A hearty welcome back to your Boston Bruins and welcome back to you Dear Reader, and thanks for popping in to say hello. Before we get too deep into this, I want to warn you that this is a long blog. I mean it’s “read in multiple bathroom trips” long. This is not one that you’ll read while waiting for your coffee, this one is a read while waiting for your doctor appt. Hey it’s a rainy Sunday, perfect time for what I’m calling a “catch up blog” as I’ll be touching on each of the Bruins’ 8 games played thus far. Get cozy (unless you’re on the toilet), settle in and buckle up.
The 2023-2024 campaign started off with low expectations and with some roster holes that tugged on the heartstrings. The boys have a new leadership group and welcomed in some new (and old) faces. We were hoping for some engaging on-ice play, stout defense, and top-tier netminding. So far, the Bruins have checked off all those boxes and more.
Let’s get into it… what a start.
The Bruins opened up this year without either Patrice Bergeron or David Krejci for the first time since the 2003-2004 season. How long ago was that? Tom Brady was in his 3rd year as the starter for the New England Patriots and Beyonce had just released her first solo album. Arnold Schwarzenegger was the governor of California and Apple unveiled a new music service called iTunes. Michael Jordan just retired and the New Jersey Devils won the Stanley Cup with friend of the podcast Bobby Carpenter behind the bench. What I’m saying is: we have been spoiled for a long ass time seeing #37 and #46 cowboy over the boards to get a season going.
I’ll give you all a moment to compose yourselves.
The new B’s hosted the Chicago Blackhawks for opening night and I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the ‘Hawks have a fairly high draft pick that was making his debut. No, I’m not talking about 7th overall pick Kevin Korchinski, I’m talking about the next can’t miss prospect: Connor Bedard. With all the hype and press surrounding Bedard, you would have thought it was an intra-squad scrimmage for CHI. The worst color “analyst” in the game Eddie Olcyzk was on hand to personally ballwash CHI and ignore the fact that the Bruins were opening up for their Centennial Season. The B’s got the W and Bedard tucked a wraparound past Linus Ullmark and we moved on. I mean CHI is supposed to stink so no big deal.
The next game the B’s welcomed in Nashville. I mean this was a step up in competition and maybe we’d see the Bruins struggle a bit? Would we have to resign ourselves to a mid level team that hopefully battled every night? I personally wasn’t thrilled, but it’s a hard cap in the NHL and it is what it is. It was certainly good to hear Homeboy Jack and Brick back on the call, and hey! this 4th line of Jacob Lauko, Johnny Beecher and old friend Milan Lucic looks pretty freaking good! James van Riemsdyk had 2 and David Pastrnak gave the B’s fans something to get on their feet about when he beat Juuse Saros on a penalty shot. Jeremy Swayman got the start and looked solid throughout. This was a grind it out type W and remember, that’s Saros in net for Nashville, the guy is a legit top 10 goalie in the league. 2 games played and 2 wins, okay Bruins, I see you. Maybe this team will be more than just entertaining.
The boys in Black and Gold next took to the skies for their first West Coast swing of the campaign and you know what? They kept winning. First to the Shark Tank (whatever, that’s still what I call it) where they dusted SJS and walked through an inferior team for a 3-1 win. Pastrnak and Brad Marchand both scored and (checks notes) van Riemsdyk got his 3rd in 2GP? Kevin Shattenkirk looks to be more than a 5th or 6th defenseman and while he’s not as physical as the dearly departed Connor Clifton; Shatty seems to have better decision making on when to drop into the offensive set than Cliffy did. Also nice to see rookie Johnny Beecher get his first NHL point in this one.
Up next the B’s hopped over to LA for a match with the Kings. It was more of the same, a gritty grind it out game, although this time against a better squad. Full disclosure: LAK was my Pacific Division wild card pick as I think they have some pretty solid pieces and a very good goalie in Cam Talbot. Regardless the B’s got the W and Morgan Geekie got his first as a Bruin. One of the highlights that everyone was talking about was the big boys throwing hands as Trent Frederic took on Andreas Englund. These 2 had it going back and forth all night and some bad blood def built up between them as they continued to take penalties against each other as the clock wound down. I’d pay attention when the Kings come East (Feb 17 matinee) as I wouldn’t be surprised to see them go for a rematch of this tilt.
