Boston Bruins
2015-16 season: 42-13-9, 93 points
|
Head Coach: Claude Julien (2007)
|
4th Place Atlantic
Division
|
General Manager: Don Sweeney (2015)
|
9th Place Eastern
Conference
|
AHL Affiliate: Providence Bruins
ECHL Affiliate: Atlanta Gladiators
|
Cap
Space: $5,831,667
|
Free Agents Lost in the Offseason
POS.
|
Player
|
New
Team
|
Contract
|
LW
|
Loui Eriksson
|
Vancouver Canucks
|
6 years, $36 million
|
RW
|
Lee Stempniak
|
Carolina Hurricanes
|
2 years, $5 million
|
RW
|
Brett Connolly
|
Carolina Hurricanes
|
1 year, $850,000
|
RW
|
Landon Ferraro
|
St. Louis Blues
|
1 year, $700,000
|
RW
|
Max Talbot
|
HC Lokomotiv (KHL)
|
|
RW
|
Chris Kelly
|
Ottawa Senators
|
1 year, $900,000
|
LW
|
Brendon DeFazio
|
Texas Stars (AHL)
|
|
D
|
Dennis Seidenberg
|
Bought Out (UFA)
|
|
D
|
Zach Trotman
|
LA Kings
|
1 year, $650,000
|
D
|
Matt Irwin
|
Nashville Predators
|
1 year, $575,000
|
G
|
Jonas Gustavsson
|
Edmonton Oilers
|
1 year, $800,000
|
G
|
Jeremy Smith
|
Colorado Avalanche
|
1 year, $600,000
|
Incoming Free Agents
POS.
|
Player
|
Old
Team
|
Contract
|
C/RW
|
David Backes
|
St. Louis Blues
|
5 years, $30 million
|
C
|
Dominic Moore
|
New York Rangers
|
1 year, $800,000
|
RW
|
Riley Nash
|
Carolina Hurricanes
|
2 years, $1.8 million
|
G
|
Anton Khudobin
|
Anaheim Ducks
|
2 years, $2.4 million
|
C
|
Tim Shaller
|
Buffalo Sabres
|
1 year, $600,000
|
D
|
Alex Grant
|
Arizona Coyotes
|
1 year, $600,000
|
2016 Draft Picks
RD
|
Pick
No.
|
POS.
|
Name
|
Junior/College/Club
Team
|
1
|
14
|
D
|
Charles McAvoy
|
Boston University (Hockey East)
|
1
|
29
|
C
|
Trent Frederic
|
U.S. National Development Team
|
2
|
49
|
D
|
Ryan Lindgren
|
U.S. National Development Team
|
5
|
135
|
LW
|
Jonna Koppanen
|
Ilves Jr. (Finland)
|
5
|
136
|
D
|
Cameron Clarke
|
Lone Star Brahmas (NAHL)
|
6
|
165
|
C
|
Oskar Steen
|
Farjestad Jrs (Sweden)
|
Top Three Prospects
POS
|
Name
|
Draft
Info
|
Current
Team
|
LW
|
Jake Debrusk
|
2015 1st Rd (14)
|
Red Deer Rebels
|
D
|
Brandon Carlo
|
2015 2nd RD (37)
|
AHL/ECHL
|
D
|
Jakub Zboril
|
2015 1st RD (13)
|
St. John Sea Dogs
|
Projected Lineup
Forwards
POS
|
Name
|
Age
|
Nationality
|
Free
Agent Year
|
LW
|
Brad Marchand
|
28
|
Canada
|
2017
|
C
|
(A) Patrice Bergeron
|
31
|
Canada
|
2022
|
RW
|
Jimmy Hayes
|
26
|
United States
|
2018
|
LW
|
Ryan Spooner
|
24
|
Canada
|
2017 (RFA)
|
C
|
(A) David Krejci
|
30
|
Czech Republic
|
2021
|
RW
|
David Pastrnak
|
20
|
Czech Republic
|
2017 (RFA)
|
LW
|
Matt Beleskey
|
28
|
Canada
|
2020
|
C
|
David Backes
|
32
|
United States
|
2021
|
RW
|
Frank Vatrano
|
22
|
United States
|
2018 (RFA)
|
LW
|
Zac Rinaldo
|
26
|
Canada
|
2017
|
C
|
Dominic Moore
|
36
|
Canada
|
2017
|
RW
|
Riley Nash
|
27
|
Canada
|
2018
|
Defensemen
POS
|
Name
|
Age
|
Nationality
|
Free
Agent Year
|
D
|
(C) Zdeno Chara
|
39
|
Slovakia
|
2018
|
D
|
Kevan Miller
|
28
|
United States
|
2020
|
D
|
Torey Krug
|
25
|
United States
|
2010
|
D
|
Andy McQuaid
|
29
|
Canada
|
2019
|
D
|
John-Michael Liles
|
35
|
United States
|
2017
|
D
|
Colin Miller
|
23
|
United States
|
2018 (RFA)
|
Goalies
POS
|
Name
|
Age
|
Nationality
|
Free
Agent Year
|
G
|
Tuukka Rask
|
39
|
Finland
|
2021
|
G
|
Anton Khudobin
|
30
|
Russia
|
2018
|
Extra Skaters
POS
|
Name
|
Age
|
Nationality
|
Free
Agent Year
|
RW
|
Tyler Randell
|
25
|
Canada
|
2017
|
C
|
Noel Acciari
|
24
|
United States
|
2017
|
D
|
Joe Morrow
|
23
|
Canada
|
2017
|
RW
|
Seth Griffith
|
23
|
Canada
|
2017
|
Season Outlook
- Last year the Boston Bruins finished outside of the playoffs for the second consecutive year. After weeks of talks regarding Head Coach Claude Julien's job status, the Bruins' front office decide to stay with him. This was probably the smartest move, as the team finished in a tie with Detroit for the third divisional playoff spot and six points out of the last wild card position. Coach Julien had the team in the upper half of nearly all of the major statistical categories:
CAT.
