The Bruins open a new season Tuesday night with the same high hopes they’ve carried into every season for at least the past two decades.
This version of the Black and Gold will undoubtedly look different. Gone are longtime stalwarts Jake DeBrusk and Linus Ullmark. In are new free agent additions Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov. Jeremy Swayman has a new contract and is locked in as the No. 1 goaltender of the future.
Boston is perpetually in the hunt for the Atlantic Division crown. Cam Neely and Don Sweeney have built a sustainable organization, and head coach Jim Montgomery has been among the most successful bench bosses in franchise history through two seasons. The floor, once again, is very high.
The question, of course, is whether the ceiling is high enough to return to Stanley Cup glory. Boston won’t have to wait long for a test. The B’s will be in the building Tuesday night when the Florida Panthers raise their Cup banner to open the new campaign ahead of the opener.
Can the Bruins break through and get by the Panthers this spring? Is a deep playoff run in their future? Here’s how some of the top names in hockey media expect Boston’s 2024-25 season to play out.
Sportsnet
— On a panel of 20 contributors, four pick the Bruins to win the Atlantic Division (12 picked Toronto)
— In a separate exercise, though, 17 of 19 contributors expected the Bruins to be among the teams coming out of the Atlantic to make the playoffs
Greg Wyshynski, ESPN
–Fourth-place finish in the Atlantic (behind Toronto, Florida and Tampa Bay) but still making the playoffs
Daily Faceoff
–On a seven-person panel, the Bruins averaged a fourth-place finish, ranging from a third-place to sixth-place finish
The Boston Globe
–All five writers predicted a playoff appearance, ranging from a 52-win, first-place finish to a 40-win, wild-card finish
–No one is higher on the Bruins this season than Globe writer Jim McBride, who has the Bruins winning the Stanley Cup over Bruce Cassidy and the Vegas Golden Knights: “Vegas can swipe the Bruins’ colors (sort of), but the Original Sixers end up with the most coveted silver chalice in all the land. Having Jeremy Swayman around to guard the goods is essential.”
FanDuel Sportsbook
Stanley Cup: 12-1 (12th-shortest)
Eastern Conference: +850 (tied for sixth-shortest)
Points total: over/under 97.5
To make the playoffs: Yes (-210) | No (+162)
Hart Trophy winner: David Pastrnak (20-1)
Vezina Trophy winner: Jeremy Swayman (+600, tied for favorite)
