Don’t look now, but the 2018-19 NHL regular season is already at its halfway point.
Following Thursday’s win over the Flames, the Bruins officially reached the 41-game threshold in their current campaign, with the club now sitting in third place in the Atlantic while maintaining a 100-point pace for the second year in a row.
It’s been an odd season so far from the Bruins, with injuries and inconsistent play hampering a few of the high expectations placed on this club, especially in regards to a younger core poised for a breakout.
Still, whether it be the continued production from their big guns up front, a stingy blue line or a strong tandem between the pipes, the Bruins have managed to stay afloat in the cutthroat Atlantic Division.
With the Bruins now in the second half of the season, here’s a look at our first-half report card:
FORWARDS
Noel Acciari
Grade: C-
It’s usually never a good sign when your regular fourth liner has as many points as one of your goalies through 35 games played. A wrecking ball out on the ice with 112 hits so far this season, Acciari has struggled at times when it comes to getting going in the offensive zone, earning a few scratches a result. Still, Boston’s fourth line is often operating at its best when he’s rolling in the lineup.
5v5 Stats: 49.70 Corsi For Percentage / Plus-18 shots for differential
David Backes
Grade: C
Backes certainly brings value to this club in the locker room and is a versatile skater that can shift up and down the lineup, but it’s tough to ignore that contract when it comes to Backes, who recorded no goals and just one assist through his first 17 games. Finally healthy, Backes is starting to turn the corner a bit as of late (10 points in last 17 games), a positive sign for a Bruins club that desperately needs a steadying presence on the wing, especially in the bottom six.
5v5 Stats: 50.29 Corsi For Percentage / Plus-6 shots for differential
Patrice Bergeron
Grade: A
Prior to going down with a rib/sternoclavicular that sidelined him for over a month, Bergeron was well on his way to a Hart Trophy nomination — playing at a 112-point pace while continuing his standing as one of the top defensive forwards in the league. Since returning, Bergeron has continued to produce at an impressive rate — tallying nine points over six games while continuing to dominate on both the power play and penalty kill. If there was ever a player the Bruins can’t afford to lose for an extended stretch, it has to be No. 37.
5v5 Stats: 54.59 Corsi For Percentage / Plus-4 shots for differential
Anders Bjork
Grade: C-
Down in Providence since the end of November to work on his game, Bjork looked a bit stronger and better away from the puck in his second season with Boston, but his skill in the offensive zone hasn’t translated quite yet to the NHL level. Some more time in Providence will do him good — because he still has plenty of potential.
5v5 Stats: 47.99 Corsi For Percentage / 0 shots for differential
Colby Cave
Grade: C
He only has one goal through 20 games played, but it often hasn’t been for a lack of effort — with the 24-year-old center often willing to bring the puck right up to the crease to generate a quality look. His point-per-game scoring rate down in the AHL hasn’t translated up to the NHL level, but it’s easy to spot his strong, two-way game.
5v5 Stats: 48.71 Corsi For Percentage / Minus-14 shots for differential
Jake DeBrusk
Grade: B+
Even with a slow start (two goals in nine games), DeBrusk has consistently been a force when it comes to maintaining possession and generating quality looks in the offensive zone. A force down low when he has the puck on his stick, DeBrusk ranks second among all Bruins forwards with a 54.61 Corsi For Percentage and third in individual 5v5 attempts (115). A bit snakebit to start the year, DeBrusk has now tallied three goals in his last four games since returning from a concussion and is now on pace to flirt with a 30-goal season.
5v5 Stats: 54.61 Corsi For Percentage / Plus-40 shots for differential
Ryan Donato
Grade: C
Sent down to Providence for 10 games in order to improve his overall game, it’s been a bit of a struggle for Donato this season, who has only tallied two goals at 5v5 play so far this season. Armed with a deadly shot, Donato has the potential to be a top-six sniper down the road. But for now, it’s apparent that the Harvard product still has plenty to work on to become a well-rounded forward.
5v5 Stats: 50.20 Corsi For Percentage / Plus-14 shots for differential
Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson
Grade: D+
Labeled as a skilled, two-way center of the future, JFK has labored at times adjusting at the NHL level, with the Bruins continuing to work with the 22-year-old pivot when it comes to competing on pucks and honing his craft at the faceoff dot (41.2 percent success rate). He does have stretches where his skill shines through, but there’s plenty to still work on.
