What can you say about the Boston Bruins seven games into their regular season?
It's hard to say a lot because it is still so early in the season, but they are at least looking decent. I'm sure people are disappointed with the way their shootout against the Tampa Bay Lightning went, but here's one observation early in the season that's probably pretty obvious: David Pastrnak is looking good.
Seriously. The Bruins offense has not been very spread out this season. He is leading the team in an insane manner. Through seven games played, he has put up 13 points (8 goals, 5 assists). Both he and Brad Marchand (4 goals, 7 assists) are averaging more than one point per game this season--which is decent.
Offensively, the Bruins are not having the kind of season that one would expect from a team that was one win away from taking home the Stanley Cup this season (at least so far); their 19 goals works out to less than three goals per game (which is still competent), but does not put them in the top of the NHL stats -- which I guess is a letdown because expectations for the team are high.
On the other hand, Jaroslav Halak and Tuukka Rask are crushing it this season, each allowing less than two goals per game. Is it a small sample size? Sure, but they're doing what they need to and it's nice to see Halak was not a one-hit wonder as a backup goaltender, as some are. Maybe he is--and we will find out soon enough--but at least it is working early in the season.
So yeah, the Bruins need more different guys to score goals and they need their goaltenders to keep up the good work. That's gonna be the key this season, if you break it down into simple terms.