Latest news with #Cup-champion
Miami Herald
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
From Dominant To Doomed: Goaltending Woes Have Derailed Hurricanes In Eastern Conference Final Against Panthers
Heading into the Eastern Conference final of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Carolina Hurricanes were in a very good place. They demolished the New Jersey Devils in five games in the first round, then eliminated the Washington Capitals with relative ease by sending them home in a five-game second-round victory. And the 'Canes did it with defense, allowing only seven goals to the Caps, and just 11 goals to the Devils. With that in mind, it was fair to presume the Hurricanes would put the squeeze on the defending Cup-champion Florida Panthers in the Eastern final. But instead, the opposite has happened, with the Panthers generating 16 goals in the first three games against the Hurricanes, and Florida staking out a commanding 3-0 series lead over Carolina after romping to a 6-2 win in Game 3. While you can't pin down just one reason for the Canes' struggles against the Panthers, we've already seen Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour changing up his goaltending picture, pulling starter Frederik Andersen after two letdown games, and going with backup Pyotr Kochetkov, to no avail, in Carolina's Game 3 loss. The disappointment has put Andersen in a particularly bad spot, as he had signed a one-year contract extension at the start of May. The 35-year-old looked terrific against the Devils and Capitals, posting a save percentage of .905 or higher in seven of his nine games in the first two rounds. But the bottom fell out of Andersen's game against the Panthers, as he posted an a save percentage of .750 in both Games 1 and 2 before Brind'Amour put him on the bench in favor of Kochetkov in Game 3. Small wonder, then, that the Hurricanes have lost all three games against Florida thus far in their Eastern final series. Kochetkov has put up a save percentage of .886 or worse in three of his four playoff appearances this year, and he had nothing going for him in Game 3, as the Panthers hung up six goals on 28 shots on him for a bleak .786 SP. The Panthers were always going to be a tough opponent for Carolina, but when their goaltending hasn't been up to snuff, the Hurricanes have been on the wrong end of three blowout games. If the 'Canes are swept by the Panthers, it would be a letdown of the highest order for a team many believed would be significantly better this season. But they're now on the verge of being swept in the Eastern final for the second time in the past three seasons, and they still haven't won even a single Eastern final game since they won a Cup in 2005-06. Meanwhile, Brind'Amour sure sounded like a coach who is seeing his season sunk before his eyes because of sub-par goaltending. 'I don't blame Freddie on any of the goals that went in,' Brind'Amour said after the Game 2 loss. 'Obviously, save percentage is not great, if you look at that. We do need some saves, but I can't blame him on any.' Clearly, Brind'Amour was engaged in some mixed messaging there. He doesn't blame Andersen, but his save percentage is 'not great." Carolina does 'need some saves', but Brind'Amour isn't blaming him for any of the goals he allowed. If that sounds like a coach desperate to not totally jump all over his goalie despite plenty of evidence he's not doing his job between the pipes, that's because it is. But that doesn't mean Andersen and Kochetkov don't have to own their role in three straight losses to the Panthers. If and when the Hurricanes are eliminated by Florida, Carolina GM Eric Tulsky is going to be faced with some very difficult decisions about his goaltending next season. It doesn't matter how good the 'Canes look at forward and on 'D' if Carolina's goalies can't outperform their opponent's netminder when they get to the Eastern final. It also doesn't matter that Andersen and Kochetkov are relatively underpaid next season, with Andersen set to make $2.75 million, and Kochetkov signed at a salary cap hit of $2 million. When the games have mattered most in this series, Andersen and Kochetkov have failed in their duties. That's not a criticism, that's a fact, and absent some miracle turnaround against the Panthers, the Hurricanes need to make some serious changes to their lineup next year. Get thelatest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and bysubscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting belowthe article on Copyright 2025 The Hockey News, Roustan Media Ltd.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
MORE TAKEAWAYS: Straying from the script to the sin bin sinks Maple Leafs
