Boston Bruins: 3 players with the most to prove in the 2021-22 NHL season

The Boston Bruins are finally nearing a return to the ice. After getting ousted by the New York Islanders in the second round after six games last season, the Bruins will be eager to hit the ice after last season’s tough exit. While most of the Bruins core is back and set to make another run for the Stanley Cup, time is running out for them to pull that off.

We’ve already seen some of the B’s veteran core start to disperse. Zdeno Chara was the first one out last offseason, and he was followed this offseason by David Krejci, who announced he was returning to his native Czech Republic to finish off his career. Longtime goaltender Tuukka Rask may be the next to join them, as he remains unsigned in free agency after the Bruins picked up Linus Ullmark early in free agency.

But there are still a lot of signs of promise for the Bruins heading into this season. For starters, “the Perfection Line” of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak is still in tact, and their ability to single-handedly win Boston games cannot be overstated. On defense, Charlie McAvoy has continued to develop into one of the best defensemen in the game, and should be the anchor of a solid unit for the B’s.

Still, there are a lot of unknows in place for Boston, especially after Krejci’s departure. Part of the reason the Bruins came up short last season was because some of their key pieces failed to show up when the team needed them the most. With that in mind, let’s take a look at three players on the Bruins who have the most to prove heading into the 2021-22 NHL season.