What we’ve learned about the Bruins one month into 2022-23 NHL season originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Many expected the Boston Bruins to stumble out of the gate to begin the 2022-23 NHL season.
Injuries to key players such as Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk would be too much to overcome early on. David Pastrnak’s lack of a contract extension would be a distraction. David Krejci might not be an elite playmaker anymore at age 36 after taking a year off from the NHL.
Well, at least so far, none of these potential problems have actually become one.
Bergeron gives heartfelt explanation of ‘special bond’ with Marchand
In fact, the Bruins are the league’s best team one month into the season with a 12-2-0 record atop the Eastern Conference standings.
What have we learned about this team over the first month?
Let’s dive in.
Linus Ullmark is a legit Vezina Trophy candidate
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Ullmark became the first goalie in the league to reach 10 wins after beating the Calgary Flames in an excellent performance Thursday night at TD Garden. The veteran netminder made 31 saves on 32 shots. He’s allowed one goal or fewer in six of his 11 starts and two goals or fewer in nine of his 11 starts.
Ullmark ranks No. 1 among all goalies in wins (10), fourth in save percentage (.936) and second in GAA (1.95). He also ranks No. 3 in goals saved above average (10.27) and has an impressive .835 save percentage on high-danger attempts, per Natural Stat Trick.
The Bruins have needed Ullmark to step up and shoulder a heavy workload with Jeremy Swayman out of action because of a lower body injury. Not only has Ullmark accepted that burden, he’s been the best goalie in the league over the first month of the season.
Boston’s depth is unreal
A lack of scoring depth, especially in the bottom six, has been a fatal weakness for the Bruins in recent playoff runs. That might not be the case this season because the entire lineup is chipping in offensively through 14 games.
Boston has 18 different goal scorers. Five players have scored five or more goals, seven players have scored four or more goals and 10 players have scored three or more goals.
One night it’s the top-six forwards like David Pastrnak (team-leading nine goals) carrying the scoring burden, and another night it’s the bottom-six forwards, such as Nick Foligno, doing the work. The scoring balance the Bruins have had this season is perhaps the most encouraging aspect of their hot start. These guys feel really comfortable in Jim Montgomery’s system.
Jim Montgomery’s system is maximizing the whole roster
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New head coach Jim Montgomery has told his players, and especially the defensemen, to be aggressive in looking to drive offense. So far, it’s worked, and without sacrificing too much of the defensive structure that has made the Bruins so hard to play against over the last 15 years.
The results speak for themselves.
The B’s are the second-highest-scoring team in the league with 56 goals, and they have shown tremendous improvement at 5-on-5. They rank fifth in 5-on-5 goals for percentage (58.62), fifth in scoring chances for percentage (54.74) and third in high-danger goals for percentage (65.52), per Natural Stat Trick.
Younger players such as Trent Frederic and Jake DeBrusk also have been more productive and consistent scorers under Montgomery.
“He really understands what our team is going to have success with, and that’s being a heavy team down low,” Bruins forward Nick Foligno told reporters before last Saturday’s game in Toronto. “He talks about wearing out the goal line. That’s conducive to a lot of guys in this room. So I think just that messaging alone plays into a lot of guys’ hands where they feel like the offense can start to come because of that. They’re more comfortable. The reads you can make down low, you don’t get burned on as many times if it doesn’t work out. There’s still a 200-foot game that a team has to get to.
“I think he’s given the guys some freedom to open up, especially on the power play, where our looks — our power play has always been good — but I think those guys feel freed up to make some more plays. And then defensively, I feel like we’re just closing quick. I think that’s still a work in progress, but we just feel like we’re closing better on players and not giving teams as much time and space, which is something you fight for in this league. It’s really worked for us.”
Hampus Lindholm still is a No. 1 d-man
The Bruins needed Lindholm to step up in McAvoy’s absence and be a legitimate No. 1 defenseman who played at an elite level in all three zones. Lindholm passed the test with flying colors.
The Swedish defenseman has been a force offensively, ranking fifth among all blueliners with 14 points (four goals, 10 assists). His overtime goal to finish a dramatic comeback and beat the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier this month was one of the most impressive end-to-end rushes we’ve seen from a B’s player in a while.
Lindholm isn’t just scoring goals. He’s defending the opponents’ top-six forwards at a high level and making valuable contributions to the Bruins’ power play and league-best penalty kill. The B’s also have a plus-35 edge in shot attempts, a plus-23 advantage in shots on net, a plus-37 lead in scoring chances and a 14-7 goal differential during Lindholm’s 173:31 of 5-on-5 ice time, per Natural Stat Trick.
Many people didn’t view Lindholm as a legit No. 1 defenseman at the trade deadline last season. Bruins general manager Don Sweeney felt differently and gave up several quality trade assets to acquire him from the Anaheim Ducks. The trade has been a home run for Boston so far.
Third-period dominance leading the way
The Bruins have closed out games with precision.
They rank No. 3 in third-period goals scored (21) and No. 2 in third-period goals allowed (seven) and No. 1 in third-period goal differential (plus-14).
The Bruins have outscored opponents 10-1 in the third period and overtime during the last five games.
Boston had a lackluster plus-1 goal differential in the third period last season, so this is one area where the team has shown immense improvement under Montgomery.
Unbeatable at home (literally)
The Bruins beat the Calgary Flames 3-1 on Thursday night to improve to 8-0-0 at TD Garden, and five of those wins have come against opponents that made the playoffs last season.
It ties their best start to a season at home since 1983-84. They’re also the only team still undefeated on home ice as of Friday.
What’s more impressive about the B’s dominance at home is they’ve only trailed for 15:12 of 288:25 total ice time in these games. The Bruins are outscoring teams 30-14 at the Garden, too.
