The Bruins are now 40 games into the season and will be at the exact halfway mark after Thursday’s game against the Seattle Kraken.
Obviously, there has been very little to complain about so far. You could make the argument that most of the roster deserves an ‘A’ in an exercise like this. We have tried to take a tougher approach and not be such an easy grader. Even still, the class does very well. Here’s how we grade the Bruins’ roster 1-22, as well as coach Jim Montgomery, for their midterms:
Jim Montgomery: A
What more could you want? In his first season behind the Bruins’ bench, Montgomery has the Bruins sitting pretty at 32-4-4, 11 points clear of any other team in the league and on pace to break the NHL’s single-season points record. Their plus-68 goal differential is twice as good as any other team. Sure, he inherited an awesome roster that didn’t need a whole lot of hard coaching, but there’s still plenty he deserves credit for, namely getting defensemen more involved offensively, gearing the offense towards more high-danger chances, and better connecting with players like Jake DeBrusk and Trent Frederic who had been at odds with Bruce Cassidy.
David Pastrnak: A+
A-pluses should be rare no matter how good your class is, so they will be here. Pastrnak gets one of the two we’ll give out. Ranking second in the NHL in goals (32) and third in points (58) will do that. Pastrnak is on pace for 66 goals and 119 points, both of which would blow away his career highs of 48 and 95. He has gone without a point in just six of 40 games so far, and he’s had multiple points in 18 of them. Connor McDavid may be running away with the Hart Trophy for league MVP, but Pastrnak is certainly on his way to getting votes, and a second Rocket Richard Trophy for top goal-scorer is within reach. Now, about that contract extension…
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Patrice Bergeron: A
It remains to be seen if this will be Bergeron’s final season, but what isn’t in doubt is that the 37-year-old captain is still capable of playing at a very high level. Bergeron is third on the team in both goals (15) and points (33), putting him on pace to challenge his career high in goals (32) and top 60 points for the ninth time. Oh, and he’s on his way to winning a sixth Selke Trophy, too. Among 338 forwards who have played at least 300 5-on-5 minutes this season, Bergeron ranks first in expected goals against per 60 minutes, second in goals against (behind only linemate Brad Marchand), fourth in scoring chances against, and fourth in high-danger chances against.
Brad Marchand: A-
It took a while for Marchand to get fully back to himself, especially in terms of 5-on-5 production, after double hip surgery during the offseason, but it looks like he might be there now. Marchand has 14 points in his last 10 games and more even-strength points (9) during that time than he had in his first 22 games (7). Even with missing eight games at the start of the year, Marchand is second on the team in points with 37.
Jake DeBrusk: A-
DeBrusk is out for approximately the next month after suffering leg and hand injuries during the Winter Classic, but he was playing some great hockey before that. At the time of his injuries, he was second on the team in goals (16) and third in points (30), putting him on pace to easily surpass his career highs. He was more than holding his own on the top line, and was also making a habit of sparking the second line when Montgomery changed things up. The Bruins and DeBrusk will hope he can pick up where he left off when he returns around the All-Star break.
David Krejci: B+
There have been times this season when Krejci has looked like he might not be fully back up to NHL speed after a year away. That said, he’s still fourth on the team in scoring with 31 points (11 goals, 20 assists) in 35 games, he’s tied for third with 19 5-on-5 points, and the Bruins have a 60.1% goals share when he’s on the ice. He is on pace to pass Erik Haula’s point total from last season by the end of February, so that should give you an idea of how much of an upgrade Krejci has been in the No. 2 center spot.
Taylor Hall: B+
Hall is currently in a bit of a slump (two points in the last nine games), but he has mostly been very good this season. Even with that slump, he has 29 points (13 goals, 16 assists) in 40 games, is second on the team in 5-on-5 production (21 points), and leads the team with nine primary assists at 5-on-5 play. He welcomed a move to the third line with open arms and combined with Charlie Coyle and Trent Frederic to give the Bruins the best third line in hockey while he was there. With DeBrusk out, Hall has bounced between the second and third lines in recent games.
Pavel Zacha: B+
Zacha probably hasn’t been the No. 1 star in a single game this season, but what he has been is a versatile contributor who makes a lot of good plays and complements anyone he plays with. He has played all three forward positions and has spent time on each of the Bruins’ top three lines, emerging as the Swiss Army knife the Bruins hoped they were getting when they acquired him in exchange for Haula, who really only succeeded in one specific role last season. In addition to being versatile, Zacha is also producing. He leads the team in 5-on-5 assists (17) and is tied for third in 5-on-5 points (19).
