Here are four reasons for optimism entering this season:
1. Brad Marchand improving heading into a contract year
Marchand, a third-round pick (No. 71) in the 2006 NHL Draft, has gone from playing on the fourth line to the first line, was sixth in the NHL and led the Bruins with a career high 37 goals last season. There's no telling how much more he can improve, but the speedy left wing is in the final season of a four-year, $18 million contract and can become an unrestricted free agent. Marchand will want to increase his stock and the Bruins will benefit from that.
2. Tuukka Rask has room to improve
Rask admits he had a down season in 2015-16. He had a .889 save percentage in October and .874 SV% in April. Despite those rough months, Rask finished the season with a .915 SV% and 2.56 goals-against average in 64 games.
Rask, 29, has a 2.24 GAA in 330 games over nine seasons with the Bruins, so it's easy to envision him getting back to the 2.30 GAA and .922 save percentage he had in 2014-15 in a career high 70 games.
3. David Krejci could come back stronger than ever
Krejci, who was tied with Eriksson for second on the Bruins with 63 points last season, had surgery on his left hip in April and was expected to need five months to recover. He said the hip had been an issue since before the start of the 2014-15 season, but he has 94 points in 119 games since then.
With his hip fixed, the 30-year-old center could become even more of an offensive threat this season.
4. The kids are coming
Though a number of the Bruins' best prospects need time to develop, there are some who could make a push for a roster spot this season.
Forward Frank Vatrano, 22, led the American Hockey League with 36 goals in 36 games with Providence and had 11 points in 39 games with the Bruins. Center Danton Heinen, 21, a fourth-round pick (No. 116) in the 2014 NHL Draft, signed an entry-level contract April 11 after two seasons at the University of Denver and could jump into the mix. The Bruins have seven defensemen signed to a one-way contract, but Brandon Carlo, 19, a second-round pick (No. 37) in 2015 or Matt Grzelcyk, 22, a third-round pick (No. 85) in 2012, will get their chance to earn a spot.