| Opponent | Date | |
|---|---|---|
| vs. Montreal Canadiens | Thursday, March 23 | |
| vs. Tampa Bay Lightning | Saturday, March 25 | |
| @ Carolina Hurricanes | Sunday, March 26 | |
| vs. Nashville Predators | Tuesday, March 28 | |
Hello
Despite already clinching a playoff berth with less than 15 games remaining, the Boston Bruins still haven't thrown in the regular season towel after easily beating the Winnipeg Jets, Minnesota Wild and Buffalo Sabres last week. Considering Boston had lost three of its previous four games to rather inferior opponents, this small three-game stretch of pure dominance was much-needed. The Bruins still hold the best record in the league, 53-11-5, and are 13 points ahead of the next closest squad with 111 points and a +113 goal differential.
The Bruins started their week on the road against the Jets, walking away with a 3-0 win. Jeremy Swayman stopped all 36 shots and recorded his third shutout of the season in the process. Boston jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first period while newly-acquired Tyler Bertuzzi and Dmitry Orlov both recorded an assist each.
Just two days later, Boston traveled to Minnesota and came out with a 5-2 win. The Bruins were efficient in all three periods, netting at least one goal in each. Brad Marchand (3A) was the playmaker for the night while both David Pastrnak (1G, 1A) and Patrice Bergeron (1G, 1A) propelled the team in the right direction to secure the dub.
Following back-to-back wins, Boston traveled to Buffalo and dominated from start to finish, securing the 7-0 win over the Sabres. The Bruins wasted no time, scoring just 15 seconds into the game and then six more times after that. The Sabres had no answer, registering just 26 shots on net. Swayman was stellar in net yet again, recording his second-straight and fourth overall shutout of the season. It was pad-the-stat-night with Jake DeBrusk (1G, 3A) leading the way with four points.
Boston still has Ottawa on the radar for Tuesday, a squad that has lost six of its last eight games but still holds a 2-1 record in the season series. If the Bruins bring the same intensity they brought against the Sabres, another win streak could be brewing as the end of the season nears.
(All stats as of Mar. 21)
Injury Update: Taylor Hall (lower body) remains on long-term injured reserve while Nick Foligno (lower body) remains on injured reserve but Boston is hopeful for a return during the playoffs. Derek Forbort (lower body) is considered day-to-day after picking up an injury against Winnipeg on Mar. 16.
Thursday, March 23 vs. Montreal Canadiens
Saturday, March 25 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Saturday, March 25 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Tuesday, March 28 vs. Nashville Predators
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is huntersk) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
The Boston Bruins entered last week on a league-leading 10-game winning streak while averaging 4.4 goals per game but came back down to Earth again, dropping two games to the Edmonton Oilers and Detroit Red Wings last week. Boston finally reached double-digit losses after falling to the Red Wings in the second half of a back-to-back set but still holds the best record in the league, 50-10-5, with 105 points and a +103 goal differential.
Boston started its week off against Edmonton with a 3-2 loss at home. The Bruins jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first period and completely shut down Connor McDavid but it wasn't enough in the end as they let the Oilers score three unanswered goals. Jeremy Swayman had a rather poor night, stopping just 19-of-22 shots but David Pastrnak (1G, 1A) shined despite the overall team struggles.
The Bruins then had a back-to-back set against the Red Wings, winning 3-2 on Saturday but losing 5-3 a day later. It was promising to see Boston get back on track with a win after the loss but an action-packed second period led by three Red Wings goals proved to be too much in the end. Jake DeBrusk (1G) netted his 20th goal of the season and fourth in 11 games since returning from injury.
Boston still has Chicago on the radar for tonight, a squad that has lost three straight games and surrenders the third-most high-danger chances in the league (176). Having lost two of its last three games, Boston should come with some extra juice and dominate in this one.
(All stats as of Mar. 14)
Injury Update: Taylor Hall (lower-body) and Nick Foligno (lower-body) remain on injured reserve while Hampus Lindholm (foot) is considered day-to-day.
Thursday, March 16 @ Winnipeg Jets
Saturday, March 18 @ Minnesota Wild
Saturday, March 18 @ Minnesota Wild
Tuesday, March 21 vs. Ottawa Senators
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is huntersk) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
Can the Boston Bruins lose? After a rough five-game stretch at the end of February, the Bruins now find themselves on a league-leading 10-game winning streak. Since the new year, Boston has lost just five games and further improved its record to 49-8-5 after topping both the Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers last week. As a squad, they are 13 points ahead of the next closest team with 103 points and have averaged 4.4 goals per game across their last ten wins.
The Bruins started their week against a rising Sabres squad and dominated from start to finish, winning 7-1. Boston jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first period and never looked back, registering 42 shots compared to Buffalo's 27. Newly-acquired defenseman Dmitry Orlov (1G, 2A) continues to impress since joining the team while David Pastrnak (1G, 2A) has further proved why he ranks second in the league with 44 goals.
Two days later, the Bruins hosted the Rangers and won 4-2 thanks to Charlie Coyle (1G, 1A), who netted the first goal of the game to get things going. Linus Ullmark continued his Vezina campaign, stopping 24-of-26 shots, good for a .923 save percentage. New York out-shot Boston 26 to 24 but a shorthanded goal and overall better control of the puck led to the victory in the end.
(All stats as of Mar. 7)
Injury Update: Taylor Hall (lower body) was placed on long-term injured reserve after sustaining an injury against the Canucks. Nick Foligno (lower body) was placed on injured reserve after sustaining an injury against the Flames. Both remain without clear timetables to return.
Thursday, March 9 vs. Edmonton Oilers
Saturday, March 11 vs. Detroit Red Wings
Sunday, March 12 @ Detroit Red Wings
Tuesday, March 14 vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is huntersk) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
The Boston Bruins are officially back in business. Following a short stretch filled with losses, things have turned around and the Bruins have won seven straight games after topping the Seattle Kraken, Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers last week. Boston further improved its record to 46-8-5 and is 11 points ahead of the next closest squad with 97 points. Across their last seven wins, they've scored an average of 4.1 goals.
The Bruins started its week against the only team to shut them out this season, the Kraken. Boston got its revenge, winning 6-5, thanks to a full team effort. Six different Bruins found the back of the net with Jake DeBrusk netting the game-winning goal late in the third period. Jeremy Swayman got the start in net, stopping 36-of-41 shots, good for a .878 save percentage.
Two days later, Boston traveled to Vancouver to take on the struggling Canucks. The Bruins won 3-1, thanks to elite goaltending from Linus Ullmark, who stopped 26-of-27 shots and finished with a .963 save percentage. Ullmark got bored of his dominance and decided to score himself, netting an empty-netter in the third period.
After winning back-to-back games, Boston was still tasked with slowing down Connor McDavid and the Oilers on Monday night. The Bruins walked away with the 3-2 victory despite McDavid's two-goal performance. Boston's infrequent scorers stepped up in this matchup with both Tomas Nosek and Nick Foligno netting first-period goals to get things rolling early.
One more game remains on the schedule for this week, a road tilt against the Calgary Flames. Boston will look to carry its strong momentum of seven straight wins and tons of scoring into the building on Tuesday.
(All stats as of Feb. 28)
Taylor Hall (lower body) missed Monday's game vs. the Oilers and will miss Tuesday's game vs. the Flames. He's currently listed as out.
