Boston Bruins: 3 stars from the start of the 2022-23 NHL season

Less than two weeks into the Jim Montgomery era for the Boston Bruins, things are looking pretty rosy in Beantown.

Sitting at the top of the Eastern Conference, the Bruins are far and away exceeding the expectations of even their dreamiest fans.

Most of us were just hoping this team could remain competitive until reinforcements arrived around Thanksgiving in the form of Charlie McAvoy and Brad Marchand. Some even wondered if Sweeney would be quick to can Montgomery if things started slowly.

But even with a depleted roster, Monty has this team humming out of the gate. While the team’s defense has left much to be desired, their only loss so far remains the second half of a back-to-back on the road against the Ottawa Senators, a true scheduled loss.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the team’s Three Stars from the start of the season, starting with a beloved Bruin making his return.

Boston Bruins Third Star: David Krejci

Let me just start here: I was wrong. When the rumors first came out that David Krejci was contemplating a return to the NHL after taking a gap year in the Czech Republic, I was totally against it. I didn’t want a Last Dance type of run from a group that last won more than a decade ago.

We’ve seen what the old group could do, and it was never enough to get over the hump. And while that may still prove to be true come playoff time, there’s no debate now that Krejci’s return has bumped the Bruins offense up a level from last year.

Six games is a tiny sample size, but the veteran center is currently on a 95-point pace. Whether or not he’ll keep it up is another story, but for a guy whose career high is 73 points, he looks to be primed to break that mark this season.

With Brad Marchand out, Krejci is centering the team’s #1 line, and the results have been sparkling so far. Nothing against Tomas Nosek or Eric Haula, but the re-addition of David Krejci has been a much needed gamechanger for this team so far.