12 defining moments of Bruins season
This Bruins season hasn’t gone as many expected . . . much to the delight of their fans.
After trudging through a painful summer of 2023 marred by the retirements and offseason exits of Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, and others, a revamped roster closed out a new year with a 47-20-15 record.
With the playoffs — and a first-round matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs — just a day away, here’s a look at 12 moments that defined this regular season.
1. Brad Marchand named captain
It didn’t take long for the Bruins to identify Bergeron’s successor, with his longtime teammate Marchand getting the “C” stitched onto his sweater on the first day of training camp.
A disciple of the culture instilled by Bergeron and Zdeno Chara, Marchand has crafted his own identity as captain, routinely dragging his teammates into the fight.
“We’re building a culture and want it to stay and to remain the same,” Marchand said. “I have a lot of pride in that.”
2. Legends are welcomed back
The Bruins have paid tribute to the past throughout the season as part of their centennial festivities.
On their Era Nights, the “Big Bad Bruins” of the 1970s lifted their two Stanley Cup banners to the TD Garden rafters and the 2011 team reunited via duck boat just a few months later.
But the Bruins opened their 100th season with a bang on Oct. 11, welcoming back legends like Johnny Bucyk, Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Ray Bourque, Tim Thomas, and Bergeron.
3. Matt Poitras ushers in youth movement
For the first month or so, Bruins fans were wondering whether the 19-year-old Poitras was going to stick in the NHL ranks.
The playmaking center had a strong preseason (5 points in five games) before securing his spot in Boston full time by scoring three goals and posting 5 points in his first nine NHL games.
Shoulder surgery limited Poitras to just 33 games in his rookie season, but his unexpected ascension (5-10—15) set the tone for other rookies such as Johnny Beecher, Mason Lohrei, and Justin Brazeau to impress.
4. Charlie Coyle’s first hat trick
In the 798th game of his 13-year career, Coyle secured his first hat trick by burying three goals in a 5-2 win over the Islanders Nov. 9.
After all the concerns over how the Bruins would stay afloat without the 1-2 punch of Bergeron and Krejci down the middle, Coyle and Pavel Zacha answered the call.
After Bergeron and Krejci combined for 114 points in 2022-23, Coyle and Zacha teamed up for 119 this year.
5. Milan Lucic arrested
The season hit a low point in November when the veteran forward was arrested and charged with assault and battery on a family member. Prosecutors dropped the domestic violence case in February after his wife declined to testify against him.
After the charges were dropped, the Bruins said Lucic “will remain on indefinite leave from the organization” for the remainder of the season.
6. Jeremy Swayman earns All-Star nod
Swayman’s brilliance out of the gate helped the Bruins establish their spot atop the standings. The 25-year-old netminder earned his first All-Star nod in January, closing out the first half with a 16-3-7 record, three shutouts, and a .924 save percentage.
Despite the promising start, Swayman fell into a bit of a rut during the second half, posting a .903 save percentage over his last 17 games.
7. Danton Heinen’s hat trick
The Bruins had five players record hat tricks this season, but the sight of Heinen skating through an avalanche of cascading caps during a 9-4 win over Montreal Jan. 20 might have been the best to take in.
After failing to land a contract during the offseason, Heinen fought for a roster spot on a tryout deal. He collected 17 goals and 36 points over 74 games — all while counting just $775,000 against the cap.
Heinen is the Bruins’ nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy — awarded annually to the NHL player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication.
8. Bruins get booed off the ice
The uneven second half might be best summed up by the sounds of a forlorn TD Garden crowd booing the Bruins off the ice after they sleepwalked through a 3-0 loss to the Capitals Feb. 10.
“I love our fans. That’s what I think,” Montgomery noted postgame. “They’re hockey-knowledgeable. They’re not wrong.”
9. Marchand reaches 1,000 games
The captain reached a few milestones this season, securing his 500th assist on Nov. 18 before becoming the fifth Bruin to hit 400 goals on April 4 against Carolina.
But the former fourth-line pest, now a franchise fixture, got emotional while taking things in before his 1,000th career game Feb. 13 against the Lightning.
10. Linus Ullmark stays put at trade deadline
General manager Don Sweeney bolstered the roster by trading for two bruisers in Pat Maroon and Andrew Peeke, but the most impactful move at the trade deadline might have been keeping a few key cogs in place.
Despite trade whispers hovering over pending UFA Jake DeBrusk and reigning Vezina Trophy winner Ullmark, both remain in Black and Gold (with Ullmark reportedly invoking his trade protection to ensure said outcome).
After the trade deadline, Ullmark went 63-0 with a .935 save percentage.
11. Jim Montgomery orders a bag skate
Montgomery finally hit his breaking point. With second-half woes lingering into the final week of March (10-7-6 since the All-Star break), the coach halted practice March 25 during the opening drill. Urging his players to “wake the [expletive] up,” Montgomery signaled a grueling stretch of sprints for the full roster.
It was a much-needed wake-up call.
“I don’t think our team’s ready yet for the playoffs,” Montgomery acknowledged.
12. Bruins answer the challenge
The players received the memo after Montgomery’s public call-out.
Just a day later, the Bruins rose to the occasion with one of their most entertaining wins of the season, erasing three deficits en route to a 4-3 road win over the Panthers.
The Bruins beat Florida again over a week later, with Jesper Boqvist’s OT snipe giving them a 4-0-0 record against the Panthers in 2023-24. After Montgomery’s bag skate, the Bruins won five of their next six games against Florida, Washington, Nashville, and Carolina.