Thursday, March 2 vs. Buffalo Sabres
Saturday, March 4 vs. New York Rangers
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is huntersk) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
Following a tough five-game stretch and walking away with just one win, the Boston Bruins took care of business last week by topping the Nashville Predators, New York Islanders and Ottawa Senators. Boston improved its record to 43-8-5 and is now 11 points ahead of the next closest squad with 91 points. They have now won four straight games, scoring an average of 4.25 goals per game.
Boston started its week off with a road matchup against the Predators and dominated from first puck drop. The Bruins won 5-0 thanks to strong playmaking from Nick Foligno (2A) while Jeremy Swayman stopped all 28 of Nashville's shots, recording his second shutout of the season in the process.
The Bruins took on the Islanders two days later at home and won easily yet again, 6-2. Boston got the scoring going early, netting three first-period goals which was led by Jake DeBrusk (1G, 1A). It was DeBrusk's first game back from a lower body injury and he made an immediate offensive impact. New York registered more shots than Boston but failed to capitalize on its opportunities when it mattered.
To end the week, Boston took on Ottawa, a rather hot squad as of late. The Bruins won 3-1 thanks to two goals from David Pastrnak, bringing his total to 41 on the season, good for second-most in the league. Ottawa was able to generate consistent offensive pressure but Linus Ullmark stood on his head, saving 30-of-31 shots, good for a save percentage of .968.
(All stats as of Feb. 21)
Injury Update: Jake DeBrusk (lower body) returned from a 16-game absence on Saturday vs. the Islanders.
Thursday, February 23 @ Seattle Kraken
Saturday, February 25 @ Vancouver Canucks
Monday, February 27 @ Edmonton Oilers
Tuesday, February 28 @ Calgary Flames
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is huntersk) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
After months of winning streaks and high-scoring games, the Boston Bruins have looked much like the rest of the league lately, winning just once in the last five games. Boston's schedule was light for its first week back from All-Star break with just two matchups, the Washington Capitals and Dallas Stars.
The Bruins fell to the Capitals on Saturday, 2-1 in a tightly-contested match. Boston found itself down 2-0 in the second period but Nick Foligno netted the lone goal to try to push the team in the right direction. As a squad, the Bruins out-shot the Capitals but didn't capitalize on their opportunities.
Boston holds the best record in the league, 39-8-5, and is seven points ahead of the next closest squad with 83 points with another tough matchup on the horizon for Tuesday's tilt against the Stars.
(All stats as of Feb. 14)
Injury Update: Jake DeBrusk (lower body) practiced in full and could return for Thursday's game against the Predators.
Thursday, February 16 @ Nashville Predators
Saturday, February 18 vs. New York Islanders
Monday, February 20 vs. Ottawa Senators
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is huntersk) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
After nothing but dominant hockey for the first half of the season, the Boston Bruins came back down to Earth after losing three of four games before the All-Star break to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes. Boston dropped three straight but cleaned up the sloppy play, beating the Toronto Maple Leafs, 5-2 on Feb. 1. The Bruins still hold the best record in the league, 39-7-5, and are seven points ahead of the next closest squad with 83.
Boston started its week on the road against the Lightning, losing 3-2 in a highly-contested matchup. It was a battle of the goaltenders with Linus Ullmark stopping 32-of-35 shots, good for a .914 save percentage. Pavel Zacha netted his fourth goal of January to tie the game in the third period but Tampa Bay's offensive attack was too strong.
Two days later, Boston traveled to Florida to take on a rising Panthers squad. David Pastrnak netted a very late third-period goal to push Boston ahead but the defensive communication cost them, letting up the game-tying goal less than a minute after Pastrnak's goal and then the game-winning goal just 17 seconds into overtime.
The Bruins found themselves on a losing streak for the first time all season and it didn't get much easier having to face the red-hot Hurricanes, who are the closest squad in terms of points. It was a night to forget, getting dominated 4-1 and generating just 25 shots. Taylor Hall netted the lone Boston goal in the third period but the normal high-powered offense was severely limited by Carolina's defense. Ullmark did his best to keep his squad in the game once again, stopping 32-of-35 shots.
Boston certainly didn't imagine its three-game road stretch to go the way it did but with had a chance to get things back on track against the Maple Leafs. Boston started off February with a comfortable 5-2 win, thanks to two goals from Pavel Zacha and two assists from Charlie Coyle. Toronto won more faceoffs and registered more shots but Boston's offensive efficiency proved to be the deciding factor.
(All stats as of Feb. 7)
Injury Update: Jake DeBrusk (lower body) is expected to return by Feb. 11 following a month absence.
Saturday, February 11 vs. Washington Capitals
Tuesday, February 14 @ Dallas Stars
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is huntersk) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
The Boston Bruins' dominance has continued as we enter the final week of January, posting a 9-1 record and riding a five game winning streak. The Bruins went 2-0 last week after topping both the New York Rangers and San Jose Sharks dominantly with the opportunity to make it 3-0 with a win over the Montreal Canadiens tonight. Boston still holds the best record in the league, 37-5-4, and are 12 points ahead of the next closest squad with 78.
Boston started its week on the road against the Rangers, winning 3-1. They were in control from the start once Pavel Zacha found the back of the net early in the first period. New York out-shot Boston, 32 to 27, but Jeremy Swayman did his job, stopping 31-of-32 shots, good for a .969 save percentage.
The Bruins traveled back home to take on the Sharks, whom they had just faced only two weeks ago and won the game easily, 4-0. Linus Ullmark posted his second shutout of the season, stopping all 17 shots while David Pastrnak continued his strong play this month, netting the fourth and final goal on the power play and bringing his January total to 11 goals.
There's one more game this week and it's in Montreal against the Canadiens. Boston will look to build off the 4-0 win and bring the same intensity into this matchup against a young and undisciplined squad.
(All stats as of Jan. 24)
Injury Update: none
Thursday, January 26 @ Tampa Bay Lightning
Saturday, January 28 @ Florida Panthers
Sunday, January 29 @ Carolina Hurricanes
Wednesday, February 1 @ Toronto Maple Leafs
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is huntersk) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
The Boston Bruins have started off the new year with nothing but dominant hockey, posting a 6-1 record in January thus far and 2-1 last week after beating the Philadelphia Flyers and Toronto Maple Leafs but falling to the Seattle Kraken. Boston unsurprisingly still holds the best record in the league sitting at 34-5-4 and are ten points ahead of the next closest squad with 72 points.
Boston started its week against Seattle, losing 3-0. It was a sloppy night for the Bruins, registering fewer shots on net and totaling more penalty minutes and giveaways than the Kraken. Linus Ullmark did all he could to keep the game within reach, stopping 28-of-30 shots and posting a .933 save percentage.
The Bruins had another tough opponent two days later in the Maple Leafs but came out on top, 4-3. The game was tightly contested throughout and Toronto was able to net a third-period goal to tie the game but Matt Grzelcyk netted the game-winning goal with only a few minutes remaining to secure the victory over a division opponent.
Boston showed no mercy to the Flyers, easily winning 6-0. The Bruins netted two goals in each period and Jeremy Swayman picked up his first shutout of the season. Both David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha netted two goals each while veteran David Krejci brought his assist total to 23 on the season with three assists.
They will go on the road for the first time in three games to face the New York Islanders on Jan. 18 and will look to build off their dominant victory over the Flyers.
