After missing the playoffs for the first time since 2007, the Boston Bruins made significant changes in the offseason, firing GM Peter Chiarelli and overhauling the roster, including the surprising trades of left winger Milan Lucic and defenceman Dougie Hamilton.

If the Bruins are going to bounce back and get into the postseason mix, they will certainly need captain Zdeno Chara to be healthy and close to his previous form. With Chara on the downside and Hamilton traded to Calgary, Boston’s defence currently appears to have more questions than answers.

Up front, Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand are reliable two-way forwards, but there’s been a lot of turnover since the middle of last season. Prospects David Pastrnak and Ryan Spooner offer some hope for the future, but the Bruins are going to need significant contributions from Matt Beleskey, Brett Connolly and Jimmy Hayes. Considering they paid a third-round pick to get agitator Zac Rinaldo from the Flyers, Boston probably needs to get something useful out of him too.

With so many changes, who knows how the new Bruins will respond? They could get right back to the playoffs or last season’s playoff miss could be the start of a new streak.

 

OFF-SEASON HEADLINES

April 15: Bruins fire GM Chiarelli

June 26: Bruins trade Hamilton to Flames for picks

June 26: Bruins deal Lucic to Kings

July 1: Bruins, Beleskey reach five-year pact

July 1: Bruins send Smith, Savard to Panthers for Hayes

 

2015-16 BOSTON BRUINS

* Off-season Addition

 

Projected Lines

LW C RW
Matt Beleskey* David Krejci David Pastrnak
Brad Marchand Patrice Bergeron Jimmy Hayes*
Loui Eriksson Ryan Spooner Brett Connolly
Zac Rinaldo* Chris Kelly Max Talbot
    Brian Ferlin

Fighting For Jobs: C Joonas Kemppainen, C Alex Khokhlachev

 

Projected Pairs

LD RD
Zdeno Chara Zach Trotman
Torey Krug Adam McQuaid
Dennia Seidenberg Kevan Miller
Matt Irwin* Colin Miller*

Fighting For Jobs: LD Joe Morrow

 

Projected Goalies

No. 1 No. 2 No. 3
Tuukka Rask Jonas Gustavsson (PTO) Malcom Subban

Off-season Departures: D Dougie Hamilton, LW Milan Lucic, C Carl Soderberg, C Gregory Campbell, RW Reilly Smith, D Matt Bartowski, G Niklas Svedberg

Projected Lineup: Joe Haggerty/CSNNE.com

 

SERAVALLI'S THREE QUESTIONS

1. Can Matt Beleskey fill the void of Milan Lucic on the wing?

2. Is David Krejci fully healthy after an injury-riddled year?

3. Where will Boston native Jimmy Hayes fit on the depth chart?

 

BUTTON'S TOP PROSPECTS

Top 2015-16 Prospect

G Malcolm Subban (Providence, AHL): Has the skill and athleticism to be dominant. Developing the essential technical requirements.

Long-Term Prospect

D Jakub Zboril (Saint John, QMJHL): The blue line needs an infusion of youth. He adds skill and physical play.

* Listed with 2014-15 teams

 

 

BY THE NUMBERS

 

THREE-YEAR BREAKDOWN (LEAGUE RANK)

  2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
Points 106 (5th) 117 (1st) 96 (17th)
Goals For 2.7 (T-13th) 3.2 (3rd) 2.6 (22nd)
Goals Against 2.2 (3rd) 2.1 (2nd) 2.5 (8th)
Power Play 15% (T-25th) 22% (3rd) 18% (18th)
Penalty Killing 87% (4th) 84% (8th) 82% (12th)
SAT% Possession 54% (3rd) 54% (2nd) 52% (12th)

* 2012-13 points: Pro-rated lockout-shortened total

 

ESTIMATED PAYROLL vs. CAP - $69.0M/$71.4M

For a team coming off a season in which they missed the playoffs, the Bruins are still rather tight to the cap, even after a summer in which they shed salary by trading Dougie Hamilton and Milan Lucic. If they are contenders, they should still have room to move, but could also become sellers if they fall off the pace.

 

PARTING SHOT