The Bruins took a step back last season and missed the playoffs, but whether that was a down year or a trend for the Bruins is yet to be seen.
The Atlantic division of the NHL looks to be a competitive division this coming year, with a mix of contenders, teams who are on the rise, and teams looking to bounce back. Boston falls into the latter. After Bergeron and Krejci retired, and a lengthy public negotiation with Jeremy Swayman, the Bruins had a down year, ultimately missing the playoffs and trading away Brandon Carlo to the Leafs and Brad Marchand to the Panthers, who then went on to win the Stanley Cup.