5v5 Stats: 48.14 Corsi For Percentage / Plus-22 shots for differential
Danton Heinen
Grade: D+
Heinen’s play away from the puck and general hockey IQ has kept him in the lineup, but the young winger has struggled to get much of anything going in the offensive zone so far this season. After ranking ninth among all NHL rookies last year in scoring (47 points), Heinen has only tallied 10 points through 40 games in 2018-19. The Bruins desperately need to get him going this year.
5v5 Stats: 51.65 Corsi For Percentage / Plus-19 shots for differential
David Krejci
Grade: B+
He still falls into the occasional scoring lulls that have occasionally plagued him over the years, but Krejci remains on pace for another productive season as the B’s second-line center, even without a reliable option on the wing for most of the year. His stellar play up on the top line during Bergeron’s injury (plus-6 goal differential / 58.15 Corsi For Percentage in 121 minutes of 5v5 play) kept Boston afloat during a crucial stretch.
5v5 Stats: 55.29 Corsi For Percentage / Plus-45 shots for differential
Sean Kuraly
Grade: B
Another slow starter on the Bruins fourth line, Kuraly has been a force since moving to the wing — and donning a new fishbowl helmet in the process. One of the quickest skaters on the roster, Kuraly has been effective on the forecheck while playing the wing and has scored some timely goals in the process. That OT goal against Buffalo was a huge lift for the Bruins — jumpstarting the club on its current four-game winning streak.
5v5 Stats: 49.38 Corsi For Percentage / Plus-36 shots for differential
Brad Marchand
Grade: A-
After a bit of slow start, goal-scoring wise (one 5v5 goal through first 11 games), Marchand has tallied 13 goals in his last 29 matchups, including seven at 5v5 play. He’s been a productive piece on that dynamic top line once again, although he does get a bit of a knock for some costly mishandles with the puck and a few ill-advised game misconducts that have hurt the Bruins in close matchups.
5v5 Stats: 52.53 Corsi For Percentage / Plus-14 shots for differential
Joakim Nordstrom
Grade: B
Is he the top-six option the Bruins are looking for? Most likely not. However, the versatile forward has more than held his own despite playing up and down the lineup all season long. He may not be a dynamic player, but Nordstrom has been solid while playing up with Krejci and DeBrusk (57.36 5v5 Corsi For Percentage), while also leading all Bruins forwards in total TOI on the penalty kill at 66:13 .
5v5 Stats: 49.38 Corsi For Percentage / Plus-36 shots for differential
Chris Wagner
Grade: B
Much like Kuraly, Wagner started slow to begin the year but is really starting to turn a corner — especially when grouped together with Kuraly and Acciari skating at the pivot. The Walpole native has been as advertised, leading the club with 129 hits while chipping in with five goals on the year.
5v5 Stats: 52.39 Corsi For Percentage / Plus-33 shots for differential
DEFENSEMAN
Brandon Carlo
Grade: B
After going through a bit of a sophomore slump last year when bumped off of his usual pairing with Zdeno Chara, Carlo has once again kept things simple and has impressed as a shutdown defender. He may not be flashy and will need to continue to add some nasty to his game given his size (6-foot-5), but Carlo is a valuable cog on this defense and ranks second among all Bruins skaters with 88:00 TOI on the penalty kill this season.
5v5 stats: 51.39 Corsi For Percentage / Plus-12 shots for differential
Zdeno Chara:
Grade: B
He may not be a contender for the Norris Trophy year in and year out anymore, but at age 41, Chara is still pretty damn effective as a top-pairing defenseman. Despite missing 20 games due to injury this season, Chara is still a vital piece on the blue line for the Bruins, averaging 21:07 TOI on the year and accruing the third-most minutes on the PK (71:01) despite missing a significant amount of time. Sooner or later, age is going to catch up to him, but as a whole, Chara remains a reliable presence on the blue line for the B’s.
5v5 stats: 52.16 Corsi For Percentage / Plus-12 shots for differential
Matt Grzelcyk
Grade: A-
One of the few blueliners that hasn’t caught the injury bug this season (39 games played), the case could be made that the 25-year-old defenseman has been the most steady player on the back end for the B’s so far. Once viewed as an occasional contributor with puck-moving ability, Grzelcyk’s overall game has rounded out this year — earning reps on both the power play and penalty kill while averaging over 21 minutes of ice time during November when Boston’s D corps was decimated.
5v5 Stats: 51.95 Corsi For Percentage / Plus-28 shots for differential
Steven Kampfer
Grade: C
After a bit of a shaky start to the year — with a few opposing odd-man rushes generated by pinches up in the O zone — Kampfer has settled down his game a bit and has been a solid 8th defenseman for this Bruins club. A solid depth addition for the B’s this season.
