BOSTON — The Boston Bruins made it a step additional than they did final season even after saying goodbye to some important items like Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci.
However did the Bruins overachieve, underachieve or simply plain meet expectations this season?
Bruins captain Brad Marchand had a transparent reply to that query as he mirrored on Boston’s marketing campaign within the quick aftermath of a stinging season-ending loss to the Florida Panthers in Sport 6 on Friday night time at TD Backyard.
“I actually can’t even put into phrases how proud I’m of this group,” Marchand mentioned. “From the place we began, the expectations to start out the season, everyone wrote us off, mentioned we wouldn’t even be a playoff crew and we have been top-of-the-line groups within the league.
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“We had numerous new guys, numerous new roles. And guys got here in, and we constructed one thing particular. Began within the room and carried onto the ice. We had some hiccups alongside the best way, however from the place we began to the place we completed, I couldn’t be extra pleased with the fellows.”
The Bruins completed the common season with a 47-20-15 report and 109 factors — simply 5 factors shy of the New York Rangers for many within the league — earlier than profitable their opening-round sequence towards the Toronto Maple Leafs in a seven-game thriller.
But it surely was arduous to take full solace in that after Boston misplaced its eighth playoff sport on residence ice over the previous two seasons. Marchand mentioned it was “disappointing” with how issues ended to the Panthers, feeling the Bruins nonetheless had extra left to provide of their Stanley Cup playoff run.
However Marchand wasn’t going to let Boston’s end fully deter from a season by which he noticed progress not solely from himself, but in addition from lots of his teammates.
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“Simply seeing completely different guys flourish in numerous roles and the tales that got here from the season,” Marchand mentioned. “Mason (Lohrei) was considered one of our greatest defensemen by the tip of the yr. (Justin Brazeau) being on a one-way deal within the American League and just about solidifying him a spot for subsequent yr. I imply, I might go on and on. I couldn’t be extra pleased with each man on this room.
“Not simply who they’re as gamers, however even higher individuals. That’s what makes it so enjoyable coming to the rink each day is who we get to be with, who we get to play with and also you’re all with. So, it was a particular yr.”
