Last season was an interesting one for the Boston Bruins. It was the first one following the retirement of Patrice Bergeron and there were a number of questions surrounding the depth of the roster, and whether or not their Stanley Cup window was closed. The 2023-24 season was one of growth for the team and that proved the future is in good hands with the core that they’ve been able to transition to over the past few seasons.
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Expectations are higher for the Bruins going into 2024-25 than they were last season. They’ve proven that they are still a very talented roster and that the championship window is still open. The front office has addressed issues this offseason with their free agency signings and they’ve gotten grittier and tougher.
While 2023-24 did not result in a Stanley Cup, the season was very positive for the Bruins. It provided the team with a number of important lessons that they can take into this upcoming one.
Give Prospects a Real Opportunity
Last season, the Bruins had several rookies make the roster out of training camp, including Matthew Poitras (2022 second-round pick) and Johnny Beecher (2019 first-round pick). Additionally, Mason Lohrei (2020 second-round pick) appeared in 41 regular season games as a call-up and appeared in 11 postseason games, where he was one of the top defensemen for the team. Boston has struggled to get the most out of their prospects in the last few seasons and has had one of the lowest-rated prospect pools in the NHL.
Some of the struggles have come from a lack of opportunities. Yes, the Bruins have not had the highest touted, most talented prospects, but there has also been a lack of legitimate opportunities for young guys to prove themselves. They can’t make a real impact if they only play one or two games and average less than 10 minutes of ice time. Last season felt like, not only were guys like Poitras, Beecher, and Lohrei developed enough for the NHL, but they also got a real shot and opportunity to prove themselves. They had their ups and downs but were given chances to work through them up in the NHL instead of immediately being sent back down to the American Hockey League (AHL) at the first sign of struggle. It only benefited the players and the team to give them more chances.
In 2024-25, I hope the Bruins continue to give…
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