Bruins shattered expectations in the first half
With the NHL All-Star game quickly approaching, the Boston Bruins have surpassed expectations. Despite losing franchise icons David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron to retirement in the offseason, the Bruins have not missed a beat. Entering play on Monday, they led the NHL in points and are getting contributions throughout the roster.
While David Pastrnak has been a human highlight reel, he has gotten help from Charlie Coyle and Trent Frederic. In 49 games, Coyle has scored 18 goals and dished out 24 assists. He has 42 points, only 14 points short of his career-high.
Like Coyle, Frederic has taken his game to another level. The former first-round pick has added 14 goals and 15 assists to his resume. He also recorded his first power play point while seeing an increase in playing time. Regardless of the opponent, Frederic has made an impact every time he takes the ice.
Although the Bruins' offense has been hard to stop, they have been defined by their goaltending. Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman have again been the best goalie tandem in the NHL. Swayman, in particular, has stood out, earning his first All-Star appearance.
As the Bruins enjoy an extended break, they have a lot of positives to build in when they return to action on February 6. That includes the play of Jake DeBrusk and the recent emergence of Morgan Geekie. The black and gold closed out January with a 5-1 record in their last six games. In that span, they outscored their opponents 29-13.
What has made the Bruins play so impressive is how somebody new steps up every night. In the offseason, Don Sweeney brought in James van Riemsdyk, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Geekie to provide scoring and veteran leadership. The trio has come through, with Geekie and Riemsdyk having very productive seasons.
Regardless of how the rest of the season plays out, few expected the Bruins to lead the league in points at the end of January. However, this group has shown they should not be underestimated.
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