The 2024-25 campaign has not been kind to the Boston Bruins but as the season nears its conclusion, things are hitting new lows. Currently riding a nine-game winless streak, and only three victories since returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off break, the Bruins have officially fallen to dead last in the Eastern Conference.
With a 30-36-9 record for 69 standings points, the Bruins have fallen behind the Buffalo Sabres, a team that hasn’t sniffed the playoffs since 2011. Coincidentally, the last time the Sabres made the postseason was the same year the Bruins last won the Stanley Cup.
For nearly two decades the Bruins have been a pillar of consistency and success, earning their way into a playoff spot in 15 of the last 16 seasons. The 2024-25 season will likely be the third playoff absence in Boston since the 2007-08 season.
The troubles started for the Bruins before the puck officially dropped on the season. Star goalie Jeremy Swayman was yet to sign a new contract, leading to a great deal of unnecessary drama. Some harsh quotes were thrown around from the Bruins front office, but Swayman ultimately signed a deal, keeping him in Boston for the next eight year.
Ever since signing the contract, however, Swayman is yet to look like a $66 million goaltender. He has a 20-27-6 record with a league-leading 161 goals allowed, .892 save percentage, and 3.12 goals against average.
Not long after Swayman signed, the drama turned to captain Brad Marchand who was playing in the final year of his contract. Negotiations didn’t go anywhere throughout the season, forcing the Bruins to trade 16-year veteran to the Florida Panthers.
Marchand was beloved in Boston and one of the most important players the 100-year-old Bruins franchise has ever seen.
In between all of that, the Bruins decided their 8-9-3 star wasn’t good enough and fired head coach Jim Montgomery. The Bruins put an interim tag on Joe Sacco who holds a 22-27-6 record in his first head coaching duty in over a decade.
Montgomery was without a job for less than a week when the St. Louis Blues hired him as their new head coach. Since joining St. Louis, Montgomery has a 32-16-6 record and the Blues are the hottest team in the NHL right now with a 10-game winning streak.
Marchand wasn’t the only big name traded out of Boston at the deadline, as Trent Frederic, Charlie Coyle, and Brandon Carlo were all moved to playoff contenders.
From start to finish the 2024-25 season has been such a disaster in Boston, it’s hard to believe that just two years ago they set an NHL record for most wins in a single season with 65. Now sitting in the basement of the Eastern Conference, it’ll be fascinating to see where the Bruins go from here.
