Even after a decisive first round demise in the 2028 FNHL playoffs, the inaugural season for GM Mike Ramsey and the new look Boston Bruins can only be considered a wild success. Armed with the 2028 first overall pick, GM Ramsey was tasked with bringing respect and a winning mentality back to such a storied franchise. However, no one was expecting such a quick turn around as the Bruins surpassed all expectations and proved to be well ahead of the rebuilding curve. The future is bright as this next generation begins their journey together to bring another title back to TitleTown.
What Went Well:
Scoring was aplenty in BeanTown with top overall pick Juraj Slafkovksy living up to the hype and making an immediate impact at the FNHL level. Slaf along with fellow prospect Tyson Foerster and a resurrected Louie Caporusso developed into a lethal secondary scoring line that caused significant mismatches for opposing defenses. This allowed top line center Filip Chytil to realize his potential and blossom into a true superstar. Scoring at over a point-per-game clip, Chytil along with Team Captain Anders Lee and savvy deadline acquisition Sven Baertschi proved to be one of the most dangerous scoring lines in the league.
On the other end of the ice, distinguished goaltender Semyon Varlamov and former cup winning defenseman Ty Wishart anchored a strong defensive corps. The hard-nosed playing style of defensemen John Erskine and David Musil provided an opportunity for Adam Boqvist to showcase his talents as a future premier PP1 quarterback. The true grit and attitude of this young team caused havoc and ensured no opposing teams enjoyed their time on the ice at the FleetCenter.
What Went Wrong:
The lack of depth on both the offensive and defensive sides of the rink proved to be a limiting factor for the Bruins in a tough Eastern Conference. Injuries and a tough mid-season road trip identified several weaknesses for the team during the season. With a playoff birth well within reach, some fans in Boston questioned GM Ramsey's lack aggression at the trade deadline. As the season came to an end, the team seemed to have lost momentum and at times seemed lost, but GM Ramsey insisted patience and faith that there was a long term plan in place. The adversity and experience gained throughout this season was part of the development of this young team that will have significant benefits in future seasons.
Down On The Farm:
Just south on the I-95 in Providence, Rhode Island, the Baby Bruins provided a hopeful glimpse of the future in Boston. Young forward prospects Anton Lundell, Aatu Raty, Samu Salminen, Jean-Luc Foudy and Jan Jenik made major strides in their development. An even stronger defensive group led by Devon Toews, Kevin Bahl, Scott Morrow, Jack Peart and Logan Mailloux will have Bruins fans banging on the glass in Boston for years to come. Most importantly, the goalie tandem of Jake Oettinger and first year prospect Topias Leinonen provided some of the best highlight reel saves in the minors. This duo should be safeguarding the net in Boston for the better part of a decade.
What Happens Next:
The main priority going into the offseason will be to lock up the core RFAs as Boqvist, Foerster and Steel will all be a big part of the future in Boston. The next priority will be to find a solid veteran C/RW to shore up the second line and help guide the kids on and off the ice. The final goal of the offseason will be to bolster up the goaltending. Veteran Riku Helenius is slated to take over the starting role in net but there have been some rumors that Bruins could be looking at bringing in another veteran until Oettinger and Leinonen are ready to patrol the crease at the FleetCenter. Both Caporusso and Varlamov have expressed interest in returning to BeanTownn to finish off their careers going for one last Cup run with a young team. Loaded with 3 valuable draft picks, plenty of cap space and several young prospects available, GM Ramsey will have no rest days this coming offseason. Fans in TitleTown have a lot to look forward to and the 2029 FNHL season can't come soon enough.
4/9/2023 - 701 words
