Few hockey pundits envisioned the Boston Bruins to nearly run the table in October.
Surely, they’d need ample time to adjust to Jim Montgomery’s system, right?
Nope.
Even if they grasped Montgomery’s philosophy, one would’ve thought the Bruins would struggle treading water without their top two offensive blue-liners (Matt Grzelcyk and Charlie McAvoy) and No. 1 left winger (Brad Marchand), right?
Nope.
Frankly, even with David Krejci’s return and a more formidable top two scoring trios, the Bruins would’ve likely met, or slightly surpassed expectations had they finished the first month of the 2022-23 campaign with a .500-point percentage.
The Bruins didn’t only exceed those prognostications. They shattered them.
All while Grzelcyk and Marchand returned ahead of schedule following speedy recoveries from their respective off-season shoulder and hip(s) surgery. Even with Krejci now day-to-day with an upper-body ailment sustained from Michael Rasmussen’s high-stick during Thursday’s tilt — resulting in a two-game ban for the Red Wings’ defenseman — things are progressing on the injury front after McAvoy partook in his first full-contact practice following his off-season shoulder surgery.
“Regardless of the position we’d be in — obviously, that’s a hypothetical — I think everyone is very respectful about the timeline. And you really don’t have a choice but to be patient with something like this. Otherwise, it will just drive you mad for six months,” McAvoy told reporters on Monday.
“Sometimes [it’s about] the big picture, but I know we’re doing really well, and we’re getting close.”
McAvoy’s return, along with Krejci and Craig Smith healing from their recent wounds will give Montgomery his ideal lineup. That development came quicker than anticipated, with McAvoy and Marchan originally slated to return between Thanksgiving and the first week of December.
Even without McAvoy, Smith and Krejci, the Bruins head into their first road trip of the season with uber confidence.
Boston’s scoring depth became a welcomed development without Marchand as 15 different players lit the lamp. They’ve received contributions from all four lines. Everyone from the league’s second star of the month (David Pastrnak) to an early 7th player award candidate and his bounce-back season (Nick Foligno) provided timely goals during their nine-game slate.
Between Linus Ullmark’s stout goaltending and the defensemen adapting to Montgomery’s up-tempo system, the Bruins became quite the well-rounded juggernaut in October. But is this run sustainable?
Eventually, the Bruins will encounter a rut during a long 82-game slate. While they’ve established some comfort with their torrid start, they know they can’t let their guard down. Otherwise, the Bruins’ historic start may become a mere footnote.
“Getting comfortable is hard not to do in life, especially when things are going well,” Montgomery told the press on Tuesday. “This league will humble you quickly, and that’s something we’re trying to remind ourselves.”
A tough three-game slate beginning with a Winter Classic tuneup of sorts begins Tuesday in the Steel City. The trip continues Thursday in New York with a litmus test against a Rangers squad coming off a surprise trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. Their road swing ends in Toronto on Saturday against a desperate Maple Leafs bunch.
The tight-knit Bruins put themselves in a prime spot to make the most of a potential Last Hurrah. What happens on their multi-city trip of the year may dictate how they fare amid a busy November.
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