(All stats as of Jan. 17)
Injury Update: none
Thursday, January 19 @ New York Rangers
Sunday, January 22 vs. San Jose Sharks
Tuesday, January 24 @ Montreal Canadiens
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is wavegoodbye) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information
The Boston Bruins have started the New Year off on the right foot, winning all three of their matchups against the Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks. Boston still holds the best record in the entire league sitting at 32-4-4 and are 11 points ahead of the next closest team.
On Jan. 5, the Bruins traveled on the road to face the Kings. David Pastrnak continued his impressive campaign, netting the first and last Bruins' goal of the game. Trent Frederic stepped up, scoring two goals and bringing his total to nine for the season. The game was close up until the third period, when Boston took over and netted three unanswered goals.
Two days later on Jan. 7, they headed to San Jose to face the struggling Sharks. Boston got the scoring going early, jumping out to a quick 2-0 lead but San Jose wouldn't go down easy. The game was tied 2-2 near the end of the second period but Pastrnak netted the final two goals himself with one coming on the power play to win the game, 4-2.
The following day, Boston had another weak and struggling opponent to take advantage of in a back-to-back set when they faced the Ducks on the road. Coming into the game, the Ducks allowed the most goals and shots per game - and the Bruins took advantage of that. Pastrnak netted his first hat trick of the year and the Bruins ended with 42 shots on goal. Jeremy Swayman stopped 28 of 29 shots for a save percentage of .966.
(All stats as of Jan. 10)
Injury Update: Jake DeBrusk was placed on long-term injured reserve and will miss a minimum of 10 games after sustaining hand and lower-body injuries in the Winter Classic matchup versus the Pittsburgh Penguins on Jan. 2.
Thursday, January 12 vs. Seattle Kraken
Saturday, January 14 vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
Monday, January 16 vs. Philadelphia Flyers
Wednesday, January 18 @ New York Islanders
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is wavegoodbye) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information
The Boston Bruins headed into New Year's Eve with a 28-4-3 record with two opponents for the week, the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins. Boston still sits atop the Atlantic Division, ten points ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs and holds the best record in the whole league.
On New Year's Eve, the Bruins hosted the Sabres, a rather hot squad that had won five games in a row entering this game. Boston hopped out to a quick 1-0 lead with a goal from David Pastrnak, bringing his total to 25 on the season, which ties for fifth-most as of Jan. 3. The Sabres registered just 25 shots on goal against Jeremy Swayman, but made the most of their opportunities, netting a goal in each period (including overtime). Buffalo took the game 4-3 with a goal and beat the Bruins for the first time in the last seven meetings.
Following New Year's Day, Boston took on the struggling Penguins in the Winter Classic, who had lost four straight games entering this matchup. Linus Ullmark returned to net, stopping 28 of 29 shots, with the lone goal coming in the second period. The Bruins flipped a switch in the third period - primarily Jake DeBrusk who netted back-to-back goals to secure the 2-1 victory in regulation.
(All stats as of Jan. 3)
Injury Update: none
Thursday, January 5 @ Los Angeles Kings
Saturday, January 7 @ San Jose Sharks
Sunday, January 8 @ Anaheim Ducks
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is wavegoodbye) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information
The Boston Bruins headed into Christmas with a 27-4-2 record on the season. Despite having just four regulation losses, Boston still sat just eight points in front of Toronto for first place in the Atlantic Division, as of Dec. 23. Boston still has sole possession of the best record in the entire league but is only six points ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes now in that regard.
The Bruins played two games directly before the short Christmas break against the Winnipeg Jets (Dec. 22) and New Jersey Devils (Dec. 23) and came away victorious in both of them.
It was noted last week that the Jets game had all the makings of a tough, low-scoring affair and that's exactly how the game played out. Winnipeg jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first period but eventually got worn down by Boston who scored three unanswered to grab a 3-2 win. The Jets got great goaltending from Connor Hellebuyck, who stopped 36 of 39 shots on net but their injury issues up front made it tough to keep Boston pinned down for three periods. Jeremy Swayman got the start and came up big by stopping 25 of 27 shots faced in the win.
The next night, Boston flew into New Jersey to take on the Devils. The Devils carried the play in a lot of respects, firing 40 shots on net for the entire game, and outshooting Boston 40-23. Luckily for the Bruins, goaltender Linus Ullmark was well-rested after taking the last game off and stopped 37 of the 40 shots he faced. Boston also got two goals from David Pastrnak - who also scored once against the Jets - to up his tally to 24 on the season.
The Bruins were off from the 24th to 26th but jumped back into action on Dec. 27 against the Ottawa Senators and then played the Devils again Wednesday, Dec. 28. It's a busy time for the Bruins but they will have a full two days off to prepare for the upcoming week.
(All stats as of December 23, 2022)
Injury update: none
The Sabres are 16-14-2 on the season and carry a +18 goal differential into this week.
The Penguins are 19-9-5 on the season and carry a +19 goal differential into this week.
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is wavegoodbye) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information
The Bruins head into this week with a 25-4-2 record on the season. They sit in first in the Atlantic Division and have the best record in the NHL, along with a seven-point lead for the Presidents' Trophy over the Vegas Golden Knights. They also have a +54 goal differential, which is the best in the league by a massive 24 goals.
The Bruins went 3-0-1 over their last four home games, a stretch which included wins against the Islanders, Blue Jackets and Panthers. Their only loss was a 3-2 decision against the Los Angeles Kings, which was decided in a shootout. Boston has yet to lose in regulation at home this season.
Part of the Bruins' success this season has been the solid goaltending they've received from both Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. Swayman stopped 31 of 33 shots faced against Columbus last Saturday. It was one of his best games of the season and a solid bounce-back effort after allowing four goals on 16 shots against Arizona the week prior. Boston received goals from Taylor Hall and David Pastrnak in the game against Columbus and the two continue to lead the race for the top goal scorer on the team going into this upcoming week.
The Bruins received both Tuesday and Wednesday off before finishing off their homestand against the Jets on Thursday. They'll then head out for a three-game road trip which will include two stops in New Jersey and a short break for Christmas in between.
Injury update: David Krejci (day-to-day)
The Senators are 14-15-2 on the season and carry a -1 goal differential.
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is wavegoodbye) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information
The Bruins endured a three-game road trip last week, with games against the Avalanche, Coyotes and Golden Knights. They ended the week with a 2-1 record and now sit with the NHL's best overall record at 22-4-1, and lead the Presidents' Trophy race with 45 points.
Boston started the road trip out in Colorado. This was the second meeting in two weeks between the Avalanche and the Bruins, and the second game ended very much like the first with a dominant Boston win. Linus Ullmark was the story as he returned to the net after a two-game rest and stopped all 23 shots he faced for the shutout win. Ullmark now leads the league in GAA and save percentage among all goalies with 10 or more starts on the season. Boston also got another three-point effort from winger Taylor Hall, who moved into second on the team this week in goals scored on the season.
The Bruins stayed on the road and met the Coyotes in Arizona in their second game of the week. This was a clear letdown spot for the Bruins, who were coming off their win against the defending Stanley Cup champions and also had the Western Conference-leading Golden Knights on the schedule to look forward to later in the week. The Bruins didn't play poorly as they allowed just 16 shots for the game.
Unfortunately, goalie Jeremy Swayman had a bit of an off night and allowed four goals, suffering his first loss in three starts. In terms of where these two teams were at in the standings prior to this game, this was one of the biggest upsets we've seen in the entire league this season. On the positive side, Boston got yet another goal from David Pastrnak, who saw his total for the season rise to 19 at the end of this week.
