Boston has given skeptical fans plenty of reasons to keep one eyebrow raised, but the numbers keep pushing the Bruins into the contender conversation.
They sit first in the Atlantic Division and just one point behind the league leader, a position that would look a lot more comfortable if not for the concerns that have followed this team over the past two seasons. Boston has still been giving up high-danger scoring chances at an alarming rate, and for the second straight year Jeremy Swayman is near the top in goals saved above expected.
That kind of goaltending can cover a lot, at least in the regular season. Last year’s playoff series showed how fragile that can be when Buffalo dominated the defensive zone and outlasted Boston in six games.
The Bruins’ 100-point season a year ago was impressive on paper, but the postseason exposed the cracks. This season, though, the early evidence suggests the old doubts about Boston being outside the playoff picture were way off base.
A good place to measure whether a team is truly built for the long haul is goal differential, and that’s where the Bruins have made a real statement. Last season they finished at +22, the second-worst mark among Eastern Conference playoff teams. The eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes, by comparison, were at +56, the third-best number in the league, and that edge carried into the postseason.
This year, Boston has corrected that weakness in a major way. The Bruins currently lead the league at +20.
That puts them five goals ahead of the Edmonton Oilers, who feature a superstar averaging over three points per game and another superstar linemate averaging over two. It also leaves them six goals clear of the Carolina Hurricanes, who have picked up right where they left off last season. Those are the two teams many people are already eyeing as a possible Stanley Cup Final matchup.
Boston hasn’t gotten nearly the same attention, but maybe it should. The difference is simple enough: the Bruins have a goaltender who might be in the prime of his career, plus a young core that should keep improving as the season goes on. In other words, this may not even be the best version of the Bruins we see this year.
In Other News...
Will Borgen Is Giving The Bruins Something They Desperately Needed
The Bruins knew they needed help on the back end when they sent backup goalie Joonas Korpisalo to the Rangers for Will Borgen on July 1, and so far the move has given them exactly the kind of steady presence they were looking for. Borgen has fit in quickly, bringing a calmer, more reliable edge to a blue line that has had to absorb the absence of Charlie McAvoy while trying to keep the team organized in its own zone.
Through his first stretch in Boston, Borgen has stood out for the way he has handled his minutes and simplified things for the rest of the defense corps. Marco Sturm has liked what he has seen from the newcomer, and the early returns suggest the Bruins may have found a useful piece for a group that badly needed one. [Read more 🡒]
James Hagens Is Giving Bruins Fans A Reason To Dream Early
James Hagens has given the Bruins an early jolt of optimism in his first stretch of the 2026-27 season. The 19-year-old forward, taken seventh overall in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, has settled into a third-line role alongside Casey Mittlestadt and Elias Lindholm, and he has already shown enough poise to look comfortable in NHL minutes. Through 12 games, he has supplied a steady mix of offense and quick decision-making that has fit neatly into Bostons lineup.
David Pastrnak has noticed the way Hagens plays around the crease, where patience and touch can matter just as much as speed. For a young player still carving out his place, the encouraging part is not only the production but the way he is finding important moments without forcing the issue. The Bruins have plenty of season left to sort out, but Hagens is already giving the fan base a reason to think the future might arrive sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Suddenly Have New Roster Momentum Heading Into Tough Trip
The Bruins returned to practice with a little more stability around the roster just as the schedule starts to get tougher. Boston heads out on a two-game road trip carrying a three-point lead in the Atlantic Division, and the timing of the latest developments could hardly be better for a team trying to keep its footing in a crowded race.
Marat Khusnutdinov is now locked in for the long haul after signing a three-year contract extension, giving the Bruins one less item to worry about as they move deeper into the season. The last game also offered a boost in net, where Michael DiPietro picked up his first NHL shutout, the kind of performance that can quiet a few questions and give a club some extra confidence before heading on the road. [Read more 🡒]