5v5 Stats: 52.73 Corsi For Percentage / Plus-36 shots for differential
Torey Krug
Grade: B
We all know what to expect from Krug at this point. For as much as he’s susceptible to counter-rushes and other miscues due to his aggressive play (minus-9), there are few defensemen as effective as Krug when operating with the puck in the O zone. A weapon on the power play with 17 points on the man advantage, Krug is on pace to be sixth Bruins defenseman in franchise history to record 60-plus points in a single season.
5v5 Stats: 52.63 Corsi For Percentage / Plus-9 shots for differential
Jeremy Lauzon
Grade: C+
He play started to dip the longer he remained up at the NHL level, but the 21-year-old stepped up when in November when Boston’s blue line was decimated by injuries, averaging 22:05 TOI during a four-game stretch from Nov. 14-21.
5v5 Stats: 49.71 Corsi For Percentage / Plus-13 shots for differential
Charlie McAvoy
Grade: B
His season has been derailed so far due to a number of injuries, but when he’s able to take his usual spot on Boston’s top D pairing, the 21-year-old skater has more often than not showcased his immense potential. Aside from a few clunkers (namely a rough outing against Carolina on 12/23), McAvoy usually provides a huge lift for his club, especially when it comes in the transition game. Getting him healthy will be a major focus for Boston going into the second half.
5v5 Stats: 50.09 Corsi For Percentage / Minus-9 shots for differential
Kevan Miller
Grade: B+
He’s missed 26 games this season due to a broken hand and cartilage damage in his throat, but when he’s been out there, the veteran defenseman has made his presence felt all across the ice. A bulldog who provides most of Boston’s punch from the blue line following Adam McQuaid’s departure via trade this fall, Miller is more than just an energy boost on defense, averaging 19:20 TOI and ranking first among all Bruins skaters in Shots For Percentage at 56.99.
5v5 Stats: 51.95 Corsi For Percentage / Plus-38 shots for differential
John Moore
Grade: B
He may not be flashy, but Moore has proven to be a solid investment so far. A reliable penalty killer (team-high 94:51 PK TOU), Moore can also get up the ice in a hurry with a nice set of wheels. He’s also filled in well during stints on the power play, even with other offensive-minded defenseman blocking him in terms of reps in Krug, McAvoy and others.
5v5 Stats: 49.44 Corsi For Percentage / Minus-14 shots for differential
GOALIES
Jaroslav Halak
Grade: A
What a steal this summer. He’s only making $2.75 million a year through next season, but the veteran netminder has arguably been one of the top goalies in the league this year, and played a key role in keep Boston afloat during Tuukka Rask’s slow start (4-4-0, .901 save percentage through eight games). His save percentage has dipped every month, but he’s still in a tie for second in the league in save percentage (min. 20 appearances) with a mark of .926.
Tuukka Rask
Grade: B-
After a brutal start, Rask has started to rebound since returning from his leave of absence — posting a 7-4-2 record over his last 12 games. Over his last three games, Rask's save percentage is a stellar .949. Some of the finer stats are encouraging when it comes to Rask, with the netminder posting a high-danger save percentage of 84.9 — up from the 80.37 he posted last season during a year where he rattled off a 31-6-3 run to close out the regular season. Still, he needs to work on handling the puck — with fumbles leading to three of Boston’s shorthanded goals against this year.
MANAGEMENT
Bruce Cassidy
Grade: A
Boston has plenty of established on this roster, but it’s still pretty remarkable that this club is still in relatively good shape despite the number of roadblocks it had to deal with to open the year. Whether it be a brutal preseason trip to China, a still-vacant spot on the second line or a combined 105 games lost to injury for Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, Kevan Miller, Torey Krug, Jake DeBrusk and Charlie McAvoy — the fact that Cassidy has managed keep this team rolling is a hell of an accomplishment. Now let’s see what they can do when they’re finally healthy.
Don Sweeney
Grade: B-
Inking Halak to a cheap, two-year deal is really saving Boston’s front office from a lower grade. Props to Sweeney and Co. for being aggressive during free agency in pursuit of players like John Tavares and Ilya Kovalchuk, but it was a bit of a head-scratcher when the team opted to roll with the youth movement to solve its holes at 3C and second-line wing going into the new year. So far, that hasn’t worked out. A trade has to be on the way come February.
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