The fight for first in the Atlantic Division leaves little room for error. Toronto found that out Thursday when it stumbled into special teams' troubles that the Cup-champion Florida Panthers long ago learned to deal with under stress. Our takeaways on a 3-2 Maple Leafs' loss, close but disappointing nonetheless, as the Cats opened a four-point lead for top spot. The Leafs were lamenting two power play goals against, but the deeper issue was the nature of the penalties. Oliver Ekman-Larsson thew a gloved fist at a Panther who was digging away at Anthony Stolarz, an instinctive move to protect his goalie, but one that referee Garrett Rank deemed crossed a line. 'We talk about (Florida) is going to do all this stuff, the whistles and they get in there and get involved,' said coach Craig Berube. '(OEL) punched a guy, but they two-handed one of our guys there and they take just us off. But we have to more disciplined, no doubt about it.' That infraction accounted for one Sam Bennett goal, the other coming when Toronto mucked up a line change. On that ensuing power play, the Leafs were three seconds from a kill, but Seth Jones won a blueline trench battle with new Leaf Scott Laughton to keep the puck alive. 'You can't do that. Those (bench minors) are the ones that kill you,' Berube lamented. The Colorado loss on Saturday could be traced to an offensive zone turnover that resulted in Mitch Marner going to the box, while Thursday's first Toronto penalty was on David Kampf for goaltender interference. 'We have to execute better, (Thursday's result) shows the margins are small,' said alternate captain John Tavares. 'We have to be a little bit better in some areas to tilt play in our favour. On the two fateful calls, Tavares opined 'you have to stand your ground, play with an edge, play physical. The level of detail shift-to-shift, the structure with it in all areas — that's on everyone. All of us can be a lot better.' Chris Tanev's unexpected clearance gave Berube and general manager Brad Treliving a look at their near-complete full roster, along with the home debuts of Laughton and Brandon Carlo. The even-strength Florida goal by an uncovered Niko Mikkola came against Toronto's fourth line. Tanev played 18:15 and, interestingly, did not have to block a shot, but was charged with two giveaways. Carlo saw lots of kill duty in his 17:34 of ice, ditto for Laughton. The pair combined for nine of Toronto's 24 hits, though Florida nearly doubled the home team with 40, all but Anton Lundell getting at least one. Berube made an interesting third-period line change, sending Domi back to middle of the third line and promoting Laughton to an effective shift on wing with William Nylander and Tavares. Maybe it was the plethora of kids attending during this March break game or regular subscribers simply missing their team in its two home dates since Jan. 29. But the 19,100 at Scotiabank Arena were high on Tanev's introduction and that of Marner after his affirmation this week he wanted to sign here. Max Domi's hit and follow-up fight was another crowd-pleaser, as was his third-period goal when he once again exhorted the fans to get loud. 'As close to a playoff game as you're going to get,' Domi said of the evening. 'We'll get some confidence from this game because we started to play our best hockey in the third and we were all over them.' Lhornby@ @sunhornby
New York Times
04-03-2025
- Business
- New York Times
NHL trade board 8.0: The latest on all the top targets on deadline week
The Florida Panthers took their big swing by acquiring Seth Jones over the weekend, but plenty of other Stanley Cup contenders are still waiting to strike ahead of Friday's NHL trade deadline. They include the Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights, Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets, among others. Advertisement Oh, and the defending Cup-champion Panthers may actually not be done shopping yet after freeing up a whack of salary cap space by placing Matthew Tkachuk on long-term injured reserve. Basically, the buyers are ready. The market is not quite so fertile when it comes to sellers. So, where do things stand? Check out the Big Board. Players are listed by how closely they demand watching, based on their potential impact and the current amount of buzz around them. Note: Net Ratings and market values are via Dom Luszczyszyn's model and are projected for the full season based on statistics through March 2. Goals saved above expected (GSAx) are via Evolving-Hockey, also through March 2. Contract info is via PuckPedia. Not only have the Islanders cooled off a bit, but they also appear no closer to an extension with the pending UFA. And Nelson arguably has the highest trade value of any 'rental' player who might be moved at this deadline. The 33-year-old all-situations forward is a big, sturdy man with a strong track record of scoring goals. He can be slotted as a second-line center or slide into a wing spot on the top line. Basically, he's exactly the kind of difference-maker that contending teams would be falling over themselves to get their hands on. Contract talks haven't produced any traction, which leaves the Canucks facing a decision while trying to hang tough in the playoff race: keep Boeser as an own rental or cash in on him as an asset? At this point, it doesn't even sound like a $40-million, five-year offer made earlier in the season remains on the table. The sniper has experienced a decline following a 40-goal campaign — not only in production, but also in the number of shots and shot attempts he's generating. Still, he's got good puck skills and a strong history as a power-play contributor. A relentless high-motor player who is enjoying a career season in Chicago, Donato is attracting serious attention on the trade market. As a pending unrestricted free agent, he profiles as a rental who can add to a team's depth while playing basically anywhere in