The Boston Bruins have a +1200 line to win the Stanley Cup. They also have a +600 line to win the Eastern Conference title, making them second to the Tampa Bay Lightning. You can consider the Bruins when making your NHL betting plans this preseason, but you should also know what to expect when placing your bets on this team.
The Current Defense
Charlie McAvoy is the current defensive leader for the Bruins. He is one of the most physical contenders in the game and hopes to score at least fifty points this season.
But the greatest news surrounding the Bruins entails who isn’t there on defense. Torey Krug left the team for St Louis Blues on the free agency market, and longtime captain Zdeno Chara has yet to resign with the team. Bringing back Chara, who will turn 44 years old this March, could add some physicality to the team. But his advanced age makes resigning him uncertain.
An Outstanding Goaltending Tandem
The Bruins have one of the best goaltending duos in Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak, which should help for back-to-back situations. But the Bruins’ weakened defense could force those two players to perform a little harder each night.
Rask and Halak both have near-identical stats, as they both had close to a 92 percent save percentage last year. They also give up around 2.4 goals per game, one of the lowest in the league. The Bruins will benefit from short rests and other things that might happen in a condensed schedule.
Coming through in the clutch.#FrozenInTime | #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/jiDI6AG8pp
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) November 27, 2020
What About Offense?
The team signed Craig Smith to its offense this offseason, who will provide some veteran support where the team needs it the most. But you’ve got many other exciting offensive players to watch this year, including David Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron.
Bergeron is one of the league’s most consistent performers, while Pastrnak is one of the league’s top power play performers. Don’t forget about Brad Marchand, but there are concerns about whether he will recover from his sports hernia surgery in time for the start of the season. He will be playing this year, but when he is available remains uncertain.
Jake DeBrusk may become a more active power play competitor with Marchand’s injury. He had a slump last season after hitting a career high in goals in 2019, but he is hoping to recover and get back in the swing of things.
Should You Go For It?
We recommend that you look at the Boston Bruins and see how well they will compete this coming year. The Bruins look great this season, as the team has been building itself up well and has more than enough talent. But watch for how the defense works and what might happen here, as there’s a chance it may struggle for part of the season.
*Odds are correct at time of writing.
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Image by: Meowwcat
