Sorting out the NHL Standings by specific metrics will show us a lot of why some teams are struggling, and that’s the case with the Boston Bruins.
For the Boston Bruins, defense has got to be the force dialing this team in. But unfortunately for them, that doesn’t look like the case if save percentage is anything to go on. If we were to rank the Bruins against the NHL’s other 31 teams, they’d reside a little ways down the list. And it’s not a good sign if you expect this team to earn a playoff trip.
Why? Well, just take one glance at the list below, and you’ll see that most of the teams ranked in the top half of the field are playoff contenders at the moment. In fact, over half of those listed in the top 16 at least find themselves in contention for a wild card spot.
So, all eyes will be on Jeremy Swayman and Company for the Bruins to maintain that third-place ranking in the Atlantic Division. Should Boston keep it, the playoffs are in this team’s future. But this would go a whole lot more smoothly if Swayman especially stepped it up a little more at the blue line and in the crease.
Boston Bruins aren’t looking good in the save percentage category
- Winnipeg Jets - 916
- Washington Capitals - 0.909
- Minnesota Wild - 0.908
- Dallas Stars - 0.908
- Los Angeles Kings - 0.903
- New Jersey Devils - 0.902
- Toronto Maple Leafs - 0.902
- Anaheim Ducks - 0.902
- Vegas Golden Knights - 0.901
- Tampa Bay Lightning - 0.901
- New York Rangers - 0.900
- Calgary Flames - 0.899
- Ottawa Senators - 0.898
- Edmonton Oilers - 0.896
- Utah Hockey Club - 0.896
- St. Louis Blues - 0.895
- New York Islanders - 0.894
- San Jose Sharks - 0.894
- Nashville Predators - 0.892
- Carolina Hurricanes - 0.890
- Florida Panthers - 0.889
- Boston Bruins - 0.889
- Detroit Red Wings - 0.889
- Seattle Kraken - 0.888
- Chicago Blackhawks - 0.887
- Montreal Canadiens - 0.886
- Vancouver Canucks - 0.885
- Buffalo Sabres - 0.885
- Colorado Avalanche - 0.884
- Pittsburgh Penguins - 0.881
- Columbus Blue Jackets - 0.880
- Philadelphia Flyers - 0.871
The good news is, we’re still as good as halfway through the 2024-25 season, so there is still a lot of time for the Bruins to fix their shortcomings. They also have an advantage in that they’re not stuck playing catch-up hockey all the time and on the outside looking in.
So, despite the subpar play overall, not just in the net, this Bruins team has at least weathered the storm well. It’s something fans should be proud of, and if Swayman can stay hot while No. 2 goal netminder Joonas Korpisalo can play a consistent game again, then there’s little doubt Boston can pull this off. That said, it’s great to have faith in the Bruins.
