Haggerty: Maybe It’s Time To Elevate Our Bruins Expectations |BHN+

It may just be time to heighten Ye Olde Expectations for the Boston Bruins.

Entering this season, the common prediction was that the Bruins might take a half-step back after waving goodbye to Torey Krug and Zdeno Chara in free agency and doing very little offseason improvement aside from a solid move signing Craig Smith to a three-year contract. The Bruins were introducing a slew of young players like Jeremy Lauzon, Jakub Zboril, Trent Frederic and Jack Studnicka into key spots in the lineup, and they were doing it while attempting to compete in an East Division top-loaded with playoff talent.

It certainly felt like the Stanley Cup window slammed shut when the Bruins lost in five games in a second-round playoff series to the eventual Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning during the Toronto bubble postseason. But perhaps the proclamations were a little premature that the Stanley Cup window has closed for the Black and Gold.

Instead, it’s time to recalibrate expectations for the Black and Gold and give Bruce Cassidy, Don Sweeney and Cam Neely due credit for the proper evaluation of this team’s long-range potential after another statement comeback win, 4-3, over the Flyers in overtime at the Wells Fargo Center.