The Bruins ended their week with a visit to Las Vegas to take on the Golden Knights. Vegas ended the Bruins' home winning streak with a 4-3 shootout win when these teams played each other earlier in the season. The Bruins had Linus Ullmark back in net starting this game (a luxury they didn't have in the first meeting) and Ullmark was again brilliant, stopping 30 of 31 shots. Ullmark has now stopped 53 of the last 54 shots he's faced and is one of the leading contenders for the Vezina Trophy through the quarter mark of the NHL season.
Overall, the Bruins had a very solid week, as they went 2-1 on a three-game road trip and beat two top Western Conference teams in Colorado and Las Vegas. The loss to Phoenix will sting a bit given the massive talent gap between those two squads, but the satisfaction of getting some revenge on the Golden Knights and former head coach Bruce Cassidy will likely do a lot for the team's morale going forward. The Bruins have a busy week ahead, but will be at home for four straight games and have almost no major injury concerns at the moment. Whether you're in season-long leagues or playing daily fantasy NHL on DraftKings, this will be a week to pay close attention to the Bruins' top skaters for fantasy purposes.
Top Goal Scorer (Season): David Pastrňák, 19 goals (Taylor Hall is second with 11 goals)
Top Point Getter (Season): David Pastrňák, 38 pts (Patrice Bergeron is second with 22 pts)
Top Goalie (Season): Linus Ullmark - 16-1 (2 SO), 1.77 GAA and .941 save%
Injury update: David Krejci (day-to-day)
Tuesday, December 13 vs. New York Islanders
The Islanders are 17-12 on the season and carry a +12 goal differential.
Thursday, December 15 vs. Los Angeles Kings
The Kings are 15-11-5 on the season and carry a -6 goal differential.
Saturday, December 17 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets are 10-15-2 on the season and carry a -31 goal differential.
Monday, December 19 vs. Florida Panthers
The Panthers are 13-12-4 on the season and carry an even goal differential.
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is wavegoodbye) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information
The Bruins' previous week of play saw them play three games, hosting the Lightning, Avalanche and Golden Knights, all at home. The Bruins recorded a 2-0-1 record for the week, losing only to the Golden Knights, who ended the Bruins' 14-game home win streak, which now stands as the NHL record for most home wins in a row by a team to start the season.
Boston started their week with a 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Considering the Lightning were coming into this game having won seven of their last eight games - and were looking for revenge after the Bruins beat them 5-3 in Tampa the week prior - this was a solid win by Boston. The Bruins were carried by the goaltending of Jeremy Swayman, who stopped 27 of the 28 shots he faced. Swayman was filling in for Linus Ullmark, who suffered a UBI in the game prior. The Bruins fired just 25 shots at Andrei Vasilevskiy, but it was enough. They got two goals from Taylor Hall, who had gone pointless in the two games prior.
The second game of the week came against another tough opponent in the Avalanche. The Bruins mopped the floor with the defending Stanley Cup Champions in this one, landing a 5-1 win in what could be considered somewhat of a statement game for Boston. The Bruins did catch Colorado at a fortuitous time as they have numerous key players out with injuries at the moment, but the Avalanche have also struggled to get competent goaltending at times this season. The Bruins peppered starter Pavel Francouz with 40 shots and received two-goal efforts from both David Pastrňák and bottom-six forward Trent Frederic. It was Frederic's first two-goal game of his career.
The final game of the week was by far the most intriguing as it involved the Vegas Golden Knights coming to town, a team that is now coached by former Bruins bench boss Bruce Cassidy. The Golden Knights are every bit as complete a team as Boston and came into this game as the top team in the Western Conference, making this a matchup between the two conference leaders in terms of overall points. Vegas jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the game, but Boston stormed back and ultimately tied the game on a nice wraparound goal by Taylor Hall. Unfortunately for the Bruins, Vegas ultimately prevailed in a shootout and ended their historic home winning streak. The Bruins still grabbed a point though and got solid play in net again from Jeremy Swayman, who kept them in the game after a rough start.
After three home games this week, Boston will now head out on the road and play three road games, two of which will be against opponents they faced last week.
Injury update: Derek Forbort (IR)
The Avalanche are 13-9-1 on the season and carry a +12 goal differential.
The Coyotes are 7-12-4 on the season and carry a -20 goal differential.
The Golden Knights are 19-7-1 on the season and carry a +23 goal differential.
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is wavegoodbye) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information
The Bruins' previous week of play saw them in action just twice as there was a natural lull in the schedule. They went 1-1 overall (loss to Florida, win over Carolina) and improved to 18-3 on the season. With 36 points, they also sit second in the race for the Presidents' Trophy and lead their division by three points over Toronto.
The Bruins opened their week with a 5-2 loss to Florida, a game which represented only the third time all season a team has scored five goals or more against them this season. Boston gave Jeremy Swayman the start in this game, which was a little surprising considering Florida still possesses a very stacked offense, but there was obviously a desire to split this week's starts between Swayman and Linus Ullmark. Unfortunately, Swayman allowed four goals on 30 shots faced and the Panthers were able to ice the game with an empty net goal. It's the third time in six starts Swayman has ended a game with a sub-.900 save percentage. Boston did put forth a decent effort up front, landing 39 shots, and were able to get goals from key cogs in David Pastrňák and Charlie McAvoy. The Bruins were likely overdue to run into a team with hot shooters and unfortunately, they did just that against Florida on a night when the Bruins' forwards weren't getting much puck luck on their shots. It was a bad loss on the scoreboard, but Boston did carry a lot of the play.
The Bruins' second game of the week came against another tough Eastern Conference opponent in Carolina. This time though the Bruins prevailed, nipping the Canes in OT 3-2, with David Pastrňák scoring the game-winning goal. The Hurricanes smoked Boston in the regular season in 2020-21, beating them handily in all three meetings and out-scoring them 16-1 over those three games. Revenge likely played a role in the comeback win. This game was significant for Boston in that it marked the 12th home win in a row for the Bruins to start the season. The streak set a new NHL record for most home games won in a row to start a season. It was fitting that Linus Ullmark was the starter, as Ullmark played superbly at home once again for Boston and remains a perfect 8-0 while playing in Boston this season. Unfortunately, Ullmark did have to leave the game early with a lower-body injury, but Jeremy Swayman came in and stopped six shots to seal the win.
There wasn't a ton of fantasy news and notes to report on stat-wise this week. David Pastrňák remains the leading scorer and nabbed a goal in both games. David Krejčí also continued his great run, grabbing two more goals against Carolina. He's now scored six goals in five games for Boston and is clearly loving his role alongside David Pastrňák on the de facto second line. Linus Ullmark's injury doesn't seem serious and it's already been reported by head coach Jim Montgomery that Ullmark will be active (as a backup or starter) in the Bruins' Tuesday game against Tampa Bay.
Injury update: Derek Forbort (IR)
The Lightning and Bruins have already played once this season with Boston grabbing a 5-3 win in Tampa. That loss is significant as it represents the Lightning's only loss over their last seven games. The Lightning have outscored opponents 32-23 over their last seven games and are averaging 4.6 goals scored per game over this stretch as well. This will be a tough test for whichever Boston goalie starts, and with the team likely to be cautious with Linus Ullmark, there is a good chance Jeremy Swayman gets the call. Considering how up and down Andrei Vasilevskiy's season has been, the goals in this game could come in bunches. Expect a close, higher-scoring affair and for the stars on both sides to potentially shine for fantasy purposes.