the lineup. Donato appears to have made some strides with his skating this season and has the hands to bury offensive chances when he gets them. Of his career-best 21 goals through Sunday, an impressive 18 have been scored at even strength. At least the veteran Flyers center hasn't lost his sense of humor amid another season of having his name churn through the rumor mill: Laughton recreated "The Last Supper" in a photo he shared over the weekend during a team meal in Winnipeg. There's a good reason for the speculation. The Flyers have received a fair amount of interest in Laughton and are seeking a first-round pick (or equivalent) in exchange for a player with one season beyond this one remaining on his contract. Not only is Laughton producing at a 40-point pace, but he's also a glue guy who kills penalties and plays with an edge to his game. Well on his way to topping 30 goals and 60 points this season, Rakell may be the most productive offensive player available ahead of this deadline. The right-shot winger is an above-average finisher who has a history of holding his own when playing alongside highly skilled linemates. With three years remaining on his contract after this one, the usual caveats apply: The Penguins do not have to move Rakell now, but they'd be willing to do it if the return helped them push along their organizational goal of getting younger. He's signed to an extremely reasonable contract in a rising cap environment. After acquiring Marcus Pettersson and signing him to a six-year extension, the Canucks have made the 6-foot-5 Soucy available on the trade market. Minutes are going to be tougher for him to come by now. Soucy is a prototypical shutdown defender who has performed well in the playoffs for the Canucks and during his previous stop in Seattle. As a bonus, the left shot is comfortable playing on either side of the ice. Soucy will have a lot of say in where he lands because of a no-trade clause that runs through the end of the season. The Rangers held Smith out of games Sunday and Monday for 'roster management purposes,' which is a pretty good indication of where things go next. The 33-year-old forward has seen a slight dip in production the past two years but remains a strong two-way player with Stanley Cup pedigree. As a bonus, Smith's cap hit has already been chopped down to $3.75 million in last summer's trade from Pittsburgh and could be further reduced. Interested teams will note that he's produced 79 points in 106 career playoff games. Evans is a high-end penalty killer in tandem with Joel Armia, who is also featured on the Big Board. In fact, it wouldn't be a surprise to see those players moved as a package deal by the Canadiens. Evans has gone cold offensively after a red-hot start but brings a fair amount of value as a right-shot center who is well above average on faceoffs. He isn't overly big, but he's a quick skater who is an affordable rental option playing on an expiring contract. A high-energy player who brings it on the forecheck and recklessly throws himself in front of pucks on the penalty kill, Tanev has a lot of the qualities contenders are looking for. Known for playing a grindy game that wears on opponents, he leads all Seattle forwards in short-handed ice time. He certainly doesn't back down when faced with a contested piece of ice. As a bonus, he also comes with 46 games of Stanley Cup playoff experience. Mittelstadt's name started surfacing in trade discussions after the Avalanche dealt away Mikko Rantanen in a late-January blockbuster. Colorado is willing to get creative in an effort to upgrade its top-six forward group. Mittelstadt has good hands and is known as a puck distributor and playmaker rather than a goal scorer. While still young enough at age 26 to carry some upside, his play on the defensive side of the puck can leave something to be desired. The rebuilding Flyers are short on rental players to take to market, but they could be compelled to part with the big, physical defenseman who has some term remaining. Ristolainen plays a rugged style best suited for third-pairing duty, and he's taken meaningful steps forward over the past 18 months toward becoming a more reliable defender in his own zone. With a contract that stretches two seasons beyond this one, some salary retention might be needed to make a trade work. The Sabres certainly aren't shopping the 23-year-old defenseman, but he may be the piece they have to put in play in order to make a significant shakeup. Byram is an elite skater who can log big minutes and should still have his best and most productive seasons ahead. He's also due for a new contract after the season as a pending restricted free agent. The Sabres control his rights, but they're a team with a lot of money and years already tied up in their blue line, so decisions are looming. There is an abundance of outside interest in Cozens. Two-thirds of NHL teams have at least checked in on his availability at some point this season. Even amid a down year, the 6-foot-3 center holds plenty of appeal because of his speed, skill, size and a 30-goal campaign already on his resume. Here's the rub, though: It's going to take a meaningful offer to pry him out of Buffalo — something built around an established player, not just prospects — and so far that hasn't materialized. The veteran