Updated Bruins first-round matchup, playoff opponent scenarios originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Bruins are the favorites to win the Stanley Cup amid a historic 2022-23 regular season that includes an NHL record 63 victories.
Boston has been the best team in the league for nearly the entire season and, as a result of winning the Presidents’ Trophy, will have home ice advantage throughout the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Bruins’ historic turnaround in less than a year has been extraordinary
But we still don’t know which team will play the Bruins in the first round. However, we do know the Bruins will square off against the second wild card team in the Eastern Conference.
Four teams are still in the mix for that second wild card berth.
Here are the remaining schedules for these four teams.
The Sabers would likely be the easiest first-round matchup for the Bruins. They have less depth, less high-end talent and less playoff experience than the other three teams. However, the Sabers have the worst odds of securing a wild card spot among these teams.
The toughest Round 1 opponent for the Bruins is probably the New York Islanders. The Islanders play a tough, aggressive style of hockey and have one of the league’s best goaltenders in Ilya Sorokin.
The Bruins know where they’ll be starting the upcoming playoffs. The real question is which team will make its way to TD Garden for Game 1. We’ll find out in the coming days.