Charlie Coyle: B
Coyle has been tasked with a much more defensive role this season, as he has a career-low 34.6% offensive-zone start percentage and leads all Bruins forwards in shorthanded time on ice. Not only has he embraced that and helped free up the top two lines for more offensive-zone faceoffs, but he’s also on pace for the second-best offensive season of his career with 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists) through 40 games. He’s centering a line that has been arguably the best third line in the NHL and that has also been the Bruins’ best line at times, especially when he’s had Hall with him.
Trent Frederic: B
Frederic is in the midst of a breakout season, already with a career-high nine goals and just one point shy of his career-high 18 points. Those numbers look more impressive when you consider that Frederic is still playing just 11:19 per game and doesn’t play on special teams. He is third on the Bruins in 5-on-5 goals per 60 minutes and second in 5-on-5 points per 60, and he’s 19th in the entire NHL in 5-on-5 goals per 60. He’s also third on the Bruins and first among their forwards in 5-on-5 goal differential (+17), a testament to his steady defensive play in addition to the offensive jump he’s made. Add in the edge Frederic brings and his willingness to drop the gloves, and you have a really valuable bottom-six forward.
Nick Foligno: B
Speaking of valuable bottom-six forwards, Foligno’s bounce-back season rolls on. With six goals and 18 points, he’s already tripled his goal output from last year and surpassed his point total. He’s also second on the team in hits and just looks like an all-around healthier, faster and more confident player. He’s been the best player on the fourth line all season and has clicked with Coyle and Frederic when he’s been bumped up to the third line as well. Add in his leadership and it’s safe to say the days of Bruins fans wanting Foligno shipped out of town are long gone.
Tomas Nosek: B-
There’s still not much offense here (seven points in 38 games), but Nosek is playing stellar defense while having a team-high 88.1% defensive-zone start percentage. The only Bruins forwards who have been on the ice for fewer 5-on-5 goals per 60 minutes are Marchand and Bergeron. He’s also winning 58.3% of his faceoffs and is second among forwards in shorthanded ice time for the league’s best penalty kill. As is the case with so many Bruins this year, Nosek is just playing his role well, even if it’s not a sexy one.
Craig Smith: C
It’s been a tough season overall for Smith, who has just five points in 26 games while being healthy-scratched a bunch of times, playing just 9:47 per game, and even getting placed on waivers just before Christmas. He’s played a little better of late and even got bumped up to the top line on Sunday. If he can stick higher in the lineup while DeBrusk is out, perhaps he’ll put up some points and finally build some positive momentum. Fourth line hasn’t really been a natural fit for Smith’s game, but it’s something he might have to make work in the long run if he wants to play regularly -- and not get traded away.
A.J. Greer: C
Greer became something of a cult hero early in the season when he opened with six points in eight games, a couple fights and a lot of hits. The hits are still there when Greer plays, but the offense has disappeared (one point in his last 18 games), he recently got hit with an in-game benching, and overall he has settled into more of a rotational 13th forward role. He’ll probably play a little more with DeBrusk out, but it’s possible we won’t see that early offense resurface this season.
Hampus Lindholm: A
What a move Don Sweeney’s trade-and-sign for Lindholm last March has turned out to be. Lindholm is playing the best hockey of his career, has been the Bruins’ best defenseman this season, and could find himself getting Norris Trophy votes if he keeps it up. He wasn’t going to keep scoring at a point-per-game pace like he was the first month of the season, but with 28 points in 40 games, he’s still on pace to pass his career high of 34 by the All-Star break. Even after Lindholm’s offense cooled off a bit, his defense has remained elite. Among 187 defensemen who have played at least 300 5-on-5 minutes, Lindholm ranks fifth in expected goals against per 60 minutes and eighth in actual goals against. His plus-21 at 5-on-5 play is the best mark on the team.
Charlie McAvoy: A-
Like Marchand, it’s taken a while for McAvoy to get fully back to being himself after offseason surgery (shoulder in McAvoy’s case). Also like Marchand, he’s produced even without being 100%. McAvoy has 23 points in 27 games, which is actually the best points-per-game pace of his career. He’s still second among Bruins D in average ice time (22:52), Corsi-for percentage (53.2%) and expected goals-for percentage (57.3%) -- behind only Lindholm in all three -- and he’s first in 5-on-5 points per 60 minutes.
