The 2022-23 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season is rapidly approaching the halfway stage, with all 32 teams having completed at least 30 of their scheduled 82 regular season fixtures. The standings across all four divisions are taking shape, and leading online sports betting site MyBookie has the Boston Bruins as narrow favorites to capture the coveted Stanley Cup.
Jeremy Swayman #1 of the Boston Bruins takes a puck to the mask
The Boston Bruins, along with Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs, are one of the Original Six NHL teams. Boston Bruins fans have seen their beloved team reach the Stanley Cup finals 20 times. However, the Bruins have been on the losing side 14 times, although their six titles are the fourth-most in NHL history. The Bruins last won the Stanley Cup in 2011 but reached the finals in 2019, where they lost in seven games against the St. Louis Blues.
Last season, the Boston Bruins finished fourth in the Atlantic Division with 107 points before falling to the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference First Round. The Bruins already have 50 points on the board through 30 games, which is the most of any NHL team in the league. A phenomenal start saw the Bruins go 8-1-0 in October, 11-2-0 in November, and 5-1-2 in December. If the Bruins can keep up this pace, they will amass a franchise-high 136 points come April 13.
A Solid Defense and a Deadly Offense
While attacking players receive the most attention from hockey fans, defensive players often win games by preventing the opposition from scoring. The Boston Bruins defense is one of the best in the league, and last season’s statistics back up that claim. The Bruins ranked first in the league for expected goals against, shots on net against, scoring chances against, and high-danger attempts against. They were also second in the NHL for shot attempts against and fourth in goals against.
The Bruins did not lose any key personnel from their defensive unit and welcomed back Jakub Zboril after his ACL injury last November. Hampus Lindholm should be available for an entire season.
It is not only in defense that the Bruins are strong because David Krejci returned from Czech side HC Olomouc to play in his 16th season for the Bruins. Sure. Krejci is a veteran at 36 years old, but he is still a fantastic talent. Krejci linked up beautifully with Taylor Hall in the past and has a great relationship and understanding with fellow Czech forward David Pastrnak. That trio strikes fear into their opponents’ hearts, especially Pastrnak, who scored 40 and assisted 37 in 72 games last season; he is already on 20 goals and 22 assists through the first 30 games of this campaign.
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