right-shot winger remains a serious scoring threat into his 15th NHL season. He hit 30 goals in 2023-24 and was one goal shy of 20 through Sunday. As a pending unrestricted free agent, Palmieri is an attractive rental option, especially with his willingness to battle his way to the hard areas of the ice. Not unlike the situation with teammate Brock Nelson, the only real question is if general manager Lou Lamoriello will willingly part with a valued member of his team while it's still hanging around the playoff race. An effective skater for a man of his size, Armia is known for his defensive instincts and consistent 200-foot play. He's also a solid penalty killer who has chipped in with three short-handed goals for Montreal this season — third most among all NHL players through early March. A pending unrestricted free agent, he's available as a bottom-six rental. One of the largest men in the league at 6-foot-7 and nearly 260 pounds, Oleksiak represents the kind of depth contenders crave. While he's seen a small decline in his minutes this season in Seattle, he's shown he can handle second-pairing deployment at even strength while logging big minutes on the penalty kill. He can also line up on either side of the ice. The Kraken have a decision here since Oleksiak is signed through next season, but they may be able to maximize his value by trading him now. With Murphy having recently returned to Chicago's lineup after a recurring groin injury, teams will want some assurances about his medical file before proceeding with a trade. Still, a 6-foot-4 right-shot defenseman is a pretty appealing asset. Murphy has also posted strong defensive results under less-than-favorable conditions with a Blackhawks team on its way to yet another lottery pick. While Frederic has seen a decline after posting career bests with an 18-goal, 40-point campaign last season, he still brings intangibles teams appreciate. He's a big man who skates well and can effectively be deployed as a checker. One fly in the ointment here is the lower-body injury Frederic suffered last week, but all indications are that Boston still intends to move him at the deadline. Gourde is on the verge of a return to the Kraken's lineup after undergoing surgery to repair a sports hernia in January. That's convenient timing for those interested in the rental center. Gourde is a strong skater and two-way player who owns a couple of Stanley Cup rings from his time with Tampa Bay — which means that he's exactly the kind of player a team gearing up for the playoffs will be looking at closely. The Hurricanes continue to listen on calls about the big winger, but they don't seem inclined to actually trade him. Word is it would take something foolishly generous for them to act. Carolina shocked the hockey world by acquiring Rantanen in late January and hasn't ruled out trying to sign him to an extension even though that won't happen before Friday's deadline. So, why is he still on the Big Board? Players who have produced 1.25 points per game in their playoff careers are basically never a trade option at this time of year, so Rantanen's availability could still compel someone to seize the rarest of opportunities. A big, strong winger who skates well and kills penalties, Tuch's appeal to contending teams is no mystery. He's signed through next season, too, which is a bonus since anyone trading for him now could count on two playoff runs. Buffalo will need to be compelled to part ways with one of the big pieces it received back from Vegas in the Jack Eichel trade, though. A huge winger at 6-foot-6 and 230-plus pounds, Greenway is on the radar for contenders seeking a bottom-six upgrade. As a pending unrestricted free agent, he can be acquired as a rental ahead of the deadline and the cost shouldn't be too prohibitive given his limited offensive output this season. Consistency is a bit of a question mark here. While the Sabres have made an overture about possibly signing him to an extension, it doesn't seem to be heading in that direction. A strong forechecker with excellent offensive instincts, Bjorkstrand is a reliable 50-plus-point winger. Signed through next season at a manageable cap number, there's added value to be found for teams looking for someone with term. The Kraken can afford to be patient given some of the other rental forwards they'll be peddling, but Bjorkstrand could deliver a decent return at this deadline. The Blackhawks have a crowded crease after acquiring Spencer Knight in the Seth Jones trade over the weekend, which has made the veteran Mrazek available. He's seen some regression in his performance playing behind a porous defensive team this season but brings over 400 games of NHL experience. Mrazek carries a $4.25 million cap hit through next season but is only owed $3.65 million in actual compensation in Year 2 of that deal. Marchand says he wants to spend his entire career in Boston, and the Bruins say they're trying to sign their captain to an extension. But … talk is cheap. Marchand remains a pending UFA. Can a retooling franchise risk walking him to free agency? Fresh off helping Canada win the 4 Nations Face-Off, Marchand remains a high-end winger who can contribute offensively, kill penalties and, yes, get under an opponent's skin. He was injured over the weekend, but it's not believed