Bruins Can Clinch Atlantic Division Thursday Night

The Boston Bruins can clinch the Atlantic Division Thursday night at TD Garden.

If the Bruins beat the Montreal Canadiens and the Florida Panthers beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in regulation Thursday night, then the Boston Bruins are your 2022-23 Atlantic Division champions.

This would be the Bruins’ second Atlantic Division title in their last four seasons and third overall since the league realigned and renamed their four divisions prior to the 2013-14 season. The Boston Bruins were Atlantic Division and President’s Trophy winners that season and for the 2019-20 season. Entering NHL action Thursday night, the Bruins (113 points), have a 13-point lead over the Carolina Hurricanes (100 points). Unless they suffer a major collapse in their final 12 games, they will win the division and NHL regular season crown for a third time since the 2013-14 season.

Whenever the Boston Bruins do clinch the 2022-23 Atlantic Division crown, it will be their 27th division crown in their team history in their 98-season history. The Bruins have won the Stanley Cup three times (1928-29, 1971-72, 2010-11), after winning their division.

Since the President’s Trophy was established in 1985-86, only five President Trophy winners have gone on to win the Stanley Cup. The 1986-87 Edmonton Oilers; the 1993-94 New York Rangers; the 2000-01 Colorado Avalanche; the 2001-02 Detroit Red Wings, and the 2013 Chicago Blackhawks, who beat the Bruins in six games in the 2013 Stanley Cup Final.

The Boston Bruins clinched a berth in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs back on March 11 as they became the fastest team to 50 wins in NHL history with a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. This will be the seventh straight trip to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the Bruins.

Heading into NHL action Thursday night, the Boston Bruins were in line to face Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins (80 points) in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. That could change though if the Panthers (79 points) do get two points against the Maple Leafs and leapfrog the Penguins.’

It’s still baffling to think that veteran hockey scribes like yours truly were thinking the Boston Bruins were a border line playoff team this season, but most onlinecasinos did have them as long shots to win the Atlantic Division, Eastern Conference and Stanley Cup. If you were one of the lucky and smart ones to take the Bruins at the beginning of the season, you’re in line for a nice score soon!