The Bruins have a very tough schedule this week as they'll take on the Avalanche in Boston in their second game of the week. The good news for the Bruins is that they'll be coming in well-rested with three full days off after their game against Tampa Bay. Colorado has started to pick up the pace after a slow start and has won four of their last five games. Avs goalie Alexandar Georgiev has been very impressive of late, allowing just three goals over his last three games and stopping 41 of 42 shots faced in his last outing. Both these teams rank in the top five of the league in terms of goals allowed per game and feature elite goaltending. Expect a closer defensive battle to develop. It's not the greatest matchup to go diving deep down the Boston roster for fantasy purposes, so stick with the elite trio of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrňák when targeting forwards for daily fantasy lineups.
The Bruins finish off the week with another tough Western Conference opponent. Vegas sits atop the Western Conference standings with 35 points and has just six regular-time losses on the season. Like Boston, the Golden Knights have gotten better than expected goaltending this season with Logan Thompson playing well above expectations to this point. Vegas is a disciplined team that has taken the third-fewest penalties in the league to this point and is very strong 5v5, ranking sixth in xGF% (expected goal for percentage) on the season. This game will mark former Bruins Head Coach Bruce Cassidy's first return to Boston, so expect a game with lots of emotion. The Golden Knights have slumped a bit after a hot start, going just 4-4 over their last eight games, but they are 10-1-1 on the road this season.
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is wavegoodbye) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information
The Bruins played three games last week and were a perfect 3-0-0, moving their record to 6-0-0 over the past two weeks. They moved to 17-2-0 on the season and sit first in the Eastern Conference with 34 points. The Bruins have the best record in the entire league, have a 9-1 record over their last 10 games, and have won seven straight games.
The Bruins started off last week well-rested and posted a 4-1 win against the Flyers. The Flyers had started to show signs of regressing even before this loss to Boston, but their goaltending again did them no favors with Carter Hart allowing four goals on 32 shots faced. This was a strange game from Boston for fantasy purposes as they dominated play but neither of their top wingers in David Pastrnak or Brad Marchand got in on the scoring. David Krejčí landed two goals (to break a nine-game goalless drought) and they also got goals from Jake DeBrusk and Tomáš Nosek. The team got the win, as they should have, but the Bruins' studs were fantasy disappointments for a night.
The second game of the week came against the Blackhawks. The Bruins were again at home and again dominated a weaker opponent. The 6-1 win against the Blackhawks saw the Bruins fire 43 shots on net against a helpless Petr Mrázek, while also limiting Chicago to just 18 shots on net. Chicago came in ranked second to last in goals per game on the season while Boston continues to lead the NHL at 4.2 goals scored per game. This one played out as expected and Boston even got good news on the injury front as Jeremy Swayman was able to return. Swayman made his first start since November 1 and grabbed his third win on the season.
The last game of the week was Boston's toughest as it came on the road against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning have been one of the more effective offenses in the league, ranking out ninth in goals per game this season, and they were able to manage 35 shots on net and three goals against Linus Ullmark - who gave up more than two goals for the first time in six starts. However, Andrei Vasilevskiy continued his struggles for Tampa Bay, allowing an uncharacteristic five goals on just 29 shots faced. Boston got goals from both David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand and also received multi-point efforts from Charlie McAvoy (two assists) and David Krejčí (1 goal, 1 assist), who scored for the third game in a row.
Despite the three wins, the Bruins' big three forwards (Pastrnak, Bergeron and Marchand) had a slower week for fantasy purposes. David Krejčí was undoubtedly the star for Boston this week, landing four goals and five points. His role as the second-line center, where he's been playing next to David Pastrnak, means he'll continue to carry good offensive upside going forward and remains a solid value for daily fantasy purposes on DraftKings.
Injury update: Derek Forbort (IR)
The Bruins have just two games on the schedule this week, but both matchups pit them against two of the strongest teams in the Eastern Conference.
Despite struggling out of the gate with a 9-8-2 record, the Florida Panthers are still a team that deserves a ton of respect as they enter this contest ranked fourth in xGF% (Expected Goals For %) and have been one of the best teams at creating chances at even strength. The Panthers' main issues of late have been in net, where Sergei Bobrovsky and Spencer Knight have now allowed 16 goals over their last three games combined.
Considering Boston is nearly at full health and comes in with the third-best power play in the league, this will be a tough spot for the Florida goalies to turn things around. The Panthers rank just 22nd in penalty-kill efficiency, making this a great spot for the Bruins' top six forwards to put up big nights. With Florida working through some things defensively, don't shy away from stacking the Bruins' big guns in your season-long or daily fantasy lineups on DraftKings.
The Hurricanes come into this week with a 10-5-5 record on the season and will represent the Bruins' toughest opponent over the last couple of weeks. Carolina ranks second in the Metropolitan Division (behind the surging Devils) and also ranks second overall in xGF%. The Hurricanes are a deep team but have yet to click on all cylinders this season. Their special teams have especially lagged and they come in ranked second to last in power-play efficiency.
One thing the Hurricanes are good at is limiting opposing team chances. They've allowed the fewest quality scoring chances in the league this season and the sixth-fewest high-danger chances. With Boston likely to start Linus Ullmark in this spot, who has a .947 save percentage in eight home starts this season, expect a low-scoring defensive battle.
The Hurricanes dominated this matchup last season, outscoring the Bruins 16-1 in three regular-season meetings. They also ousted them in last season's playoffs, winning a closely fought first-round series in seven games. Boston should be up for this game, but with Carolina's defense being so tough to navigate, it could be a slow night for the Bruins' studs in fantasy.
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is wavegoodbye) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information
The Bruins played three games last week and were a perfect 3-0-0. They moved to 14-2-0 on the season and sit first in the Eastern Conference with 28 points. The Bruins have the best record in the entire league.
The week started off with a 3-1 win over the struggling Calgary Flames. The Bruins only fired 27 shots on net as Calgary gave them a good effort but ultimately could not solve the Boston goaltending. Linus Ullmark stopped 31 of the 32 shots he faced and remained perfect at home. This game marked the return of Charlie McAvoy to the lineup, who promptly scored a goal in his return. McAvoy led all Bruins defensemen in minutes played last season and now joins Hampus Lindholm on the backend, who has already made some great returns for the club and is second in points scored on the team.
The second game of the week came against Buffalo on the road. The Bruins won yet another close affair, ultimately taking the game 3-1. Backup Keith Kinkaid (who was called up last week when Jeremy Swayman went on IR) stopped 30 of 31 shots faced against what has been a very good Buffalo offense to this point in the season. With two of the best offenses in the league facing off against each other, it was surprising that the defenses held up so well. Boston ultimately got two goals from Patrice Bergeron (and two assists from Brad Marchand) in the win and once again it was the Bruins' top six forwards who sealed the victory and carried their offense.
The Bruins' last win of the week came against the Canucks at home. Vancouver entered this game as part of a longer Eastern Conference road trip and had played in Toronto the night before (losing 3-2). Their tired legs were likely a factor here but they were also just outmatched by Boston in pretty much every facet. The Bruins scored five times and romped to a 5-2 win with Linus Ullmark picking up yet another win and moving to 11-1 on the season. The Bruins got balanced scoring this time with goals from Pavel Zacha and Tomáš Nosek to round out their offense.
