For weeks and months, it was clear the Bruins had the talent and capability to be a dangerous team. They had just struggled to put everything together at once.
Over the last 10 or so days, we’ve seen what kind of group the Bruins can be when everything falls into place.
The Bruins are 5-1-0 since the start of the new year, which marked the resumption of their season after a COVID-19 shutdown. They’ve had some impressive showings along the way, including a convincing 5-2 win Saturday over the Tampa Bay Lightning, one of the top teams in the league.
For now, the Bruins are in a wild card spot. However, we’ve seen so many different flavors of the Bruins this season that it’s tough to truly gauge where they stand among the rest of the conference.
One thing is for sure: the Bruins are a playoff-caliber team. Missing the postseason is highly unlikely, and would be an unacceptable result. Barring an enormous meltdown, the Bruins should be able to play better-than-average hockey and reach the postseason with relative ease — if for no other reason than the lack of teams outside of playoff position that could truly push the Bruins.
So, here are some (admittedly arbitrary) tiers of Eastern Conference teams as of Tuesday morning.
Tier 1 (The elite)
Lightning, Panthers, Hurricanes
The Florida Panthers, Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes are the top three teams in the East right now. Until another team dethrones the Lightning, they sit atop all these teams regardless of points. The Panthers have all the right pieces, but limited experience as an elite team. Still, they’ve been so good this season that it’s fair to say both Florida teams are in a higher class than the Bruins and clubs of that ilk right now.
Boston always has handled Carolina well, but the Hurricanes’ goaltending is improved this season, potentially alleviating an issue that would always sink them during games against the Bruins. They also have been world-beaters this season. Carolina seems like the real deal.
Tier 2 (Good teams who could make noise)
Maple Leafs, Rangers, Penguins, Bruins, Capitals
We think the Bruins fit firmly into this second tier. They’ve been very good lately, but the success hasn’t been sustained enough to bump them into the top tier. We’re still many weeks away from considering moving them into that tier. That said, they are the type of team that can make the playoffs and stage an impressive run. The talent is there.
Toronto always feels like one or two bad games away from things unravelling. The Leafs had some really ugly games in October, but displayed impressive resolve and have played to the level they belong at. They are knocking on the door to the top tier, but we’re not ready to commit to that yet.
The Rangers are tied for third-most points in the conference. They’ve also played the most games and, despite improvements in recent seasons, haven’t played to the level their talent suggests they should. There’s still time needed to get the full read on New York.
Pittsburgh is a ton of fun. It’s been tough to really assess where the Pens are at, but contributions from Bryan Rust, Evan Rodrigues and others, plus the play from Tristan Jarry, could make them a real threat.
The Capitals have had some clunkers. They are third in the Metro, but an arguably worse team than the wild card-positioned Pens. They have struggled against top teams, and while there’s a collection of players capable of leading the team to the playoffs with points to spare, expectations for them should be tempered.
Tier 3 (The fringe playoff contenders)
Flyers, Blue Jackets
The Flyers are more likely to make the postseason than Columbus, but both of these teams have not shown nearly enough to inspire optimism that they could make a strong enough push for a playoff spot.
Tier 4 (They have the talent to make the playoffs, but might need a miracle at this point)
Islanders
They are last in the Metro right now, but they’ve only played 28 games this season, four fewer than the Bruins. Even though the Isles have just 26 points, their experience and games in hand mean it’s too early to write them off, even if they’ve now given themselves a hellish path to the postseason.
Tier 5 (Improving, but not there yet)
Red Wings, Devils
Both of these teams are close, and maybe just a few pieces away this offseason from becoming a legitimate postseason threat. But regardless of where they are in the standings now, they’re not making the playoffs and are playing with house money as they let their youngsters blossom.
Tier 6 (See you next season)
Senators, Canadiens, Sabres
There’s a case to be made the Senators belong one tier above, but they’ve had some real bad stretches this season. The Canadiens are broken and will probably blow it all up this summer, while the Sabres are still trying to get some direction.
The top two tiers should make up the playoff teams come spring. With the way teams like the Islanders and Canadiens have flamed out, it’s eliminated a lot of the parity in the conference. Things obviously can change, but the playoff picture already is looking pretty firm.
