Things were going well for the Boston Bruins. After Joe Sacco replaced Jim Montgomery behind the bench in November, the Bruins took advantage of the “new coaching slump” to record seven wins in Sacco’s first nine games.
That momentum has since ceased. Although Boston has won its last two games, those victories were preceded by a six-game winless streak (0-5-1). The Bruins are still in a playoff spot, but team president Cam Neely told reporters earlier this week that he is preparing for all scenarios ahead of the March 7 trade deadline.
“I think right now we have to consider two paths: one that we’re purchasing and one that we’re maybe restructuring a little bit,” Neely said.
Over their last 17 games (7-8-2), the Bruins are playing just as poorly as they did over their first 20 games (8-9-3), costing Montgomery his job. Boston’s most recent victories against division rivals Florida and Tampa Bay were far from decisive. The Panthers and Lightning outscored the Bruins 84-35 (56-23 at 5-on-5) and combined for 18:32 of possession time in the offensive zone, roughly double that of the Bruins (9:14).
Both special teams units have suffered major disappointments this season. The power play, which ranks 30th at 13 percent, has faltered all year. The penalty kill, on the other hand, saw a resurgence during Sacco’s first nine games, rejecting 20 of 22 opportunities (90.9 percent). Since then, the Bruins have gone 28 of 41 from the penalty kill (68.3 percent).
Jeremy Swayman isn’t to blame for that or most of the Bruins’ problems lately. In fact, his 9.53 goals saved above expectations since the break ended are the third-most in the NHL, behind only Washington’s Logan Thompson (11.1) and Colorado’s Mackenzie Blackwood (9.99). . Swayman has recorded seven quality starts in eight appearances since Dec. 28, but is 3-5-0 in those games.
It would be a huge help to the Bruins if defenseman Hampus Lindholm could return from the fracture he suffered in mid-November. At the time of his injury, Lindholm was tied for second at the position with 106 passes blocked and tied for fifth with 151 total defensive snaps. He is one of three defensemen in the NHL who averages at least two minutes of power play time and three minutes of shorthand time per game. (Lindholm has resumed practicing with the Bruins in a non-contact jersey.)
Top defenseman Charlie McAvoy was also banged up and landed on injured reserve earlier this week. McAvoy’s average of 0.44 points per game is the worst of his eight-year career, but it is key to the operation. He is seventh among defenders in total possession plays and ninth in total possession time.
Boston’s most important players, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak, are performing below expectations. Marchand (16 goals) should have around six more goals depending on the quality of his shot, which puts him near the bottom of the league in that category. Pastrnak has found his rhythm, scoring seven goals in his last six games. Before this stretch, however, Pastrnak was on pace to score just 27 goals.
Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos included Marchand (a pending unrestricted free agent) on his latest trade panel, writing that “if Boston’s grip on a playoff berth continues to loosen, Marchand will increasingly become a situation of great interest.” Although the Bruins’ 36-year-old captain has struggled this season, contending teams would certainly call him if he were available. (He has 138 points in 157 career playoff games.)
Bruins general manager Don Sweeney might already be regretting the seven-year contract ($7.75 million annual cap hit) he gave 30-year-old center Elias Lindholm, who has been a major disappointment under seven goals and 22 points in 46 games.
Lindholm has offered little offensive help. He and Marchand have been close for much of the season, but the Bruins have generated just 45.9 expected goals at even strength when they have been on the ice together (440:44 of shared playing time).
On Saturday, the Bruins visit the Ottawa Senators, who are one point behind them in the race for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. Boston, which ranks 10th in the conference in points percentage (.533), enters the basic matchup with a 27.8 percent chance of making the playoffs.
“We understand the paths ahead of us and where they lead,” Marchand told reporters. “We understand that we have not acted as we needed to. There are consequences that come with that. There are very high expectations with this organization. We are expected to perform, do our job and compete every year for a (Stanley) Cup. If we are not going to do that, then changes will be made so that the team can compete for a Cup.”
