huge streak can do to a team. While having some swagger on your team is a good thing it can become flat-out arrogance if you let it. Especially when the puck starts bouncing the wrong way for you and all of a sudden you have lost three out of four. That is where Bruce Cassidy, Patrice Bergeron, and Zdeno Chara are going to have to make their presence felt. It has not been a problem up to this point, but lets see what happens with the confidence of the young kids if the team starts to struggle, if that ever happens.
Workload
This may be the biggest concern surrounding a complete team like the Bruins. Young and old players have different ways of handling a full 82 game schedule. The All-Star break is the last real lull for a hockey team during the grind that is the NHL regular season. With this being the first full season for players like Charlie McAvoy, Jake Debrusk, Anders Bjork, Matt Grezyleck, it will be interesting to see how their legs hold up down the stretch. Also the Bruins’ best defenseman from start to finish this year has been Zdeno Chara, who is forty years old. Chara is leading the Bruins in TOI with 23:26 minutes per game. That is a lot of pressure to keep on the veteran.
With the playoff run really starting to heat up teams are going to give their best every night. That means harder hitting, tougher puck battles, and more emphasis put on every single point. With the Bruins in a tight division race it will be interesting to see if the team can hold up under the pressure. Going on a point streak is one thing, but building off of it is something completely different.