to be too serious. Somewhat undersized at 5-foot-10, Grzelcyk has carved out a nice career by putting his smarts to good use. An excellent skater, the left-shot defenseman can be relied upon to make a strong breakout pass. He's racked up 29 assists this season with the Penguins. Grzelcyk is a rental on a reasonable contract in an undersaturated market for defensemen. A veteran left-shot defenseman with two Stanley Cup championships on his resume, Dumoulin profiles as a nice depth addition for a contender. Big and mobile, he can be trusted to move the puck effectively while handling a steady workload. He's not known for being overly physical, but he won't be pushed around. The 33-year-old is on an expiring contract and should be an easy piece for the Ducks to ship out before the deadline. A pending unrestricted free agent in Pittsburgh who has contributed some offense this season, Beauvillier could be on the move yet again. He's bounced from Long Island to Vancouver to Chicago to Nashville to the Penguins in the past three seasons. Still, Beauvillier is a skilled winger with decent puck-handling skills. He's a pretty good skater, too, and teams looking for a value buy will note that 12 of his 13 goals this season have been scored at even strength. A minute-munching, shot-blocking defenseman who has drawn trade interest in the past, Ferraro is a valuable commodity. Signed through the end of next season at a $3.25 million cap hit, the 26-year-old is a strong puck-mover and penalty killer with a competitive streak to match. It's not clear how deep the Bruins are prepared to cut, but they could certainly attract a nice return of futures by moving Carlo now. He's still under contract for two more seasons, which could help an acquiring team justify paying a big price to get him. Carlo is a 6-foot-5 right-shot defenseman who is a trusted defender and penalty killer. He's got plenty of big-game experience, too. There remains interest in Schenn, but the Blues have established a high price in trade talks involving their captain. They've also started winning games, which greatly reduces the chances he's moved. It's worth noting that Schenn possesses a full no-trade clause and has considerable control of the situation as a result. Still, it's little wonder why his presence on the trade market has caused a stir. The veteran center is having a good season and brings value at both ends of the ice, plus all kinds of playoff experience. The 2019 Conn Smythe Trophy winner has two more seasons remaining on his contract and has already indicated a desire to stay in Nashville. However, it might not ultimately be his call. The organization wants to do right by O'Reilly, but general manager Barry Trotz will be forced to make a decision if he gets a strong trade offer amid a disappointing season for the team. O'Reilly is an excellent two-way center who can be counted on to chip in offensively and has the ability to be a true difference-maker for a contender. As an added bonus, he's a menace in the faceoff circle, too. A mountain of a man at 6-foot-6 and 232 pounds, McCarron may find himself in demand since he's playing on an affordable cap hit for one more season. He's a right shot who can kill penalties and win some draws. Even if he's limited offensively, there's value to be found in a fourth-liner who plays his style of game. A bottom-six forward option who plays hard at both ends of the ice, what you see is what you get from Kunin. He can chip in a bit offensively and has plenty of experience as a penalty killer. The right shot has made strides in the faceoff dot this season as well. Reliable right-shot centers who can fill a depth role always have currency come deadline time. Bjugstad has shown that before — getting traded in 2022 from Arizona to Edmonton in a deal that brought back a third-round pick and defenseman Michael Kesselring — and he's trending toward being that kind of asset again for Utah HC. He's a reliable play-driver who profiles as an ideal bottom-six utility man. For now, though, Utah seems inclined to hang onto its potential rentals with a playoff push still on. Another giant depth forward at 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, Brazeau traveled the long road to the NHL and has earned a raise on his league-minimum $775,000 contract. He's already hit the 10-goal mark for the first time in his career this season. Brazeau is a hardworking player who doesn't hesitate to finish his checks. Injuries have kept Zegras from building any positive momentum the past two seasons. A fresh start could help that along. The Ducks are demanding more attention to detail from the offensive specialist, and getting it, but Zegras is still searching for a way to hang on to the parts of his game that once separated him. Remember that he already has two 60-point campaigns under his belt at age 23. The production has dried up, as has some of the player's enthusiasm. Time is running short for the Big Board mainstay to get his fresh start. While he lost the No. 1 job to Lukáš Dostál this season, he's delivered a major bounce-back performance with a .911 save percentage through 25 appearances. On a trade market with very few goaltending options available, Gibson has the highest ceiling. But there aren't many shoppers looking for someone in his price range. Robertson