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Are the 2023-24 Bruins a playoff team? It comes down to defense.

Jim Montgomery and the Bruins had an embarrassment of riches at their disposal when it came to assembling their 2022-23 lineup.

Few teams had the depth available to slot a former Hart Trophy winner like Taylor Hall onto their third line, while the shift of 60-goal scorer David Pastrnak away from his usual cohorts of Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand made life miserable for opponents trying to slow down Boston’s top-six unit.

The 2023-24 Bruins still boast plenty of high-end talent up front, especially on the wing.

But amid the uncertainty at center following Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci’s retirements — coupled with depth sapped across the forward corps following a summer of trades and free-agent departures — Brandon Carlo stated the obvious on Tuesday.