from Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe,

Their COVID-19 issues seemingly behind them (fingers, masks, and test kits crossed) and a roster free of significant injuries, the Bruins arrived in San Jose, Calif., Friday night “as healthy as we’ve been all year” in the words of coach Bruce Cassidy.

Now, with only three weeks to go before the NHL’s March 21 trade deadline, the question remains if that lineup full of good health is enough to be a strong Stanley Cup contender.

Answer: Probably not.

Which is also to say the Bruins are a lot like every other team not based in Florida. Nitpicks aside, from here it looks like the Panthers and Lightning have the best shot at winning, along with maybe the Avalanche.

It would be easier to get excited about the Avalanche if they, like the Sharks so often did in the Joe Thornton-Patrick Marleau era, didn’t so often fall short of expectations in recent years. True, past record doesn’t predict future performance, but tell that to Sharks fans, who this spring might see Jumbo Joe finally hoist the Cup, as an extra with the Panthers.

continued plus more hockey topics...