Boston Bruins season preview

For the Boston Bruins, this season 2023-24 season must be about putting last season behind them.

Jeremy Swayman #1 of the Boston Bruins will be leaned on more heavily this season

They finished the regular season with a gaudy record of 65-12-5.

All of the euphoria was lost in a seven-game first round loss to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

To call it a let let down, would be understatement.

The biggest question for the Bruins this season is how do they replace Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. Both skaters retired in the off season.

The Bruins return their two standout goalies from the last season, Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. The two netminders will be especially needed this season with an inevitable drop in offense with Bergeron and Krejci gone.

With the two retirements, the Bruins brought in a few players on free agency over the summer, including Morgan Geekie, Patrick Brown and Jesper Boqvist. With the huge hole in the forward lines, Boston is looking to show a different face this coming season.

Timelines on moving some prospects up from the Providence Bruins of the AHL are certainly expected to quickened with the likes of Fabian Lysell, Jakub Lauko and Matthew Poitras skating in Boston for 2023-24.

In addition, Georgii Merkulov collected 55 points on 24 goals with Providence last season, and he is also looking at a potential long stay in Boston.

Boston will need to get a steady production from Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle this campaign. There is no expectation for the Bruins to reel off 135 points again. They will need to maintain a consistent effort because the Atlantic Division has improved over the off season with the Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, Buffalo Sabres, and Ottawa Senators looking to challenge for playoff spots.