Brandon Carlo: B+
Simply put, Carlo has been one of the best shutdown defensemen in the NHL this season. Among qualified D, Carlo ranks third in 5-on-5 goals against per 60 minutes (1.33), ninth in expected goals against per 60 (2.12), and fourth in Evolving-Hockey’s defensive goals above replacement and expected defensive GAR. His plus-16 5-on-5 goal differential ranks fourth on the Bruins, he’s one of their top two penalty-killers along with Derek Forbort, and he gets more defensive-zone starts than any other Boston blue-liner. Carlo still doesn’t bring much offensively, but the Bruins will happily take the steady shutdown defense that Carlo sometimes struggled to maintain last season.
Matt Grzelcyk: B+
Speaking of shutdown defense, it’s actually Grzelcyk who leads all NHL defensemen in 5-on-5 goals against per 60 (1.15) and leads the Bruins in 5-on-5 goals-for share (73.8%). Grzelcyk doesn’t fit the mold of a traditional shutdown defenseman, but his ability to alleviate pressure with his puck retrievals, skating and good first pass has always been his strength when he’s at his best. Some of his underlying numbers aren’t quite as impressive as those of Lindholm, McAvoy and Carlo, and he doesn’t play on either special teams unit, but Grzelcyk’s 5-on-5 results to this point are hard to argue.
Connor Clifton: B
Clifton stepped up big-time earlier in the season when he had to handle a top-four role with McAvoy out, playing arguably the best hockey of his career. He hasn’t been quite as impactful since sliding back into his usual third-pairing role, but that might just be a product of the reduced ice time as much as anything (21:16 average ice time through the first 17 games; 16:41 over the last 23). Regardless, Clifton remains a really solid third-pairing defender who has shown he can play higher in the lineup when called upon. He also sets the tone physically, throwing a team-high 113 hits this season.
Derek Forbort: B
Forbort’s value on the penalty kill in particular was made clear when the Bruins’ PK dipped to 76.1% during the 11 games he missed with a broken hand. In the other 29 games, during which Forbort leads the team in shorthanded ice time, Boston’s PK is humming at 90.5%. Forbort’s 5-on-5 numbers are a little weaker than the rest of the Bruins’ regular D (he’s the only one under 50% in Corsi and expected goals), but they’re still solid enough.
Jakub Zboril: C
Zboril had a promising start to the preseason as he returned from a torn ACL, but it didn’t really translate to the regular season. He played regularly early on, but was inconsistent and became the easy choice to be healthy-scratched once everyone was healthy. Saturday night was his first game in a month and a half, and even then he only played 6:47.
Linus Ullmark: A+
Here’s the second A-plus. What Ullmark is doing is just insane. He’s now 22-1-1 with a .938 save percentage and 1.87 goals-against average, continuing to lead the league in all three triple crown categories. His save percentage is 13 points better than second-place Ilya Sorokin; his GAA is 0.38 goals better than second-place Filip Gustavsson. Ullmark obviously benefits from playing behind a great team, but he holds up even under the scrutiny of advanced metrics. He’s first in goals saved above expected using MoneyPuck’s formula (+22.2) and fourth using Evolving-Hockey’s (+19.2). He has to be the Vezina Trophy front-runner right now. His split workload may ultimately cost him votes if he doesn’t keep up such a ridiculous pace, but that’s a conversation for later.
Jeremy Swayman: B
Swayman started slow and missed a couple weeks with a knee injury as well, but he’s turned it on recently. Over his last six starts, Swayman is 4-0-2 with a .926 save percentage and 2.17 GAA. He’s climbed up to 20th in MoneyPuck’s goals saved above expected and is now 11th out of 52 qualified goalies in high-danger save percentage (.871), not far behind seventh-place Ullmark (.878). Swayman is now earning regular starts, which will allow the Bruins to keep Ullmark fresh during the second half as their schedule gets busier.
Incompletes: Mike Reilly, Anton Stralman, Jakub Lauko, Chris Wagner, Keith Kinkaid, Dan Renouf
All stats via NHL.com or Natural Stat Trick unless otherwise noted