No, the Boston Bruins didn’t win the Stanley Cup, but that shouldn’t totally take away from the fact that they just finished up a wildly entertaining season.
Some players had breakout years, while others took a bit of a step back (though there are far more cases of the former than latter). And now that the season is behind us and we’ve had ample time to process how things went, it’s time to hand out some grades for each member of the Bruins.
We went through and graded each player that skated in at least one postseason game (the exception being goalie Jaroslav Halak because he played enough in the regular season to be deserving of a grade), and gave a sentence or two on the reasoning. Two things to keep in mind: We’re taking into account both regular and postseason performances, and also grading players based on how they performed relative to their role (For example: David Pastrnak and Chris Wagner aren’t judged the same).
FORWARDS
Brad Marchand: It’s a shame Marchand, and the rest of the top line for that matter, faded in the most important series. Still, he led the Bruins both in regular and postseason scoring, proving he still very much is a weapon. GRADE: A
Patrice Bergeron:Â Had one of his best offensive seasons in a while, despite playing in just 65 regular-season games. Had some nice moments in the postseason, but not enough. GRADE: A-
David Pastrnak: It was clear at times he didn’t really get over the thumb injury suffered in February. Still, 81 regular-season points and 19 more in the playoffs isn’t something to sneeze at. GRADE: A-
Jake DeBrusk: Had one less point in two less regular-season games from his rookie year. The concussion in Game 2 of the first-round clearly derailed the remainder of his postseason. Not his fault, but he struggled to get back on track. GRADE: B
David Krejci: All signs were pointing to a monster postseason. He had a great regular season and historically has played his best in the spring. Boston could’ve used a little more out of him, though to his credit he yet again played well without a stable right winger. GRADE: B+
David Backes: The game simply got too fast for him and he became ineffective. At times he had to fight (literally) to stay in the lineup, and him getting scratched the last three games was a tough, albeit fitting, end to his season. GRADE: D
Marcus Johansson:Â A wise pickup at the trade deadline that won’t destroy the Bruins down the road. A case could be made he was one of, if not the best Bruins forward in the Cup Final. Shame that injuries kept him out for chunks of the regular season. GRADE: B+
Charlie Coyle: Another prudent acquisition by Don Sweeney. It solved the Bruins’ third-line center issue, and he provided some of the biggest goals of the postseason. Flamed out in the final games of the championship, marring an otherwise masterful run. GRADE: A
Danton Heinen: He’ll never get enough credit for how good he is defensively. Still, his offense was woeful far too often. He’ll be a real gem if he can sort out some of those offensive missteps. GRADE: C+
Joakim Nordstrom: Boston’s most criminally underrated player. Arguably the best defensive forward and was a nice stopgap in a variety of roles early in the season. Settled in nicely on the fourth line and became a really important piece. GRADE: A-
Sean Kuraly:Â What a heist the deal to get Kuraly in Boston continues to be. Proved to be a top-tier fourth-line center, and continued to score more big goals both in the playoffs and regular season (his Winter Classic game-winner was a memorable one). GRADE: A-
Noel Acciari:Â Another important contributor on what was one of the Bruins’ best fourth lines in years while also logging some important penalty killing time. It’s unfortunate his postseason likely will be remembered for the Tyler Bozak no-call in Game 5 of the Cup Final. GRADE: B+
Chris Wagner: A pleasant surprise during the regular season and deserving recipient of the NESN 7th Player Award. His huge shot block in Game 3 of the conference final makes it easy to overlook the fact that he really wasn’t all that great in the playoffs. GRADE: B
Karson Kuhlman:Â Clearly earned the trust of Bruce Cassidy, and proved to be the shot in the arm the Bruins needed in Game 6 of the Cup Final. Plays with great energy and will make a case to be a roster mainstay next season. GRADE: B
DEFENSEMEN
Zdeno Chara: Amazing what he continues to do, even in his 40s. Definitely showed signs of slowing down a bit during the regular season, but reaffirmed in the playoffs that he is a big key to the Bruins’ success. GRADE: B
Charlie McAvoy: Had a breakout year and proved that he’s a true top-pairing defenseman. Looked great during the playoffs and should get a decent, much-deserved haul in restricted free agency this offseason. GRADE: A
Torey Krug:Â Stepped things up in the defensive zone while continuing to provide sound offensive play. His hit on Robert Thomas arguably was the highlight of a disappointing final round for the Bruins, and all the while his partnership with Brandon Carlo got even better. GRADE: A-
Brandon Carlo: Looked real good in his first postseason action after just a fine enough regular season. Carrying that postseason performance into next campaign will be important for him as he looks to prove he’s a high-end second-pairing blueliner. GRADE: B
Matt Grzelcyk: Analytics will show you he was one of the Bruins’ best overall defenseman. Did a fine job on the second power-play unit while being responsible in his own end. Seemed to disappear for stretches, but the highs were higher than the lows were low. GRADE: B
John Moore: Did a good job in the Cup Final and postseason as a whole when you consider the injuries he was playing through. Still, it’s disappointing he often became the seventh defenseman in his first season of a five-year deal. GRADE: C+
Connor Clifton: Pretty incredible he played in nearly every postseason game. Got a little too reckless for his own good at times, but never seemed to play scared. He’ll become an NHL regular at some point. GRADE: B-
Steven Kampfer: A good solider who did exactly what was asked, even though his role was unenviable. Given all the Bruins’ injuries at the blue lines this season, Kampfer playing at a decent level was critical, and he did just that. GRADE: C
GOALIES
Tuukka Rask: He gets the highest marks of anyone on this list because the Bruins don’t go as far as they do without Rask playing the way he did. A slow start in the regular season, sure, but he was among the class of NHL goaltending for a good chunk of the season/playoffs. GRADE: A+
Jaroslav Halak: A big reason Rask was as successful as he was. Though he didn’t play in a single postseason game, his impact was felt through Rask’s playoff showing. GRADE: A-
