NHL Predictions Roundup: Bruins Lock Down Two Stanley Cup Calls

How far will the Bruins go this year? We took a look around the continent to see what others are saying about the Black and Gold’s chances of hoisting the Stanley Cup. Michael Dwyer/AP

By Jeff Pini

October 8, 2014

3 minutes to read

The countdown to the much-anticipated 2014-15 NHL season is now down to hours, and while many believe that the Bruins will be a completive team this season, few are confident in predicting them to raise Lord Stanley Cup come June 2015.

The Bruins undoubtedly suffered huge losses this offseason, as Jarome Iginla and Shawn Thornton left in free agency and top-3 defenseman Johnny Boychuk was dealt to the New York Islanders.

Going 54-19-9 in 2013-14, the Bruins finished with 117 points and won their first Presidents’ Trophy since 1989-90. Their season fell well short of expectations in the playoffs, however, as the B’s were taken down in the Eastern Conference Semifinals to the Montreal Canadiens in a stunning seven-game series loss.

With a brand new year set to begin on Wednesday, here’s a roundup look at how some media members around the continent are predicting the Bruins will factor into the season and whether they can rise to the top of the NHL mountain.

The Boston Globe

Four Boston Globe writers made their picks for the NHL this year; none have the Bruins winning the Stanley Cup. Only Fluto Shinzawa has them in the Final, losing to the Kings as Los Angeles wins their third title in four years.

Sports Illustrated

Of the seven SI writers who contributed to these picks, all have the Bruins in the Eastern Conference Finals, while four have them advancing to the Stanley Cup Final. Sarah Kwak has the Bruins beating the Blackhawks to win the Cup, while Allan Muir and Brian Cazeneuve have the Hawks taking down the Bruins in a 2013 rematch. Eli Bernstein predicts that the Los Angeles Kings will beat the Bruins for their second straight title.

USA Today

While the Bruins winning the Atlantic Division wasn’t uncommon in the USA Today picks for this year’s NHL season, just two of the seven writers polled predicted that the B’s would represent the East in the Stanley Cup Final: Mike Brehm and Mark Hayes. Neither have them winning the Cup, however, as Brehm and Hayes both have the Blackhawks taking down the Bruins again.

Bob Duff (Windsor (Ontario) Star)

Bob Duff of the Windsor (Ontario) Star made a pick that Bruins fans like to hear. Duff has the B’s advancing to the Stanley Cup Final and defeating the St. Louis Blues to recapture the Cup that the Bruins claimed in 2011, breaking their 39-year championship drought.

Greg Wyshysnki, Yahoo! Sports

Wyshnysnki has the Bruins winning the Atlantic Division and going all the way to the Final for the third time in five seasons. He doesn’t have them bringing back the Stanley Cup, however, as he predicts they will be taken down by the Blues, who finally get their revenge for the 1970 Cup Final immortalized by Bobby Orr.

SB Nation

In SB Nation’s prediction roundup for the upcoming year, eight of 11 contributors said the Bruins will win the Atlantic Division, though just four believe that the Bruins will win the Prince of Wales Trophy as the champions of the Eastern Conference. Pat Iversen predicts that the Bruins will win it all, while Andrew Hirsh and Ted Starkey think they’ll lose to the Blackhawks and Tyler Bleszinski has them falling to the Kings.

EA Sports NHL 15 Simulation

In the EA Sports NHL 15 simulation for the 2014-15 season, the Bruins make it to the Cup Final, but fall just short of claiming the top prize, as they are defeated by the Los Angeles Kings, who become the first team since the 1997 and 1998 Red Wings to win back-to-back Cup titles.