Hockey is so shut we will virtually style it. Early August indicators that our beloved fall sports activities are returning shortly.
School soccer is that this month and NFL Sundays are proper across the nook. The excellent news is that hockey follows go well with and all will likely be proper on the planet.
Coaching camp is approaching and it’s by no means too early to look into issues relating to the Boston Bruins, who’ve loads to stay up for. There’s the return of Matthew Poitras from damage, in addition to a place battle for the second-line right-wing place.
All that stuff will kind itself out. Because the 2024-25 season approaches, let’s have a look into 4 daring predictions for the Bruins getting into the season.
Elias Lindholm Replicates Profession Season from 2021-22
There’s a lot to be glad about with the addition of Elias Lindholm to the Bruins. He can instantly slot in because the number-one heart and in addition will likely be a key element within the faceoff division. Lindholm is a faceoff specialist and might come onto the ice for key attracts at necessary moments of the sport. He’s no Patrice Bergeron, however that was a man who excelled in these moments. Additionally, Lindholm’s capability to achieve the faceoff circle will assist result in higher puck possession for the Bruins. He has the instruments to be an efficient participant and this daring prediction is for him to copy his profession finest season in 2021-22 with the Calgary Flames.
Associated: How the Bruins Stack Up within the Atlantic Division After Free Company
Lindholm was a pressure to be reckoned with and was a part of among the best strains in hockey. He was flanked by star wingers Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk and collectively the trio scored 73 targets. Lindholm was a degree per recreation participant having 82 factors in all 82 video games and reaped the advantages of taking part in with these guys. There’s motive to imagine he can have this sort of season once more.
He gained’t have two wingers to play with which might be elite to that degree, however he does have one. David Pastrnak is likely one of the finest wingers in all of hockey and taking part in with him can have advantages. Just one participant has scored extra targets than Pastrnak for the reason that 2021-22 season and Pastrnak is coming off two-straight 100 level campaigns. Pastrnak can drive a line and Lindholm has an elite operating mate to assist improve his manufacturing.
There’s one other aspect to that season Lindholm will replicate: he will even be a Selke Trophy finalist. Through the 2021-22 season, he completed tied for first in takeaways (55), whereas additionally taking part in on the penalty kill and successful 52.9% of his faceoffs. In a Bruins system that prides itself on protection, Lindholm is the right match and might shine in that regard.
Lindholm is a participant who will shine shiny offensively and defensively and his first season in Boston will likely be an enormous hit.
Bruins’ New Tandem Will Be As Good As The Final
This is perhaps one of many bolder predictions for the Bruins this season. The tandem of Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark was stellar the previous 4 seasons. For the previous three seasons (2021-24), the Bruins have completed high 10 in save share and completed high 5 in targets in opposition to. Defensively, the Bruins had been good, however the goaltenders had been the spine of the group. Ullmark went on to seize a Vezina Trophy throughout the 2022-23 season and Swayman cemented himself because the group’s primary throughout 2023-24. With Ullmark out and Joonas Korpisalo in, the brand new tandem will likely be nearly as good because the final.
Let’s begin with Swayman, who’s hungry for extra and needs the crease. With Ullmark gone, the crease belongs to him. He’s coming off a powerful season with a 2.53 targets in opposition to common (GAA), .916 save share (SV%), and a fourth-best-in-the-league 18.4 targets saved above anticipated. His 2023-24 season was no fluke and he confirmed he’s a starting-calibre goalie. Nevertheless, it was within the playoffs he confirmed his true self and the way helpful he’s.
In a postseason the place the tandem was going to be absolutely utilized, Swayman took the crease like he owned it. The remainder is historical past and Swayman went on to have one of many higher playoff performances for a Bruins goalie in current reminiscence. Korpisalo isn’t any Ullmark, however there’s motive to imagine he can thrive in Boston.
Korpisalo has proven he generally is a succesful goaltender on this league. A superb instance is his 2022-23 season. With the Columbus Blue Jackets, he was performing good however not nice. When he acquired traded to the Los Angeles Kings, his play elevated behind that tightly-constructed protection. Korpisalo noticed his SV% rise from .911 to .921 and his GAA decrease from 3.17 to 2.13. Hockey followers additionally noticed Cam Talbot take a disastrous season with the Senators and switch it into a powerful marketing campaign with the Kings as properly. How does this all issue with the Bruins?
