Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
The Boston Bruins have gotten out to a horrendous start to the 2024-25 regular season, going 4-6-1 heading into Saturday’s game against Philadelphia. And although the Bruins got back on the right track by beating the Flyers 3-0, securing win No. 5, there’s still an air of desperation surrounding this Boston team – certainly not the right vibe you want to see so early in the season.
And that brings to mind the question – is it time for Bs GM Don Sweeney to consider making a trade, or is it too soon for any drastic measures?
From our perspective, it’s closer to the latter than the former. The Bruins may have slightly moved up in the Atlantic Division with Saturday’s win, but Boston is still closer to the eighth-place Montreal Canadiens than the first-place Florida Panthers or second-place Tampa Bay Lightning. That’s a notable problem, and if it continues, something has to change in Beantown.
Might those changes include a change behind the bench? We don’t think so. Coach Jim Montgomery is just two years removed from winning the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s best bench boss during the 2022-23 season, and he hasn’t forgotten how to coach in that period. We suspect his job is safe for the foreseeable future, which means any major change will have to happen via the trade market.
That said, if there is going to be a trade, it might be focused around making Boston’s second forward line more dangerous. The Bruins’ current line of center Charlie Coyle and wingers Pavel Zacha and Justin Brazeau has combined for only five goals and eight points in 12 games – not particularly intimidating by any metrics.
To that end, would Boston welcome a veteran like current Flames center Nazem Kadri? As per Puck Pedia, the Bruins currently have just $1.27 million in cap space, so any trade would have to send a lot of money Calgary’s way to make the Bruins cap compliant in the wake of such a deal. But if Boston can tread water until the trade deadline, they’re projected to have $5.06 million in space – which would make Kadri’s $7-million annual salary much more palatable. And Kadri’s physical, fearless game would be a solid fit in Boston.
Before that happens, though, there’s still a good deal of time for the Bruins to right their course and get back up into the top four in the Atlantic. Sweeney should continue to show some patience with his group. But if the Jekyll-and-Hyde play continues, Sweeney’s hand is going to be forced into a major move, as the Bruins are built for the here and now, and that means doing whatever they can to have an immediate impact on the win/loss columns.
The Bruins aren’t accustomed to awful starts – or awful stretches at any point, for that matter – so they’re going to need a sense of urgency to their game to get back where they’re used to being. The win over the hapless Flyers definitely helps in that regard, but if they wind up struggling again, there will be every reason for Sweeney to step in and change up the lineup and its chemistry.
Before they know it, the Bruins will be in must-win territory, very early in the season. And their veterans and youngsters alike need to reward Sweeney’s faith in them, or suffer the consequences and be faced with significant roster tumult. Boston still has control over its fate this season, but more disappointment will mean they’ll need help – and a notable change of personnel.
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