The Boston Bruins will begin their 2024-25 season on the highway in opposition to the Florida Panthers on Oct. 8, 2024. Between from time to time, administration must finalize the roster, together with extending Jeremy Swayman. The crew should additionally play by the preseason, which begins on Sept. 22, 2024.
After a second-round bow out of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, a crew with championship aspirations should proceed to construct upon their current common season successes and advance again to the Last for the primary time since 2019. With some notable additions to this season’s lineup, right here’s a take a look at the 5 must-watch video games of the Bruins’ 2024-25 season.
5. Oct. 26, 2024 at TD Backyard vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
The Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs won’t have to attend lengthy to reignite their historic rivalry, going through off in opposition to each other simply three weeks into the season on a Saturday evening nonetheless. After Boston ended the Maple Leafs season in Recreation 7 of their first-round collection in April, the 2 groups returned to the scene of David Pastrnak’s time beyond regulation winner for his or her first conflict. The Bruins will look to proceed their common season undefeated streak in opposition to their Canadian rivals, which now stands at seven consecutive victories relationship again to the 2022-23 season.
4. Nov. 9, 2024 at TD Backyard vs. Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators have grow to be a pest for the Bruins over the previous two seasons. Throughout Boston’s historic 65-win marketing campaign in 2022-23, they misplaced solely 12 instances however twice in opposition to the Senators. The slumber rivalry between the previous Northeast Division opponents has a brand new factor; former Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark switched jerseys within the offseason. The previous Bruins goalie is posed to face his former bear-hugging teammate Swayman within the first week of November on his previous stomping grounds, TD Backyard.
3. Jan. 20, 2025 at TD Backyard vs. San Jose Sharks
The Bruins have lengthy dominated their matchup in opposition to the San Jose Sharks, sporting a 30-12-5-0 report in 47 conferences. Finally, the one time these cross-continental video games had any that means was when Joe Thornton performed in them for the reason that former Boston captain was traded midseason in 2005, the 12 months he would go on to win the Hart Trophy.
However, just like the assembly with the Senators, a brand new participant joins the matchup: first-overall decide Macklin Celebrini. The previous Boston College star performed one season within the Hub and gained 15 honors and awards, together with the Hobey Baker Award because the finest participant in NCAA hockey. Naturally, the primary assembly between these groups happens at TD Backyard, the place Celebrini performed in the latest Beanpot Last, dropping to Northeastern 4-3 in time beyond regulation on Feb. 5, 2024.
2. Oct. 8, 2024 at Amerant Financial institution Area vs. Florida Panthers
If dropping to the Panthers in consecutive postseason runs wasn’t unhealthy sufficient, the Bruins won’t have to take a seat by the crew’s Stanley Cup banner-raising ceremony on Oct. 8, 2024, at Amerant Financial institution Area. After defeating Boston within the first spherical in 2023, Florida superior to the Last earlier than dropping to the Vegas Golden Knights in 5 video games. Then, final season, the Panthers eradicated the Bruins within the second spherical, superior to the Last once more, however held on and defeated the Edmonton Oilers in Recreation 7 to win their first championship. No love was misplaced between the 2 franchises, however now Boston should sit and watch a championship ceremony for a crew that denied them an opportunity at a hoop in consecutive years, which is extra salt in an open wound.
1. Nov. 26, 2024 at TD Backyard vs. Vancouver Canucks
An important video games between the Bruins and Vancouver Canucks occurred within the 2011 Stanley Cup Last. Nevertheless, since then, the contests between East and West golf equipment weren’t essentially video games you’d circle on a calendar. However that each one modified on the primary day of free company, as longtime Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk jumped ships to the Canucks, and Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov got here to Beantown.
Associated: Bruins’ Unfavorable Historical past of Vezina Winners
Because the contest takes place in entrance of the TD Backyard, DeBrusk will get a short welcome-back video and possibly be booed for the remainder of the sport for leaving. In the meantime, Lindholm and Zadorov can be out to show that Vancouver ought to have retained their providers after a playoff run to the second spherical.
Different Key Matchups
Each recreation in opposition to an Japanese Convention opponent can be engaging to look at, particularly when Auston Matthews is on the ice, and the identical goes for Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin as the long run Corridor of Famers chase down private milestones. In fact, different superstars like Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon go to annually, giving followers a glimpse at Western Convention hockey that the majority followers don’t keep up late to look at. Because the Bruins enter their one hundred and first season of operations and 14th season with out one other Stanley Cup victory, the 2024-25 lineup can be wanting to return to the highest of the NHL mountain.