The one-time automatic opponents have not faced each other in the playoffs since the season. While the regular-season matchups are still intense, it lacks something without adding the intensity of postseason games to the mix. While I am positive that this rivalry is not dead, it certainly is on life-support at this juncture. I guess you could make a case for the Pens, but the Bruins have not faced them in the postseason since Tampa Bay? The Lightning have been one of the better teams in the East for the last decade or so.
Boston has faced them twice in the playoffs during that time, but only once in the last five seasons.
And the winner is…the Toronto Maple Leafs. In addition to being in the same division, the Bruins have faced the Leafs three times since in the playoffs. All three series have been absolute barn burners, going seven games with Boston winning each Game 7, one in extremely dramatic fashion.
Toronto is a very talented team that just needs to get over the hump. Toronto has not won a playoff series against Boston since Some might question whether Boston vs. We don't need to tell you that Philly became just the third team in NHL history to rally from a series deficit.
What makes the loss hurt even more for both Bruins players and fans was the first-period lead in Game 7, and the Bruins' all-too-familiar penalty for too many men on the ice that was their ultimate undoing. That same call cost the Bruins in the playoffs against Montreal in The sting of that loss has brought back feelings of hatred for the Flyers as fans look for some payback.
The case for the Maple Leafs as the Bruins' biggest rival is built on familiarity. The teams have built a close association with a couple of franchise-shifting trades. The ball started rolling on June 24, , when the Bruins traded goaltender Andrew Raycroft to Toronto for goalie prospect Tuukka Rask.
Raycroft spent two nondescript seasons in Toronto, compiling a record in 91 games. Rask, on the other hand, emerged as the goalie of the future for the Bruins, even with an otherworldly Tim Thomas relegating him to backup this season.
Three years later came the move that will fuel the rivalry for years to come. On Sept. Kessel, the fifth overall pick in , was coming off a season in which he paced the conference-leading Bruins with 36 goals in 70 games. The winger also had won the Bill Masterson Trophy after his battle with testicular cancer. It seemed as if he would take over the role as Boston's franchise player, something the team sorely needed since the departure of Joe Thornton.
Instead, Kessel returns to the Garden to a chorus of boos. The Leafs' first-round pick in turned out to be No. With the second-round pick from the Leafs No.
They may have another lottery pick from the deal this June. Although the teams have been on opposite ends of the standings, their games have been pretty competitive as five of the past 11 meetings have gone to overtime or a shootout. Although heavily one-sided at the moment Bruins are in their past 14 games versus the Maple Leafs , the rivalry has the makings of a doozy as the players from the draft picks develop.
Rivalries in the NHL can't be manufactured; they are the product of fans and the charged atmosphere they create when the other guys come to town. All three of the teams above bring out the competitiveness of Bruins fans and players. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from.
To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Rangers rivalry. However, rivalries come in all shapes and sizes. I feel absolutely nothing toward the Ducks. There have been a couple of games between these two teams where some sparks flew. I can remember Raffi Torres throwing a cheapshot at someone, and Colin Miller laying out Alexander Burmistrov with a borderline hit, but nothing ever really carried over. The Bruins and Atlanta Thrashers had some decent bouts back in the day, but the fun never really carried over to Winnipeg.
The only source of tension between the Bruins and Avalanche is the fact that one of the best players in Bruins history had to go play for Colorado to win a Cup. Had the Bruins not won in , the Avs angst might be higher.
But at this point, who cares? I am completely indifferent to the New Jersey Devils, which is impressive, given that over the years, the Bruins have seen quite a bit of them due to playing in the same conference. Unlike the Ducks, the Devils and Bruins have faced each other plenty, just This one will likely depend on your age. However, as the main players moved on, things kind of burnt out. Prior to that Final, you felt nothing about the Blues.
Barring another match-up in the Final, any budding rivalry seems destined to fade away. This one benefits from the historical nod too. The Bruins and Stars played two of the wildest games in years in very close proximity, a great way to build a rivalry.
At the same time, a playoff meeting or — more specifically and dramatically — a Stanley Cup meeting is not out of the question. Louis Blues. Yes, Boston and Montreal did meet in those seven finals matchups all-time, though not since To be clear, the last season the Bruins and Canadiens — or any teams from the same conference — could meet in the Stanley Cup Final was But this year is weird and different in so many ways, and the Bruins and Canadiens are both very much on track for the playoffs.
A 14 in 1, chance of seeing a Bruins-Habs final? Not great odds, sure, but not impossible either.
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