A Look into what The Boston Bruins NEED to be Contenders Next Year

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The Boston Bruins are one of the most prestigious franchises in the National Hockey League. Once known as The Big Bad Bruins, some may describe the current Bruins team as weak or soft.

Bruins fans appreciate the former players of the 2011 Stanley Cup winning champs. Especially tough guys Milan Lucic and Andrew Ference, two players that brought the physical edge. Boston traded Lucic to the Los Angeles Kings; before the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Ference retired after the 2015-2016 season.

Currently, only two players are remaining from the 2011 cup champs, still on the Bruins. Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron, both players, are in their 30's.

What do the Bruins need to add to become a contender next season? Size, speed, and secondary scoring.

The Bruins roster has been regressing in size each year. An enforcer has yet to be added to the group. The B's need a player that can spark life while playing a physical game. Unfortunately, Trent Frederic does not fill this role well.


Next, speed is a major area that the Bruins are lacking. During the 2022 first-round matchup against Carolina, the Bruins fell behind (especially games Boston lost). The Hurricanes outpaced the Bruins and ultimately knocked them out in Game 7. Potentially candidates could be Andreas Athanasiou or Filip Forsberg.
    
Lastly, the Bruins NEED secondary scoring! The Bruins showed to be a one-line team during the 2022 NHL Playoffs. Boston's top line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and David Pastrnak combined for 24 points. While all other forwards combined for just 21 points, clearly secondary scoring is an issue.

Will Boston make any changes or will a rebuild come sooner then expected?