Bruins Host Maple Leafs With Playoff Race & Trade Deadline in Mind

The Boston Bruins find themselves in unfamiliar territory. With the NHL trade deadline less than two weeks away, Boston’s front office may be rethinking their usual aggressive approach if the team can’t put together a strong stretch of games.

Tuesday’s matchup against the Atlantic Division-leading Toronto Maple Leafs is the first of six critical games that could determine whether the Bruins go all-in or take a more cautious stance before March 7.

After a 0-2-1 skid, Boston sits one point behind the Eastern Conference playoff cut line, making every game feel like a playoff battle from here on out.

Bruins Face Uphill Battle Amid Injuries & Inconsistency

Injuries have hit the Bruins hard, with top defenseman Hampus Lindholm likely out for the season and Charlie McAvoy also sidelined. But inconsistent play has been just as big of a challenge for Boston, who gave up an early 2-0 deficit against Anaheim before eventually falling 3-2 in overtime on Saturday.

Interim head coach Joe Sacco knows the urgency is high.

“We need to embrace the situation that we’re in as far as playing meaningful games. We’re in a fight right now, and it’s an opportunity for us to make some ground here,” Sacco said.

Veteran forward Elias Lindholm echoed that mindset.

“I think we’ve got to treat every game like a playoff game. There are 24 games left, and we need to win a lot to get in, but we can’t look too far ahead.”

One bright spot for Boston has been Morgan Geekie, who has eight goals in his last 12 games. He was given a look on the first power-play unit at practice Monday, hinting that the Bruins are willing to shake things up to spark more offense.

With a strong 18-9-4 record at home, Boston has been solid at TD Garden, but their road struggles (9-15-3) could be their downfall—especially with 10 of their 14 March games coming away from home.

Toronto Keeps Rolling, Takes Over Division Lead

While Boston has been struggling, Toronto is heating up at the right time. The Maple Leafs leapfrogged the Florida Panthers to take the Atlantic Division lead after back-to-back wins over Carolina (6-3) and Chicago (5-2) this past weekend.

Goaltender Joseph Woll praised the team’s recent performances.

“These last two games have been really strong by us. We grabbed the lead, and I think we did a good job of holding it and keeping to our structure.”

One of the biggest surprises has been Nick Robertson, who broke a nine-game goal drought with two goals against the Blackhawks.

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“We’re just simplifying our game,” Robertson said. “We know our strengths: shooting the puck and playing fast.”

The Leafs also got a huge boost from rookie Alex Steeves, who scored his first NHL goal on Saturday. His effort was enough to earn him another start as coach Craig Berube opted to keep the same lineup for both weekend games.

“He was hard on the forecheck. He plays a simple game. It is direct. That is what I like about it,” Berube said.

Toronto will also get an extra reinforcement, as Connor Dewar is set to return after missing nine games with an upper-body injury.

Final Thoughts: Can the Bruins Make a Statement?

The Bruins are at a crossroads. A win against the division-leading Maple Leafs could give them a much-needed confidence boost and keep them in the playoff conversation. But another loss could push them closer to re-evaluating their approach at the trade deadline.

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Toronto, on the other hand, is riding momentum and will look to solidify their lead atop the Atlantic.

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