Injury update: Derek Forbort (IR), Jeremy Swayman (IR)
The Bruins still enter this week with a couple of key players on IR. Jeremy Swayman is out indefinitely while Derek Forbort has been placed on long-term IR with a timeline of 4-6 weeks for recovery. The Bruins got a positive injury outcome last week when Charlie McAvoy was taken off IR and returned to the lineup.
The Bruins come into this home game with the Flyers off a full four-day rest period. The Flyers have been one of the more surprising teams in the league this season but they have shown some signs of regression of late. Three losses in a row have seen them allow 14 goals over their last three games and starter Carter Hart - who has carried the team for the most part - has now posted a sub-.900 save percentage in two straight games as well. The Bruins' dominance at home makes this a perfect time to target their studs in fantasy but you can also look down their lineup to players like Pavel Zacha and Tomas Nosek in this game. Philadelphia's goaltenders have picked a poor time to go in the tank and a rested Boston squad should find lots of offense in this one.
The Bruins stay at home for one more game this week as they'll see the Blackhawks come to town. This is another opponent who Boston should dominate. Chicago has actually been fairly proficient on the defensive side this season, allowing just 3.0 goals per game. The Blackhawks have only allowed more than three goals once in their last six games. Their offense has been pitiful this season, however, as they come in averaging just 2.5 goals per game, which ranks second to last in the league. Chicago is also just 2-3-2 on the road and both of those wins came against weaker Western Conference teams in the Ducks and Sharks. The Blackhawks will attempt to make this a tighter game, but this is another solid spot for Boston's stars to shine against a weaker defense and a goaltending crew that has played over its head to this point. Potentially look for Keith Kinkaid to get the start in this game as well with Tampa Bay up next.
This will be the game of the week for the Bruins and a great test to see where they are at. The Lightning sit in third place in the Atlantic Division with an 8-6-1 record but have been one of the best home teams in the league the last few seasons. This season they've posted a 4-2-1 home record to date, but it's worth noting that each of those losses came by a single goal. Tampa Bay has been a bit uncharacteristically lax on the defensive side this season and sits just league average in shots against and goals against per game. Their offense has been showing more upside of late and has scored four or more goals in four of their last seven starts.
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is wavegoodbye) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information
The Bruins' last week was a busy one, with four games on the schedule. They were on the road for the first three and then ended the week with a single home game. The biggest lineup news was the injuries suffered by goaltender Jeremy Swayman and defenseman Derek Forbort, who have both been placed on IR and are now out for multiple weeks. Boston also recalled Keith Kinkaid to fill in as a backup until Swayman returns.
The Bruins kicked off their play last week with a thrilling 6-5 OT win over the rival Penguins. Boston got down early in that game but bounced back with two unanswered goals in the third period to force OT. Six different Bruins scored goals in the game and defenseman Hampus Lindholm was the only Bruins player to score more than one point, as the defenseman had a career night with a goal and three assists. Lindholm has been integral to the Bruins' early success in the absence of Charlie Coyle (IR). Jeremy Swayman (who was relieving Linus Ullmark in this game) suffered an injury after stopping four shots and was placed on IR recently. He's been described as week-to-week by the club.
Boston's next game involved a matchup with the Rangers and what was likely one of their most satisfying wins of the season. Boston scored four times on reigning Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin and added an empty net goal to win by three. Hampus Lindholm again scored multiple points (1g, 1a) and the Bruins again used a balanced attack with five different players scoring goals.
The Bruins' next game was against the Maple Leafs and it saw them suffer only their second loss of the season. The Bruins' offense went somewhat dry in this game as they only managed 21 shots on net. Brad Marchand got the only Boston goal, his fourth in five games played. This was Boston's third game in five days, so fatigue could have been an issue.
Boston bounced back quickly from that loss though with a solid 3-1 win against the struggling St. Louis Blues. Boston remains a perfect 7-0 in home games on the season and fired 37 shots at Blues G Jordan Binnington. Linus Ullmark only allowed one goal on 28 shots faced and also moved his record to 7-0 in home games. This past week involved four games in a short span and the end of a very long road trip, so to come out of it with a 3-1 record was a very positive outcome for the club.
Injury update: Charlie McAvoy (IR), Derek Forbort (IR), Jeremy Swayman (IR)
The Flames still rate out as a solid team but come into this week in a bit of a slump. Calgary has now lost five games in a row and will be taking on an extremely tough Devils team this Tuesday. This game against Boston will also mark the third game in four nights for the Flames, who have not gotten the same kind of goaltending from Jacob Markstrom that they did last season. Markstrom's save percentage on the season is now under .900, so the Flames' offense will have to carry them if they want to upset the Bruins. Given how well Linus Ullmark has played at home, that will be a tough ask.
Boston's forwards are in good shape for some big fantasy performances this week, and it starts in this matchup against the Flames, who have yet to show the same kind of form on defense, or in net, that they did last season.
In years past this would have been a complete mismatch with a Bruins romp being the most likely outcome. The Sabres have gotten off to a surprisingly fast start, though, and carry a 7-5 record into this week. Buffalo's offense has been carrying them as they're currently averaging 4.1 goals per game, which is tied with Boston for best in the league. This game certainly has shootout written all over it as the Bruins goalies haven't been as stellar away from Boston this season. The Sabres have shown some signs of regression, as their goalies have allowed five goals or more in each of their last two games.
Of note is the Bruins' incredible record against the Sabres. The Bruins are now 16-1 against Buffalo over their last 17 meetings - with Boston having scored four or more goals in each of the last eight meetings between these two teams. It doesn't get much better than this for the Bruins' forwards in fantasy.
The week ends with the Bruins welcoming another weaker Western conference team to Boston. The Canucks rank fourth-worst in goals against this season and are also dead last in penalty-kill percentage. The Canucks' offense has some pop, as they've averaged 3.4 goals for per game this season, but the team carries just a 3-6-3 record.
This could be a spot for the Bruins to give new backup Keith Kinkaid a start, and the Bruins' goalie rotation (to see when they give Linus Ullmark a rest) will be something to keep an eye on this week. Regardless, this is another must-start for the Bruins' top players. Consider stacking players like Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak together on DraftKings for fantasy purposes.
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is wavegoodbye) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information
The Bruins went a perfect 3-0 last week, picking up wins vs. the Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, and Columbus Blue Jackets. This was a solid week if you are a Boston fan, or just have a lot of the Bruins in your fantasy lineups, as they not only went undefeated but also got Brad Marchand back in the lineup earlier than expected. The only sour note was the fact that oft-injured center David Krejci was placed on IR with an upper-body injury.
The win over the Stars was a great tone-setter for the Bruins. Boston was again at home for this game and hosting a Dallas team who was coming off its first loss of the season. Both of these teams have been great at limiting shots and scoring chances through the first couple of weeks, and also feature goaltenders who are among the league leaders in save percentage and GAA. Ultimately though, it was Linus Ullmark who outdueled Jake Oettinger. Ullmark won his fifth game of the season against Dallas, stopping 31 of 30 shots, and the Bruins' top six forwards did all the damage with Taylor Hall, David Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron all scoring.