Korpisalo is becoming a member of a group that’s extra defensively structured. The Bruins are inclined to preserve issues extra to the perimeter and are good at defending in excessive hazard areas. This can bode properly for Korpisalo and with the ability to work with goalie coach Bob Essensa will help retune his recreation.
Trent Frederic Has Profession Season in Contract 12 months
Trent Frederic‘s journey has been one thing to look at. It is a participant that went from being a bruising enforcer to displaying what he’s actually able to. Bruins followers will all the time keep in mind is struggle in opposition to Brandon Tanev, however what Frederic has executed is cement himself as a well-rounded 200-foot participant.
Frederic stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs 200 kilos, however he can skate properly and might carry a pace aspect to the lineup. Additionally, he is an effective forechecker and does quite a lot of good work under the faceoff circles. That’s the reason when he and heart Charlie Coyle are ever deployed on a line, they’re troublesome to play in opposition to. Frederic is flexible, as he can play each heart and the winger positions. Whereas he generally is a bruising energy ahead, he has proven his offensive upside.
Frederic has progressed in relation to producing. Through the 2021-22 season, he completed with 18 factors, which was a step in the precise course. Whereas everybody was having a profession season throughout the groups’ Presidents’ Trophy 12 months (2022-23), Frederic scored 17 targets and 31 factors and helped carry an additional layer of depth scoring. He continued to climb the mountain and popped off for a profession marketing campaign throughout 2023-24 with 18 targets and 40 factors.
Frederic had great offensive upside. He makes use of his pace and body to create probabilities. Additionally, he has a depraved shot and a nostril for the again of the web. During the last three seasons, he’s put these instruments collectively and continued to develop. The final two seasons, he completed with a decent 14.2 and 14.6 taking pictures percentages.
With Frederic going right into a contract 12 months, him rising additional and having a profession marketing campaign shouldn’t be a shock. With the vacant spot on the second line proper wing open, he ought to get a glance if guys like Fabian Lysell and Georgii Merkulov can not come by means of. If deployed correctly, the manufacturing can come and he has proven that the final three seeasons.
Bruins Attain the Japanese Convention Last
This prediction stands out as the boldest on all the record. The Japanese Convention goes to be open for the taking. When trying on the Atlantic Division, the Bruins stack up properly in opposition to all of the groups. The Florida Panthers will nonetheless be good, however they misplaced key gamers of their Stanley Cup championship lineup. The Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs will likely be eyeing top-three spots, however the Bruins are proper there with them.
As for the Metropolitan Division, that division is broad open for the taking. The New Jersey Devils ought to be an entire lock to make the playoffs, in addition to the New York Rangers. The Carolina Hurricanes will nonetheless be good however not the powerhouse unit they’ve been on account of gamers who’ve left the group. There are quite a few groups that will likely be on the bubble and combating for a playoff spot, however the Bruins making the Convention Finals shouldn’t be dominated out.
The Bruins signing Lindholm and defenseman Nikita Zadorov makes them a deeper group than final season. Whereas they’ve misplaced guys resembling Jake DeBrusk, Danton Heinen, and different veterans they introduced in for one season, the nucleus of the group could be very a lot intact.
That is the ultimate 12 months of head coach Jim Montgomery’s contract, so having success will likely be essential for him. The Bruins managed to defy the chances final season, ending second within the Atlantic Division and with 109 factors. With a large open Convention and an improved roster, going the gap is a possible risk.
Anticipating Daring Issues to Occur
This season goes to be crammed with a number of pleasure for the Bruins. New faces in new locations result in expectation, however even for guys who’ve been in Boston for some time, expectations are excessive too. Lindholm is in a great place to have success and him replicating his career-best season isn’t out of the query. The Bruins’ goaltending has all the time been a place of energy and will likely be and Frederic is poised to have a profession season in a contract 12 months. The sky is the restrict and the Bruins advancing far within the playoffs ought to by no means be dominated out.
