3 bold predictions for the Boston Bruins in 2023-24

Bold predictions for the Boston Bruins: 1. Bruins will go further in the Stanley Cup playoffs than last season

The boldest prediction on this list is that the Bruins will go further in the Stanley Cup playoffs than last season. What makes this deserving of the top prediction is that the Bruins will have a different look this season, and they’ve got some tough competition. 

It’s hard to top last year’s regular season, but the sting of their early playoff exit is certainly something the Bruins want to erase with a better postseason. To get there, the Bruins will have to secure a spot in the playoffs, which some people are doubting they’ll be able to do. In the Atlantic Division, their toughest competition will be the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Florida Panthers. The Panthers snuck in as an Eastern Conference wild card last season.

In addition to the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, several players left in free agency this offseason, including Dmitry Orlov, Connor Clifton, and Tomas Nosek. The Bruins traded Nick Foligno and Taylor Hall in exchange for Alec Regula and Ian Mitchell. Some players who signed in free agency are Kevin Shattenkirk, James van Riemsdyk, and Jesper Boqvist.

What makes a deeper run this season possible is that the Bruins team that won 65 regular season games in 2022-23 was eliminated by a wild card team. The Panthers not only eliminated the Bruins from the playoffs in the first round, but they ultimately made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. The Bruins probably won’t win the Atlantic Division, but they could pull a 2022-23 Panthers-style wild card story. It’s all a matter of Boston getting hot at the right time, and they still have talent to be in a position to get there.