With the Stanley Cup Playoffs set to begin on April 19 and the NHL trade deadline just 10 days away on March 7, the Boston Bruins find themselves in an unfamiliar position. Unlike recent years, where they’ve been aggressive buyers at the deadline, this season has been a different story. Sitting outside the Eastern Conference playoff picture, the Bruins didn’t help their cause with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday night, their first game back from the 4 Nations Face-Off break.
General Manager Don Sweeney confirmed during a Sunday press conference that the Bruins will take a more cautious approach at this year’s deadline, a clear indication that the front office doesn’t view this team as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. However, TNT analyst and former Stanley Cup champion Eddie Olczyk seems to disagree, offering a surprisingly optimistic take on Boston’s playoff chances.
*“The Bruins have that type of roster to make the playoffs,”* Olczyk said during an appearance on *The Sports Kase*. *“When they’re healthy, they need to adopt a next-man-up mentality.”*
While Olczyk’s confidence in the Bruins is notable, the reality is that this roster is far from playoff-caliber. Injuries have decimated the blue line, with Hampus Lindholm out for the season following knee surgery and Charlie McAvoy sidelined indefinitely after suffering an arm injury during the 4 Nations Face-Off. Offensively, the team lacks consistent production outside of Morgan Geekie and David Pastrnak, and no one has stepped up to fill the void left by Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen’s departures.
To make matters worse, the Bruins trail several teams in the playoff race, including the surging New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, and Columbus Blue Jackets—all of whom are in better positions to make impactful deadline moves.
Sweeney’s cautious approach at the deadline speaks volumes about how the front office views this team’s chances. While Olczyk may still see a path to the postseason for the Bruins, the reality is that this is not the same team that contended in recent years. For Boston, the focus may already be shifting to the future rather than a playoff push in 2024-25.
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