The three most likely first-round playoff opponents for the Bruins first appeared on NBC Sports Boston.
The Boston Bruins have yet to secure a spot in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but they will do so soon, extending their playoff appearance streak to eight years (tying the Toronto Maple Leafs for the longest active streak).
Last season, we were confident that the Boston Red Sox would win the Presidents’ Trophy after finishing first in the Atlantic Division. To be honest, we expected this to happen in January.
This year is not like previous years. The Bruins could still win the division (and even repeat as Presidents’ Trophy winners), but finishing second to the red-hot Florida Panthers seems more plausible. Depending on their finishing position, the Bruins might face four or five teams in the first round of the playoffs.
Here’s a look at the Bruins’ three most likely playoff opponents as of Wednesday, March 13.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The best-case scenario for the Bruins is to face the Maple Leafs in Round One. Sure, the Leafs are extremely talented and have more offensive skill than almost any club. Auston Matthews is set to reach 60 goals again and could win the Hart Trophy for the second time.
However, the Bruins have an obvious advantage on the blue line and in goal. The Bruins also have a mental advantage over their division opponents, as seen by last Thursday’s game at TD Garden, when Boston extended its winning streak over Toronto to seven games.
The Leafs attempted to be rough, led by Tyler Bertuzzi, who pushed and shoved his former teammates after each whistle. If the Leafs play like this when these teams meet in Round 1, the Bruins should consider themselves quite fortunate. Boston would love to play that type of game against Toronto, particularly at home.
Max Domi and Charlie McAvoy get into it and a scrum ensues. pic.twitter.com/HrDdoh3v2F
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) March 8, 2024
The Leafs may have thrown away last Thursday’s game since it was the second night of a back-to-back and several players had the virus. However, these teams met just three days before in Toronto, and the score was identical. As a consequence, the Bruins swept the four-game season series.
The Bruins will not sweep the Leafs if they play in April. Toronto is just too talented and have enough offensive firepower — both 5-on-5 and on the power play — to overcome almost any deficit. However, the Bruins’ goalie advantage and playoff experience are significant advantages in their favor.
Despite winning only 16 of their previous 30 home playoff games, the Bruins are 14-4 against the Leafs at TD Garden (including playoffs) since the start of the 2017-18 season.
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning are on track to make the playoffs for the seventh consecutive year, but they will most likely be a wild card team for the first time under the current postseason format.
The Bolts are no longer the juggernauts they once were, but they remain dangerous and would pose a serious challenge to the Bruins.
Tampa Bay is one of the league’s top scoring clubs. This team ranks seventh in goals scored per game (3.40) and has the best power play (29.7 percent). Nikita Kucherov is second in scoring with 107 points (38 goals, 69 assists) in 64 games and might win the Hart Trophy for the second season. The Lightning have seven players who have scored 10 or more goals.
The Blue Line is a concern for the Lightning. The departure of Mikhail Sergachev is significant, as they were unable to locate a sufficient replacement for the Russian defenseman prior to the trade deadline. Noah Hanifin’s preferred destination was allegedly Tampa Bay, but the great defenseman ultimately signed with the Vegas Golden Knights. The Lightning settled for Coyotes defenseman Matt Dumba, who is struggling this season.
The Lightning’s wild card is Andrei Vasilevskiy. The 29-year-old veteran has been one of the league’s top goaltenders since 2016-17, his first full season in the NHL. He guided the Lightning to two Stanley Cup victories (2020 and 2021) and received the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2021. Since 2017, his postseason save percentage of.921 has been the highest among all netminders.
So, what is the problem? Vasilevskiy is having the worst season of his career. He has a.896 save percentage and a 2.96 GAA in 39 games. As a result, the Lightning are ranked 25th in goals allowed per game (3.37). He has never finished a season with a save percentage below than.900.
If the old Vasilevskiy returns for the Lightning in the playoffs, they may be a scary club. If not, a second straight first-round exit is unavoidable.
New York Islanders
The Islanders aren’t the most talented team in the wild card competition, but they are undoubtedly the most exciting. They’ve won six of their last seven games, including a 5-1 victory over the Bruins on March 2, which was Boston’s worst loss of the season. Patrick Roy has seen this club play better and tougher since taking over as head coach on January 20.
The Islanders will go as far as goaltender Ilya Sorokin can take them. He was second in Vezina Trophy voting last season and is having another excellent season with a.910 save percentage. Sorokin possesses the capacity to steal a series. He’s very good. As a result, the Bruins may face a difficult matchup against the Islanders. New York also plays a strong forechecking style of hockey, which has caused Boston plenty of problems in prior playoff appearances, including a 2021 second-round series against the Islanders.
The Islanders do have some flaws. They have the league’s poorest penalty kill. They are also frequently outshot, ranking 25th in shot attempt percentage and 23rd in shots on net percentage during 5-on-5 play.
The Bruins would be favored in a series versus the Islanders, but it would be a difficult battle. The Islanders are not afraid of the Bruins, and their style of play and recent success against Boston should give them plenty of confidence.
