Can Bruins Make It To The Stanley Cup

Coming off their first Stanley Cup championship in nearly 40 years, the Boston Bruins will seek to defend The Cup in 2011-12, and will face the unfamiliar challenge of being the team to beat. Champions always have the proverbial “bulls-eye” on their back, drawing every opponent’s best effort in the year following a win.

Defenseman Brad Marchand was a key player in the Bruins’ playoff run but remains unsigned for next year. Whether to keep him will be an important consideration for Bruins management this offseason. Veteran Marc Savard was a big presence on the team for several years but played only 38 games last year after severe concussions sidelined him. Whether he chooses to come back or retire is another decision that will affect the Bruins next year.

With the team’s core of players like Zdeno Chara, Milan Lucic, and Patrice Bergeron in place for next year, the major pieces will remain. Of course, the biggest enabler of the Stanley Cup run was the hot hand of goalie Tim Thomas, who set a record for total playoff saves last year. Whether Thomas can get hot again next spring could be the ultimate determinant of whether the Bruins can repeat.