The B’s then visited the Ducks and can I say that ANA might be the most interesting team to watch for me. They have talent, but some of it is super soft (hello Zegras). And they have players that B’s fan would love to see in Black and Gold (hello McTavish). And thanks to their Mass-Hole coach Greg Cronin they certainly compete and play like pricks, but they are still a few pieces away. And hey Duck fans: The loss of Alex Killorn for a few months isn’t the tragedy that you’re making it out to be. The guy’s not going to be your difference maker. Get another player with Radko Gudas’ attitude – that will make a difference. The B’s got it done on the back of their own burgeoning superstar as Matt Poitras notched his first pair of goals in the National Hockey League and it looks like the kid may be staying with the big club past his 9 games.
The team then winged their way to the Windy City for a rematch with the ‘Hawks and this time they dummied them 3-0. The B’s peppered Petr Mrazek with 43SOG and held Bedard without a shot on goal in over 18 minutes of TOI. How’d the Bruins rookie do? Poitras notched his 3rd goal in the last 2GP while Freddie and Pavel Zacha also got on the scoresheet. Scary moment when Lauko got a skate to the face that just missed his eye, but he’s okay and taking the injury in stride with great humor. An early season shutout for Sway certainly fired the boys up and the Bruins headed home perfect on the season.
Back at it again on Thursday night, the B’s welcomed in the Ducks to TD Garden. Seems like forever since the boys were back on Causeway. This was another grind it out game but the travel may have caught up to our heroes as they let a 2-goal lead slip away in the closing minutes and ended up losing in OT 4-3. The Bruins had trouble clearing their zone and the Ducks looked like they had better legs in the closing minutes. I mean you really didn’t think they were going undefeated did you? Charlie Coyle got his first of the season on an “I meant to do that” pass from Pastrnak and Matt Grzelcyk also got his first Geno when he blew one through John Gibson and the vibes were immaculate in the building for roughly 58 minutes.
https://x.com/NHLBruins/status/1717696811115135196?s=20It dawned on me midway through the opening frame how the Bruins are playing. They are rolling 4 lines and coming at teams in waves. They are also being pricks along the wall and everyone is busting their asses to get back and cover (even Pasta). The D are clogging the lanes and the boys are not passing up any body contact. These beauties are playing playoff hockey! I’m convinced that the no-show vs. FLA in the first round of last year’s playoffs still stings and they have committed as a team to address that. Listen it’s a theory, doesn’t have to be right for me to think it, and it doesn’t have to be accurate for me to put it on the internet. That’s how this all works: consider this a lesson in journalism.
With Halloween rapidly approaching the boys worked up a great team costume concept. No matter how I describe it, the visual is infinitely better.
Saturday night the boys welcomed in the Detroit Red Wings for arguably their toughest test of this young season. One of the more surprising teams in the league right now, DET came into this one 5-2-1 and well ahead of schedule on their Yzer-Plan. What happened you ask? Outside of about 3 minutes in the 2nd the Bruins dominated DET from the opening draw to the final horn winning walking away 4-1 on the strength of a Swayman 22 save night.
For me the highlight of this one was the passing and the dogged fore-check, but I’d be willing to wager that most B’s fans will want to talk about the Pastrnak penalty shot. I mean it’s absolute filth incarnate, I’ll give you that, but I really enjoyed Zacha’s goal on the power play as the B’s dominated possession for the whole man advantage. Charlie McAvoy did his best Bobby Orr flying through the air impression when he beat Ville Husso for his first of the season. I’d be remiss to not welcome back Oskar Steen who stepped into the 4th line with Lucic on LTIR after taking a shot off the foot on the West Coast trip.
So where does that leave us Dear Reader? With some hopes and dreams? Have your expectations changed since Opening Night? Is Poitras really the second coming of St. Patrice? Will the D hold up over all 82? Will HC Jim Montgomery continue to tinker with his lines or will he let the players develop more chemistry? I don’t know any of these answers, but I will tell you this: This season is already shaping up to be very, very entertaining.
Bring on the goalie hugs…
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