This season, the Boston Bruins will look to enhance on their 2023-24 marketing campaign, which noticed them return to the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season, however for the primary time since 2021, they made it to the second spherical. Sadly, they have been bounced within the second spherical by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
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As a substitute of speaking about what wants to be achieved within the 2024-25 season, right here’s a take a look at what most probably might be achieved within the common season and a few milestones to look out for. This checklist relies on the contingency that the gamers are wholesome and won’t be beginning the season on injured reserve.
#4 – Nikita Zadorov Hits the 700-Sport Mark, 100 Profession Assists
Whereas the Bruins will depend on a season from Nikita Zadorov just like his final three, Zadorov is near reaching some necessary milestones. He’s 38 video games away from taking part in in his 700th NHL sport and is one help away from 100 in his profession. Checking off the help field may simply be performed on opening night time. The video games performed will rely on well being greater than something.
Prior to now two seasons, Zadorov has averaged 77 video games with a career-high of 82 set within the 2022-23 season. If that continues this season, he’s projected to hit the video games performed milestone with ease. If he doesn’t sit for a sport for any motive, he’s projected to hit the mark on Jan. 28, 2025, at house in opposition to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
#3 – Hampus Lindholm Passes Mike Milbury for seventeenth Place on All-Time Video games Performed Checklist
This season, Boston might be searching for a wholesome marketing campaign from Hampus Lindholm – not that he was injury-prone in 2023-24. Granted, Lindholm solely missed 9 video games when he was week-to-week final season, however they have been essential video games down the stretch.
He sits at 745 video games performed in his profession and is seeking to move Mike Milbury for sole possession of seventeenth on the Bruins’ video games performed checklist. Milbury performed 754 in his profession, so Lindholm solely wants 10 video games to achieve that mark.
If all goes to plan, Lindholm ought to have the ability to move Milbury by the top of the primary month of the season, particularly by Oct. 29, 2024, when Boston takes on the Philadelphia Flyers at house.
#2 – Pavel Zacha Reaches the 600-Sport Mark, 300 Profession Factors
When the Bruins first acquired Pavel Zacha, followers have been not sure what to make of him. Since then, he has put collectively two consecutive seasons of 21 targets and two seasons with greater than 55 factors. Going into the 2024-25 season, Zacha is 34 video games in need of taking part in in his 600th NHL sport and 5 in need of his three hundredth profession level.
The factors are attainable, and Zacha ought to have the ability to attain this milestone within the first month, not to mention the primary week of the season. Video games performed, however, aren’t essentially an not possible achievement however will rely on well being. Zacha has not had any well being points since coming to Boston, and if all goes to plan, he’s projected to hit that mark on Dec. 19, 2024, on the street when the Bruins go to the Edmonton Oilers.
#1 – Charlie McAvoy Hits the 500-Sport Mark, 300 Profession Factors
Going into the season, Charlie McAvoy has performed 454 NHL video games and sits simply 46 video games away from reaching the 500-game mark. As one of many extra offensive-minded defensemen within the sport, McAvoy can be closing in on 300 NHL factors and at present sits at 277 coming into the season. He’s poised to hit them each in some unspecified time in the future this season.
Barring any accidents or setbacks, he’s projected to hit the mark on Jan. 14, 2025, when Boston takes on the Tampa Bay Lightning at house. He may hit each milestones at or across the similar time, however presumably, if he’s wholesome, the Bruins will seemingly select to have McAvoy hit the video games milestone at house.
Honorable Mentions: Morgan Geekie & Trent Frederic
Morgan Geekie and Trent Frederic are additionally poised to hit the 300-game mark and the 50-goal mark within the 2024-25 season. For Frederic, each milestones may come a bit earlier within the season, as he’s simply 20 video games away from the 300-game mark and three targets from the 50-goal mark.
Geekie, nonetheless, has slightly bit additional to go to hit these numbers, however after taking part in a career-high 76 video games within the 2023-24 season, he ought to have the ability to pull it off. Geekie is 44 video games away from 300 video games and 11 targets from 50. Each look attainable, contemplating the career-high 17 targets and 22 assists he put up a season in the past.
Solely the Starting of Bruins’ Milestones to Watch
Whereas these are some milestones to observe this season, they don’t characterize all of the storylines. That is only the start of a season filled with information that could possibly be matched and even surpassed by some gamers.
