This season hasn’t been kind to the Boston Bruins. A team that looked strong last year is now struggling at the bottom of the standings. But as surprising and disappointing as this fall may be for fans, it could actually help the team in the long run.
Let’s take a closer look at why this rough patch might be setting the Bruins up for a brighter future.
A Shocking Fall from Last Year
Last season, the Bruins had a great record of 47 wins, 20 losses, and 15 overtime losses. But this year, things have changed a lot. As of now, they are sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference and are 29th overall in the entire NHL with a 30-37-9 record. Even worse, they haven’t won any of their last 10 games (0-9-1), with their latest loss coming against their old rivals, the Montreal Canadiens.
At the NHL trade deadline, they were only three points away from getting into a wild-card spot. But instead of trying to push for the playoffs, the Bruins decided to trade away key players like Brad Marchand, Brandon Carlo, Charlie Coyle, and Justin Brazeau. After those trades, their performance dropped even more.
The Hidden Advantage of a Bad Season
Even though it’s hard for fans to watch, there’s a hidden upside to all this losing. The Bruins are no longer stuck in the middle of the standings, which is the worst place to be. Teams in the middle don’t get good draft picks and also miss out on the playoffs.
Now that they’re near the bottom, the Bruins have a real chance to win the draft lottery and get one of the top picks. If they do, they could land a future star—just like they did in the past with players like Tyler Seguin (2nd overall in 2010) and Charlie McAvoy (14th in 2016).
Big Cap Space = Big Opportunities
When General Manager Don Sweeney traded away some of the team’s best-known players, he also cleared a lot of space under the NHL’s salary cap. Next season, the Bruins are expected to have about $29 million in cap space, giving them plenty of room to sign new talent in free agency.
While they do have some restricted and unrestricted free agents to re-sign, the team is in a strong position to reshape the roster. That could mean adding experienced players to help support new young talent coming through the draft.
Not the Only Team Facing a Rebuild
The Nashville Predators are also in a similar situation. Despite spending big in free agency, they have one of the worst records in the league. They haven’t had a top-10 draft pick since 2013 and are hoping to get young talent this year. Like Boston, their poor performance now could lead to long-term success.
Hope for the Future
Bruins fans are used to seeing their team in the playoffs almost every year. In fact, the team hasn’t missed the playoffs for more than two seasons in a row since the 1960s. So, seeing them fall apart this quickly can be upsetting. But this fall might be necessary for something better.
If the Bruins can pick a future star in the upcoming draft and use their cap space wisely, they could be back in the playoff race as soon as next season. Short-term pain could turn into long-term gain.
While the 2024–25 season has been tough for the Bruins, it might be exactly what the team needed. Sometimes, a team needs to hit rock bottom before building back up. With a high draft pick, lots of money to spend, and a strong hockey culture, the Bruins have a real chance to bounce back stronger than ever. The current struggle could end up being the start of a new winning era for Boston.
