The 2024-25 season is just a few months away, with rookie camp beginning on September 11 and Boston Bruins training camp opening a week later on September 18. The team still needs to address a few major issues before the season begins, most notably goaltender Jeremy Swaymans’ contract extension, which remains unsigned as the calendar turns to August.
Excitement is already building for the 2024-25 season, and there is lots of speculation about how the Bruins will perform as a team and as individuals. Last season, a number of players, notably Charlie Coyle and Morgan Geekie, enjoyed breakout seasons. This season, some players have the ability to step up and have a career year in terms of points or goals.
Morgan Geekie
As previously said, Geekie had the best season of his career in 2023-24. His previous career highs in goals and points came the previous season, 2022-23, when he scored nine goals and added 28 points in 69 games for the Seattle Kraken. He substantially improved his performance with the Bruins past season, scoring 17 goals and 39 points in 76 games. But I don’t believe he has reached his top yet, and he will be able to enhance his figures for the third season in a row.
In 2023-24, Geekie played all over the lineup, including center, wings, the third line, and even the first line. He has proven to be incredibly versatile, but there is a fair potential that he will be a consistent presence in the top six this season, allowing him to really develop synergy with the Bruins’ elite talent. Right now, some early projections have him playing on the second line alongside Brad Marchand and Coyle. Not a horrible combination there.
I believe it is entirely acceptable to enter the 2024-25 season believing that Geekie will score 20 goals for the first time. He was only three points shy of it last season, and with greater minutes and the ability to stay healthy for all 82 games, he is very close. It would also be great to see him score between 40 and 50 points.
It’s also worth noting that Geekie is in the second year of a two-year contract he signed with the Bruins last summer, which means he’ll be playing for a new contract in 2024-25. While some players buckle under the strain of a contract year, many rise to the situation and produce their finest numbers. It will be interesting to observe how he handles the extra expectations.
Brandon Carlo is a Carlo was the Bruins’ most impressive defenceman during the 2024 playoffs. Call it new dad strength or simply a tremendously good stretch of games for him, he shone in the team’s 13 postseason games. He finished with three goals, four points, and a plus-4 rating. While three goals may not appear to be a lot, for a player like Carlo, whose career high in a regular season is six, it’s a substantial quantity.
Carlo’s game will never draw much attention because he is mostly a defensive player. But in his eight years in Boston, he has become an indispensable member of the blue line. When he is not on the ice, the Bruins are a far poorer club, and his value to the team is just growing.
He will never be a high-scoring player for the Bruins, but it would be fantastic to see him score more than 20 points for the first time in his career in 2024-25. He had 14 points last season, but a healthy 2024-25 season that builds on his excellent scoring performance in the playoffs would likely put that figure within reach.
Matt Poitras
This is a bit of a cheat because Matthew Poitras is only in his second season, but I believe there are plenty of reasons to be excited to watch how he progresses in his second NHL season. His first season had its ups and downs, with the lowest point coming in February when he was forced to have shoulder surgery.
Poitras, who turned 20 in March, will join the 2024-25 season as an adult. He’s bigger and stronger, with 33 games of experience under his belt. During that time, he recorded five goals and 15 points, averaging slightly under 0.5 points per game, which is not bad for a teenager in the NHL.
Poitras was one of the most intriguing components of the Bruins’ 2023-24 season, and I believe the buzz surrounding him will only grow in 2024-25. He had some really good games and moments last season, and most importantly, he showed that he could recover from terrible moments and plays. That mindset will benefit him well as he progresses in the NHL. His sophomore season should provide him with another opportunity to advance in his career. I believe Bruins supporters should be overjoyed if he finishes with approximately 15 goals and 40 points in 2024-25.
Stanley Cup Window is Still Open.
Overall, the Bruins will be a club to watch in the 2024-25 season. They have superstars in David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and Swayman, young up-and-comers in Poitras and Mason Lohrei, and some fascinating new faces in Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov, who address last season’s weaknesses. This is a deep and competitive group that will only benefit from unexpected players stepping up, as numerous did last season.
Don Sweeney, the general manager, has made some questionable decisions this offseason, but the team still has a chance to win the Stanley Cup. It will be difficult, of course, especially with the defending Stanley Cup champions in the Bruins’ division, but there is much to be thrilled about when the puck drops and the 2024-25 season begins in October.
