The playoff odds aren't within the Bruins' favor, but the idea stays

Bruins

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If the 2024-25 NHL regular season ended today, the Boston Bruins could be within the playoffs.

As of Sunday evening, Boston currently occupies the primary wild card spot within the Eastern Conference – Saturday's 3-1 win over the Avalanche moved the Bruins to 5-1-1 of their last seven games.

But despite this recent resurgence, Joe Sacco's side have little room for error because of months of mediocre play.

Even with their current playoff positionMoneyPuck won Boston with only a 38.9 percent likelihood to play postseason hockey on Causeway Street in April.

A crowded playoff field within the Eastern Conference – coupled with the indisputable fact that a lot of these teams have already got multiple games against Boston – means the Bruins are operating on shaky ground.

Even after an encouraging 6-2 win over the Lightning on Jan. 14, Boston's inconsistent performance amid a discouraging playoff matchup led Cam Neely to comprehend that a franchise once set for a deep run is perhaps waiting for trades “Two paths” to think about Deadline – Accepting a reality during which Boston chooses to retool for playoff hockey in 2025 somewhat than to arm yourself.

It was an acceptance of the situation the Bruins have found themselves in over the primary 4 months of the season — and a challenge to a locker room that would look very different in just a few weeks as Boston's playoff hopes fade.

It was a message that defender Nikita Zadorov heard loud and clear.

“We were desperate,” Zadorov said of Boston’s mentality Saturday against Colorado. “We know that our desperation level must be higher than other teams because of our position in the table. There are plenty of teams in the East pushing for a playoff spot.

“We also understand the message from management. We have 12,13 games to play until March 7th [trade deadline]? And we still have six games left [4 Nations Face-Off] break? I think we have to position ourselves well in the overall standings to get the green light.”

Even if Boston stabilizes its play and more starters either return from injury or start squandering opportunities, the Bruins have put themselves able where each of their remaining 31 games would require tough execution and lots of looks on the league lead.

It's a departure from recent seasons, during which the Bruins comfortably earned a spot in the highest three of the Atlantic Division because of some strong starts.

But it's also an prolonged wave of adversity that — while largely self-inflicted — may gain advantage a Bruins team that has heard loads of rumors a couple of possible rebuild in the approaching months.

“There is a belief in this room that knows no bounds,” Jeremy Swayman — who now has a .918 save percentage in his last 10 games — said of his teammates. “No matter what we have been through, I know that we have always believed in each other and know that each of us can achieve something at different times.

“In every game, even when it didn’t go our way, the boys improved and really developed their game in the right direction. I think that’s a huge testament to our group and what kind of people we have here that don’t let the adversity of results dictate how we play and how we approach the game every day.”

While Boston appears to have bounced back from an unsightly six-game loss earlier this month, this roster – at the least as currently constructed – doesn't encourage much confidence for an extended playoff run.

The Bruins rank twenty fifth within the NHL in goals per game (2.73) and twentieth within the NHL in goals allowed per game (3.10). Brutal special teams play has further hampered Boston, with the Bruins rating thirty first within the NHL on the facility play (13.4 percent) and twenty fifth on the penalty kill (76.0 percent).

As of Sunday evening, the Bruins are one in all only two teams currently within the playoffs with a negative goal difference.

The Calgary Flames are clinging to the ultimate wildcard spot within the Western Conference with a goal difference of -8. The Bruins? An ugly goal difference of -20 – tied for the third-worst performance in all the Eastern Conference.

Even with the returns of Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm from injury – coupled with the strong play of Swayman and David Pastrnak (22 points in his last 12 games) – the Bruins have several holes of their depth chart that must be addressed.

The odds aren't exactly favorable to the Bruins' playoff hopes straight away.

But contrary to Neely's threatening comments, Zadorov and his teammates pay no attention with regards to their slim playoff possibilities.

“I mean, you have to face reality every now and then, right? You can't put it in your back pocket all the time and say, 'Oh, let's just focus on day by day,'” Zadorov said of playing with pressure every night. “I mean, you still look at the big picture. I don't plan on missing the playoffs. That's why I'm here.

“I’m here to play in the playoffs. I want to see Boston Garden full of life. I think that's definitely an extra motivation for us. I mean, you guys are doing a good job of writing us off, so I think that's additional motivation for this group as well. Because we have many characters. We have a lot of people who want to compete and play on the big stages. I think that’s our attitude every day.”