Barry Pederson Outlines How Bruins Need To Play Post Break

When the Boston Bruins return from the 4 Nations Face-Off break, they will have 25 games remaining in the regular season to make a push for the playoffs.

As it stands, the Black and Gold are on the outside looking with less than a month to the March 7 trade deadline.

Bruins analyst Barry Pederson joined Adam Pellerin on NESN’s “The Hockey Hub” podcast to discuss what the team needs to address coming out of the break.

“I think just get back to basics,” Pederson told Pellerin. “That sounds really easy, but I remember when Joe Sacco took over that first two weeks, three weeks or so, with the coaching change, I really thought they were getting back to the basics.

“I started to see them cut down on the shots against, cut down on the turnovers, manage the puck better. When you have those things going, that allows the defensemen to stand up, control their gaps, not give up the blue line so easy, not allow scoring opportunities against. It helps you on breakouts and all the little things that this organization has been known for these past 10 years or so. Where they’ve been so successful and admired around the National Hockey League. They’ve got to get back to that.”

Pederson added the same issue the Bruins have been facing this season is seen around the league as well, not just in Boston, and pointed out that one of the Black and Gold strengths should be the defense.

“When I looked at the Bruins’ (top) six D. And then you have seven, eight, nine depth. At the beginning of the year, I thought that was their absolute strength,” Pederson said. “That’s what they were going to be successful on the back end. I’m a firm believer that your offense is created by your defense.”

However, the Bruins’ strength has been dampened by the injury to Hampus Lindholm, coupled with the struggles of Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo.

“There’s your big three on the backside that, to me, have struggled,” Pederson added. “The Bruins, when they’re playing their team defense, it starts with those six, but the forwards have to help out as well defensively. They just haven’t been consistent. … And man, do they need it bad as they try to get back in this playoff run here.”

To hear Pederson and Pellerin discuss more about the Bruins’s return from the break on “The Hockey Hub,” tune in by listening on Spotify or watching the episode on YouTube.