|
Goals
For
|
Goals
Against
|
PP
%
|
PK
%
|
PDO
|
Corsi
For
|
Corsi
Against
|
Corsi
For %
|
oZS%
|
dZS%
|
Stat
|
240
|
230
|
20.51
|
82.22
|
100.0
|
4667
|
4710
|
49.8
|
50.6
|
49.4
|
Bruins’
Rank
|
5th
|
20th
|
7th
|
11th
|
17th
|
9th
|
9th
|
17th
|
18th
|
18th
|
PDO = Even Strength Shooting Percentage + Even Strength Save
Percentage
Corsi For = Shots + Blocks + Misses while in possession of
puck
Crosi Against = Shots + Blocks + Misses while not in
possession of puck
Corsi For % = Corsi For/(Corsi For+Corsi Against) -> Above
50% means that team controls play
oZS% = Offensive Zone Start Percentage
dZS% = Defensive Zone Start Percentage
- The Bruins mainly struggled with puck possession last season. As the team's Corsi numbers show, their opponents outshot them throughout the season. Their defense and goaltending were also both areas of struggle for Boston last year, ranking in the bottom half of the league of goals allowed. Based on the players they brought in during the offseason, it would appear that the team's struggles were not addressed. Forward David Backes, while talented, most likely will not help in creating a more up-tempo, puck possession team. He is big and rather slow, neither of which works within the constraints of what wins in today's NHL. The only way that this signing makes sense is that the front office felt that the team needed another center and that this need was more important than resigning the talented goalscorer Loui Eriksson. Their other signings are meant to help the team's depth but won't contribute much to help their defensive problems. I'm not sure how quickly Boston's top prospects are expected to make it to the NHL, so we're going to assume that the roster they have right now is the roster they will keep, apart from any trades they make throughout the season. While their forward group looks fairly solid with goal scorers on all of their lines, their defensive unit is bad. Captain Zdeno Chara, who will presumably be on the first defensive pairing, has gotten old very fast and it appears that his size has begun to be a hindrance to him rather than an advantage. In a league that continues to get younger and faster, he will continue to be a detriment for the team. Despite their issues on the back end, they still have a world class goaltender in Tuukka Rask, who can help cover up a lot of the defense's mistakes. I think that Boston will be as good as they were last year, but I don't know if the moves they made will be enough to help them improve. I think they will be competitive for a playoff spot all season long and I will determine if I think they'll make it when I make my playoff picks in a different post.
Breakout Candidate:
- RW David Pastrnak - Had 26 points in 51 games last season at the NHL level; with another year of development under his belt, Pastrnak will enter his age 21 season on the second line. With Loui Eriksson having left via free agency, Pastrnak will have the chance to shine in Boston this season.
Regression Candidate:
- D Zdeno Chara (further regression) - Chara is old, big, and slow and those attributes do not play well in the current NHL. He looked bad last year and should only look worse this year as the Eastern Conference (and the Atlantic Division in particular) continues to get younger.
Bounceback Candidate:
- F David Backes - Last year, in St. Louis, the former Blues' captain had his lowest non-lockout season points total since 2007-08. He will have to play a pivotal role on the Bruins' offense this season for Boston to have any chance at getting deep into the playoffs as he was essentially brought in to replace Loui Eriksson. Backes' style of play should fit the Bruins' system really well and will lengthen their offense.
*All statistics and information come from: rosterresource.com, thehockeywriters.com, hockeydb.com, hockey-reference.com, and generalfanager.com
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