Every season, a handful of teams make a big leap from the bottom of the standings to the top. While it’s hard to go from worst to first, a few teams have made that drastic turnaround and now look like Stanley Cup contenders.
The New Jersey Devils finished 2021-22 with a 27-46-9 record and ended up with the second-overall pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. This season, they are fighting for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division. The Boston Bruins were a wild-card team last year and were eliminated in the first round by the Carolina Hurricanes. The Bruins are now on pace to win the Presidents’ Trophy and are the odds-on favorite to win the Cup. Likewise, the Dallas Stars were a wild-card team last season but are now one of the top teams in the Central, while the Winnipeg Jets and Seattle Kraken were near the bottom of the Western Conference but are now poised to make the playoffs.
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How did these teams make such a dramatic turnaround? What changed, or what has the front office been planning for years to allow their team to make a big leap in the standings? There are some main themes that stand out and are important for struggling teams to take note of.
Bruins & Team Chemistry
The Bruins didn’t make a lot of moves in the offseason and essentially kept their roster together despite their first-round exit. Led by veterans Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak, and Brad Marchand, general manager (GM) Don Sweeny knew there was a strong enough core in place to put together a championship-caliber season.
That said, the big move was the return of David Krejci, who came out of retirement to rejoin the team. The Bruins not only added a top-six center but also a familiar face, someone who played 15 seasons with the franchise. The message was clear: This is going to be the last big run for them, especially for players in the twilight of their careers, like Marchand and Bergeron.
The result is one of the greatest regular seasons in NHL history. The Bruins are a balanced team and their familiarity allows them to thrive alongside one another. Key players have been together for many seasons, giving them the best forward lines and defensive pairings in the league. Moreover, their chemistry has helped them adapt without worrying about a drop-off in production. If they need to break up their top line and move Pastrnak or Marchand…
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