The next meeting for Boston was also at home, but this time against a more average team in the Detroit Red Wings. Despite Detroit starting the season well with a couple of early wins, this team is simply not on the level of the Bruins in terms of creating chances. Boston outshot Detroit 33-29, got two goals from Brad Marchand (who made a surprise early return to the lineup), and also saw Jeremy Swayman grab his first win of the season. It was about as perfect a game as you could hope for from a Boston standpoint. The Bruins' last win came in a similar dominating fashion. Boston started off its road trip in what could have been an obvious letdown spot, but took care of business and handed the Columbus Blue Jackets a 4-0 defeat. David Pastrnak put together his fourth multiple-point effort in a row, landing a goal and an assist. He also moved into second in the Art Ross race for the most points scored on the season. The win was significant as it marked Linus Ullmark's second road win and his first shutout of the season. Ullmark is among the league leaders in save percentage and has been a huge part of Boston's early season success.
Top Goal Scorer: David Pastrnak, 7 goals Top Point Getter: David Pastrnak (17 pts - Patrice Bergeron is second with 9 pts) Top Goalie: Linus Ullmark - 6 games started (6-0-0, 1.70 GAA and .945 save%)
Injury update: Charlie McAvoy (IR), David Krejci (IR)
The Penguins should be a good test for the Bruins. Pittsburgh ranks seventh in xGF% (expected goals for percentage) and is generally just as strong as Boston at creating chances at 5v5. The Bruins have been the clear better team on special teams and in net, though, as Pittsburgh is trending in the bottom 10 in the league on the penalty kill. The Penguins have also been in a funk of late on offense and scored just three times in their last three games (all losses). The Penguins' offense could surprise and make this a higher-scoring affair, but Boston is getting Pittsburgh in a deep slump, which makes this a good setup for their best forwards to put down big fantasy games.
This is a matchup between two of the best teams in the Eastern conference. Despite enduring a four-game losing streak already, the Rangers have looked like a dangerous team and have been an explosive offense at times. They'll be at home in this game and in a good spot to take advantage of a potentially tired Boston squad that will be playing the third game of a road trip. Igor Shesterkin is never an easy matchup for opposing forwards, so for fantasy purposes don't be shocked if this is the game where Pastrnak and some of the other top-six forwards finally put up some disappointing fantasy lines.
Luckily for the Bruins, they have a good bounce-back spot this coming Saturday against the now-struggling Toronto Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs' experiment in net this season is starting to show some serious cracks as their last three games (all losses) have seen their goalies put up save percentages well under .900. Toronto's hope here is that they can catch Boston on tired legs (on the fourth game of a road trip), however, that may not matter much as the Bruins' netminders are both better than whoever Toronto will be putting out. A higher-scoring affair on a Saturday night game could be on tap and this makes for a good spot to target Boston's bigger names for fantasy purposes.
The Blues are another team that could make for a sneaky good matchup for the Bruins' best forwards. After a solid start to the season, St. Louis has allowed 18 goals over a three-game losing streak and may be starting to regret allowing Ville Husso to walk over the offseason. It's possible the Blues get things turned around by the time Boston comes to town, but they're in the bottom half of the league in xGF% and have major issues in net right now that may not be solvable without some change in personnel. Boston's top players should end the week with some great fantasy output against the Blues.
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is wavegoodbye) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information
The Bruins opened last week with a loss to the Senators. It was a predictable letdown spot as Boston had also played the night before. Jeremy Swayman had a rough outing and allowed six goals on 25 shots before being pulled. Boston's offense made a comeback with David Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron both registering a goal and two assists on the night. The Bruins are still 12-3 against Ottawa in their last 15 games against the Senators, so this series has been a very good one for the Bruins' fantasy hockey prospects on DraftKings.
The Bruins played again on Thursday. This time they were at home against the Anaheim Ducks and both teams were playing their fourth game in six nights. The Ducks had gotten off to a pretty terrible start on the season and were in tough against a Bruins team that was primed to rebound now that they were back at home. Both goalies played extremely well in this game. Linus Ullmark returned as the starter and continued his strong play, stopping 30 of 31 shots faced. John Gibson also played strong for the Ducks as he stopped 35 of 36 shots. Ultimately though, Boston prevailed in a shootout with Taylor Hall netting the winner. Hall had a strong game as he also nabbed the Bruins' only goal in regulation.
The last game of the week featured Boston against the Wild. Once again, The Bruins were at home as they have been for four of their six games on the season. Once again, they were facing a Western Conference team that had struggled to start the season. And once again, the Bruins were resilient at home and squeaked out an extra-time win. Taylor Hall had another big game, landing three points this time, and Linus Ullmark saved 24 of 27 shots faced. Ullmark has now gone 4-0 as a starter with all of his wins coming at home.
Injury update: Charlie McAvoy (IR), Brad Marchand (IR)
The Bruins are back at home once again and again face a team from the Western Conference. Dallas is 4-1-1 on the season and the Stars are coming off a 4-2 loss to Ottawa, which just happened to be their first regulation loss of the season. Boston and Dallas are two of the deeper teams in the league and both rank in the top 10 in penalty-kill percentage. Boston has been stronger at 5v5 though with an expected goal for percentage about 8% higher than Dallas at even strength. Expect a lower-scoring affair that may come down to goaltending. If Linus Ullmark gets the start again, he'll be a great target for fantasy purposes as he's now moved to 4-0 at home with a .929 save percentage on the season.
Boston gets one more game at home this week before heading out on a road trip. The Red Wings have a revamped lineup that has allowed them to profile as a respectable team so far this season. They're 3-0-2 on the season and have yet to lose in regulation. Detroit has really been bolstered by good special teams thus far as they've yet to allow a power-play goal. Don't be shocked if that streak ends against Boston, who certainly carries good firepower up front and has yet to really click on the power play. Detroit added a lot of depth both at forward and on defense, but they're still not creating many scoring chances and rank fifth last in expected goal for percentage.
Look for the Bruins forwards to potentially break through the Red Wings' improved defense and win a lower-scoring affair. This may also be a spot where the Bruins attempt to give Jeremy Swayman another chance after a couple of rough starts to begin his season.
The Bruins finally head out on the road to end their week. They'll start with an easier matchup against the Blue Jackets, who have rebounded nicely after an 0-3 start by winning three of their last four games. Columbus is already allowing 3.9 goals per game and seems likely to end the season once again as one of the weakest defensive teams in the league. Columbus is allowing over 34 shots per night and will be facing a Bruins team who is fourth in shots for at 36.7 per game. The Bruins' top six is in a great spot for fantasy purposes and you could even be looking down the lineup for players like Jake DeBrusk and David Krejci to potentially pop up with good games given the matchup.
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is wavegoodbye) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information
The Bruins have opened their season with three straight wins, grabbing victories against Washington, Phoenix, and Florida to start the season. This was all done while missing multiple key players in the form of Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy, so to say that Bruins fans should be happy is an understatement.
David Pastrnak dominated in the opening win against Washington, posting six shots on net while grabbing four points. If he can get back to the form that allowed him to score at a 0.63 goal-per-game pace between 2018-2020 (86 goals in 136 games) then the Bruins should be able to do better than just keep afloat until reinforcements arrive. Linus Ullmark grabbed the win and made 33 saves on 35 shots faced.
As expected, Boston showed no mercy against the Coyotes in a home matchup. The Bruins came in well-rested after a couple of days off and put up six goals in a 6-3 win. Pavel Zacha stepped up and grabbed three points and his first goal as a Bruin in the win. This was far more of a team effort with both Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron being held scoreless, despite Boston scoring six times. Jeremy Swayman stopped 21 of 24 shots in the win.
