Bruins Blog: 10 Things I Want To See Over The Season’s Final 10 Games

A miserable season for the Boston Bruins is nearly at its merciful end.

By now, many of you have probably already checked out on this year and are looking ahead to the offseason in anticipation of what the organization will do in the draft and free agency.

But before then, there are still 10 games left on the regular season schedule.

While there’s little chance the Bruins can salvage their season at this point, there are still a few things they can do to set themselves up for success next year.

Elias Lindholm String Together Some Offense:

Signing Elias Lindholm was the biggest move the Bruins made last offseason, and his inconsistency has been one of the biggest reasons they’ve struggled this year.

Through 72 games, the high-priced center whom the Bruins signed to a seven-year, $54.25 million contract has registered only 37 points with 13 goals. If Lindholm stays on that pace, he will finish with his lowest point total in a decade.

Right now, it’s important for him to go into the offseason on a high note so he can carry some momentum into next year.

He can’t afford another bad season, and neither can the Bruins.

What Morgan Geekie Can Do Without David Pastrnak:

While Lindholm was Boston’s biggest move last offseason, one of their biggest decisions this summer will focus on Morgan Geekie.

Geekie has been one of the few bright spots for the Bruins this season, already setting a new career-high of 25 goals and counting. A restricted free agent to be, he’s earned himself a well-deserved raise.

However, the majority of Geekie’s production this year has come while playing alongside David Pastrnak. As great as he has been, the Bruins need to see what Geekie can do without skating next to one of the game’s elite scorers before the two sides sit down at the negotiating table.

They’ve already begun that process by moving Geekie and Pavel Zacha off the top line and placing them with Fabian Lysell.

How will Geekie fair? We have 10 games to find out.

Fabian Lysell Stay In The Lineup and Score His First NHL Goal:

As for Lysell himself, the Bruins recently called up the former first-round draft pick.

While he has all the speed and skill in the world, Lysell has yet to prove he can produce at the NHL level.

Ten games certainly isn’t enough of a sample size to determine that, but Lysell can get a good start by making a consistent impact and officially etching his name onto the scoresheet.

More Bruins Call-Ups:

Just because Lysell has already been called up doesn’t mean he should be the only one of the Bruins’ prospects to get a shot in the NHL down the stretch.

The Bruins should be treating these final 10 games as a mini-training camp, seeing what some of their young players can do in elevated roles against the very best competition there is.

Fraser Minten, Georgii Merkulov, and Matthew Poitras will all be pushing for roles in Boston next year, but why wait til then?

Someone, Anyone, Earn a Job:

The benefit of calling up more prospects is that they should, in theory, challenge some of the veterans already on the roster.

Players such as Cole Koepke, Vinni Letteri, Patrick Brown, and Johnny Beecher are all free agents after this year, and by no means are they guaranteed to be back with the Bruins next year.

If they want to stay in Boston, they’ll have to earn it.

Joonas Korpisalo Gets the Majority of Starts:

Jeremy Swayman is undoubtedly the Bruins’ starting goalie for the foreseeable future.

However, he has disappointed more than anyone on the roster this year, and his performance has been exceptionally poor lately, as he’s allowed four goals or more in each of his last four appearances.

At this point, it makes little sense for Swayman to be in the crease for the Bruins, which is why Joonas Korpisalo should get the majority of the starts the rest of the way.

Despite limited playing time, Korpisalo has been solid for the Bruins whenever he’s had the chance to stand between the posts.

Not to mention, if Korpisalo finishes the year strong, it will only raise his value on the NHL trade market should the Bruins decide to trade him this summer.

Undefeated at Home:

Only four of Boston’s final 10 games this season will take place on home ice. Bruins fans have put up with a lot this year, so the least the team can do is make sure they win those last few games at TD Garden for them, especially with season ticket prices set to rise next year.

Beat Bad Teams:

It’s been an embarrassing year for the Bruins on all fronts. Perhaps the worst aspect of it all is that they somehow manage to find seemingly unthinkable ways to lose to bad teams.

With games against the lowly Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Chicago Blackhawks over the next few weeks, it’d be nice to see the Bruins maintain some semblance of their dignity.

Mark Kastelic or Nikita Zadorov Pummel Someone:

The Bruins have provided next to zero entertainment value this season.

The few times they have, though, it’s been when either Mark Kastelic or Nikita Zadorov have dropped the gloves and thrown absolute haymakers.

Say what you will about the dangers of fighting in hockey, but there’s no denying how fun it is to watch.

Goalie Fight:

Speaking of fights, the world was robbed of seeing a goalie fight on Sunday night when referees got in the way of Jeremy Swayman throwing down with Los Angeles Kings netminder Darcy Keumper.

I know goalie fights are rare, and the likelihood we’ll see another one before the year’s end is even more so, but I can dream.

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