Bruins’ Centennial Season Has Plenty Of Worthy Bets To Make

The Boston Bruins probably aren’t going to break any more records in 2023-24, but they could break the bank for those who hold belief in their new-look roster.

It’s fairly clear that expectations have lowered for the B’s entering their centennial season. The departures of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci alone would be enough for that to happen, but Boston isn’t exactly the epitome of continuity this season.

Taylor Hall, Tyler Bertuzzi, Dmitry Orlov and Nick Foligno are all gone, with while the current roster boasts a pair of rookies who have been tabbed to replace Bergeron and Krejci, and a number of low-budget signings to replace the others.

Things are going to look a lot different at TD Garden this winter, but again, that might not mean there isn’t an opportunity to make some season-long bets. Let’s take a look at some of our favorites, with odds coming from DraftKings Sportsbook.

Charlie McAvoy — Norris Trophy (+1400)
The Bruins are going to need a number of veterans to step up this season, and as weird as it may sound, McAvoy is at the top of the list.

The 25-year-old was tremendous while the Bruins were setting records, but he also saw his numbers dip a bit. His fourth-place Norris finish in 2022 is as close as he’s gotten, and recent trends suggest he’ll have to nearly double his point total, but he’s undoubtedly one of the most valuable defensemen in hockey. Erik Karlsson, the 2023 Norris Trophy winner, improved from scoring 35 points in 2022 to 101 points last season, so it’s not impossible.

Jeremy Swayman — Over 20.5 Wins (-115)
This one seems like the biggest trap on the board, and we’re falling directly into it. Swayman finished with 24 wins last season, and that was while Linus Ullmark was playing the best hockey of his career and taking the majority of starts.

We think Swayman will factor into more games this upcoming season, which means more of an opportunity to win games. The Bruins are going to regress, but that doesn’t mean Swayman will.

David Pastrnak — To Score More Goals Than Leon Draisaitl (+110)
This one is similar to our McAvoy pick, though it’s tough seeing anyone winning the Hart Trophy other than Connor McDavid. That’s why we’re finding other ways to capitalize on Pastrnak’s expected step.

Draisaitl benefits from playing alongside McDavid, but he’s always been more of an assists man. Pastrnak’s bread is buttered on the power-play, which we expect him to dominate this upcoming season. This will be close, but we’ll take Pasta.

Connor Bedard — Scores First Goal Against Bruins (+275)
We already told you why Bedard wouldn’t score against Boston, so here’s why he might.

Bedard’s supremely talented, and he’ll be entering TD Garden with a pair of former Bruins on his wing. The emotions will be high, and the juice is certainly worth the squeeze on this one considering he’ll be matched up with Sydney Crosby on opening night.