The big guns delivered for Boston again against Florida as both Bergeron and Pastrnak scored goals. Winger Jake DeBrusk delivered his best game of the season, grabbing two goals and an assist, and kept the theme of "next man up" for the Bruins. Linus Ullmark again showed extremely well and posted a save percentage of .927 while stopping 38 of 41 shots faced. It's a small sample, but through three games, Ullmark has easily been the Bruins' best goalie.
Injury update: Charlie McAvoy (IR), Brad Marchand (IR), Matt Grzelcyk (out - multiple weeks)
The Bruins will be coming into this game one night after grabbing a heartfelt win off last year's President's Trophy-winning Panthers. The lack of rest will certainly be something they have to overcome and they'll also face a Senators team who will be ready to go after dropping each of their first two games. Ottawa was the darling sleeper pick of many analysts to make some noise in the Eastern Conference but has just three goals to show on the season through two games. The Senators' new acquisitions have been getting chances and they're averaging 32.0 shots on net per game, but have also given up 34.0 shots per game as well.
The Bruins have absolutely owned this series, winning 14 of the last 16 meetings between these squads. The lack of rest the Bruins will be coming in with could lead to an uglier game but with it being still early in the season - and with Boston humming up and down the lineup - expect to see more key production from role players against a Senators team still trying to find itself.
This will be the Bruins' third game in four nights and fourth game in six nights. The good news though is that they'll be at home and playing the Anaheim Ducks, who have gotten off to what can only be called a horrific start to the season. The Ducks were 0-2 to start their Eastern road trip as of writing and were outscored 13-5 in those two games, allowing a hat trick and nine shots on net to the Rangers' Mika Zibanejad on Monday.
The Ducks goalies both have save percentages well under .900% and the team will be playing its fourth game in six nights as well, but will also be on the road. This is a spot for Pastrnak to potentially break away in the team goal-scoring lead.
This sets up as the most interesting game of the week for the Bruins. The Wild were a solid team in 2021-22 but their goalies have been absolutely vaporized through three starts this season, allowing a total of 20 goals in just three games. The Wild lost some key players this offseason and their change in net is not working as planned right now with veteran Marc-Andre Fleury sporting just a .850 save%. Fleury is very familiar with the Bruins from his days in Pittsburgh but the Wild will likely need to score a bundle in this one just to keep up.
With Minnesota allowing over 35.0 shots on net per game and sporting the seventh worst penalty-kill, a more rested Bruins squad should be going off in this one if they can find the energy after a busy first two weeks.
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is wavegoodbye) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information
The Boston Bruins ended last season with a 51-26-5 record that was good for fourth place in the Atlantic Division and sixth overall in the Eastern Conference. The Bruins secured the 6th seed in the playoffs but were eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round in seven games.
The Bruins were a dominant home team last regular season, compiling a 26-12-2 record in Boston. They also played well on the road, going 25-14-3 and posting winning road records in five out of seven months during the regular season.
The Bruins had 10 players who scored 20 or more points last season, with two of those players being defensemen. Charlie McAvoy led the Bruins in average ice time and plus-minus stats last season at +31. He also posted a career-best 66 points in 78 games played.
The team was again led by the trio of Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand, who were the top three scorers on the team.
Boston acquired Hampus Lindholm at the trade deadline last season and gave up a first-round pick in 2022 and two second-round picks to get him. The Bruins also traded second-line center Erik Haula over the offseason to the Devils for forward Pavel Zacha. Zacha is only 25 and has good versatility, as he can play center and wing. He should be a good addition to the Bruins' core and a player they'll be able to move around the lineup if injuries start to pile up.
The team ranked 15th in power-play efficiency at 21% and was 9th in penalty-kill efficiency with an 81% kill rate. For five-on-five, they ranked first in xGF% (expected goals for percentage) as a team.
Injury update: Charlie McAvoy (IR), Brad Marchand (IR), Matt Grzelcyk (out - multiple weeks)
The Bruins will be very shorthanded to begin the season. Both Charlie McAvoy and Brad Marchand played huge minutes at both even strength and on the power play for Boston last season and were the team's leading scorers at their respective positions. With Matt Grzelcyk out for at least a couple of weeks as well, look for Hampus Lindholm to play big minutes in the first couple of months and potentially even lead the league in minutes played in October. He sets up as a must-start if you have him in season-long formats and a good daily fantasy target early on for DraftKings DFS purposes
Defenseman Mike Reilly may even have a little fantasy value early on as he should pick up some second-unit power-play minutes in the short term.
Up front, the Bruins will look to go more balanced than usual. Taylor Hall and Jake Debrusk will move up to skate between Patrice Bergeron while newcomer Pavel Zacha will get to play alongside David Pastrnak and David Krejci. With the addition of Zacha and the emergence of Debrusk last season, the Bruins should still be a somewhat potent offense, although they could see a dip in power-play efficiency with Marchand and McAvoy out.
The Bruins went 2-1 against Washington last year in the regular season. They scored seven times against the Capitals in their first meeting last season, winning 7-3. Both teams will also be missing key players with the Capitals down both Tom Wilson and Nicklas Backstrom to start the season. Washington will also be starting a new goalie in Darcy Kuemper.
Considering these teams combined for 23 goals in just three games against each other last season, this one does have the makings of a higher-scoring affair. Neither team is overly strong in net and both have elite wingers who can break through the team's
weakened defensive core at even strength or on special teams. This is a good place for the Bruins' top six to get off to a strong start. I'd also look at giving starts for DraftKings fantasy hockey purposes to Jake DeBrusk or Pavel Zacha in this spot. Both men should see heightened opportunity with Marchand out.
This is another great spot for the Bruins' offense. The Coyotes again project as a bottom-five team and last season allowed the third most goals and featured a bottom-five penalty-kill. Not much has changed for the Coyotes, who will be playing in what is essentially a college-level arena this season. They'll also be without arguably their best defender for this game in Jakob Chychrun.
This will be a great spot on DraftKings for whoever starts in net, as the Bruins are well-positioned to pick up an easy win and potentially even push for a shutout. Both Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman were excellent on the road last season, with Swayman posting an elite .924 save percentage in 22 road appearances. They split appearances (41 starts each) in 2021-22 and will likely project towards some kind of timeshare once again.
This will be the Bruins' first serious test of the season and a spot where their injured defensive core will be pushed to the limit. The Panthers led the league in shots for and goals for and also featured a top-five power-play unit. They have made some big changes this offseason, adding Matthew Tkachuk while also saying goodbye to Jonathan Huberdeau and trade deadline acquisition Claude Giroux.
This could be a spot for the Bruins to jump on the Panthers as their new acquisitions go through an early season adjustment period. However, you'll still want to avoid using the Bruins' goalies in this game on DraftKings unless absolutely desperate. Expect a shootout.
Get closer to the on-ice action and feel like you're inside the glass with DraftKings daily fantasy hockey! Draft your lineup of eight skaters and a goalie while staying within the salary cap. When they make plays on the ice, your points add up. Scoring categories include goals, assists, shots on goal and more. Goalies get points for saves, wins and shutouts. Score enough points and you'll win cash prizes - even if you don't finish in first place. And when the contest is all over, you can play with a brand-new team. Sign up today and play daily fantasy hockey on DraftKings!
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is wavegoodbye) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information