seems to have reversed course on his summer trade request, but that doesn't mean he won't still be moved in the coming days. The Leafs are in need of cap space to make other upgrades and Robertson's stock is trending in the right direction with a recent stretch of good play. He's produced 11 goals this season while seeing fairly limited minutes. His release continues to be a serious weapon. The biggest question is whether Montreal receives an offer compelling enough to part ways with the well-liked veteran. Savard's game is slowing down with age, but the right-shot defenseman could still have a specific use for teams in need of a third-pairing specialist for limited minutes. It certainly doesn't hurt that he carries the experience of a Stanley Cup win with Tampa Bay in 2021 after being acquired midway through that season. A contract throw-in as part of the Flames-Flyers deal at the end of January, it would not be a surprise to see Kuzmenko flipped. The talented scorer has seen the goals disappear entirely this season and is on an expiring contract. But he remains a threat on the power play and could be due for a bounce-back if deployed in the right way. For a few days at the 4 Nations Face-Off at least, Karlsson looked like he'd found the fountain of youth. He played extremely well for Team Sweden. Things have been much more up and down this season with the Penguins, and it's only natural to wonder if he might benefit from a more competitive environment. His contract remains the biggest barrier to a trade since it covers two more years at a $10 million cap hit and the Penguins aren't believed to be warm to the idea of salary retention. He also holds a no-movement clause and told reporters in Pittsburgh on Sunday that he hasn't yet been approached about waiving it. GO DEEPER Johnston and LeBrun: What we're hearing about every NHL team heading into deadline week (Illustration: Ray Orr / The Athletic, with photos of Alex Tuch, Brock Boeser and Scott Laughton by Ethan Miller, Ezra Shaw and Emilee Chinn / Getty Images)
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NHL Trade Deadline Needs: Boston Bruins And Florida Panthers
The paths of the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers have crossed in the Stanley Cup playoffs in the last two seasons. In 2023, the Panthers barely squeaked into the playoffs but upset the Presidents' Trophy-winning Bruins in a first-round, seventh-game overtime thriller. Last season, the Panthers won the Atlantic Division and faced Boston in the second round, but Florida outlasted the B's in six games. This season, the defending Cup-champion Panthers have a roster depleted by key players leaving in free agency, while Boston has struggled to fill the leadership and scoring void created by the departures of Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci and Zdeno Chara. Here are the main and secondary areas of need that each club is likely to address before the March 7 NHL trade deadline: Due to cap restrictions, the Panthers lost power-play quarterback Brandon Montour and veteran Oliver Ekman-Larsson in July. They replaced them with bargain-basement additions Nate Schmidt and Latvian Uvis Balinskis, who split the previous season between Florida and AHL Charlotte. Making a defensive upgrade will be challenging for Florida GM Bill Zito because the club has just over $1 million in cap space and no picks in the first three rounds of the 2025 NHL draft, according to PuckPedia. Zito has accomplished the difficult task of keeping his core forward group of Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Anton Lundell and Carter Verhaeghe intact. The Panthers also have a useful secondary group of Sam Bennett, Evan Rodrigues and Eetu Luostarinen. The free-agent replacements for useful energy forwards, such as Nick Cousins, Ryan Lomberg and Steven Lorentz, have fallen short. The Panthers' advantage is that fourth-liners are relatively inexpensive and can be acquired with their low-round Bruins went from being second in the NHL in goals-for in 2023 to 13th last season to 26th this season with 2.71 goals-for per game. The traditionally stingy Boston defense has also declined. Currently, both Bruins goalies have a sub .900 save percentage, but it is expected the club will improve in the second half and that Jeremy Swayman will begin to resemble the goalie who earned an eight-year extension right before the season. Part of the club's offensive issues are the pedestrian numbers put up by center Elias Lindholm and the lack of a replacement for Jake DeBrusk. GM Don Sweeney must add a scorer who can take some of the heat off David Pastrnak and Brad Bruins are expected to have both of their top blueliners, Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy, back before the 4 Nations Face-Off begins on Feb. 12. With the addition of Nikita Zadorov to go along with Andrew Peeke, Brandon Carlo and Mason Lohrei, Boston should be solid enough defensively. The departure of veteran forwards James van Riemsdyk and Danton Heinen hurt the Bruins' forward depth. Charlie Coyle and Trent Frederic have also produced at a lower rate than last year. The Bruins will need to add another forward to provide some secondary scoring in the bottom six as well. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on or by visiting our forum.
