Save for a disaster on Opening Night, the Boston Bruins have looked pretty good to start the season — and it’s getting noticed.
Entering Thursday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers, the B’s sit at 4-2-0 through just over two weeks of action. As a result, they were listed as the fourth best team in the NHL in the latest ESPN and NHL.com’s power rankings.
In NHL.com’s ranking, Boston trails the Nashville Predators, Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning, respectively. Writer Dan Rosen cited the Bruins’ potent top line as a big reason for the success, while noting some concern about the production of the remaining units.
In the ESPN list, the Leafs held the top spot, followed by the Preds, Lightning and Bruins. ESPN hockey writer Emily Kaplan, who had the B’s in sixth last week, shared a similar sentiment to Rosen.
“The top line on this team is oh so dangerous,” Kaplan wrote. “In a four-game winning streak prior to Wednesday’s loss, Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak had combined for 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists). No other Bruins forward has more than five points on the season.”
While the Bruins are off to a pretty good start, what will be the challenge for them all season is the depth of the Atlantic Division. Even though they’re among the league’s best, each ranking had them trailing both Toronto and Tampa, which speaks to the difficult task in front of them.
