The Maple Leafs are facing a Chara-less Boston Bruins squad for the first time and the Bruins are looking at, for the first time, not having their captain in their lineup and what the future on their backend will look like. He has been remarkably healthy playing 77, 48, 79, 81, 80, 80, 77 over the past 7 seasons; incredible considering the robust style he plays.

Boston has made some moves based on fit (Kessel, Seguin) or money (Iginla, Boychuk) and were able to get away with it for a time and seemingly could let elite players, former elite players, or top pairing defenceman go and have no penalty based on the strength of their cup winning core. That theory is going to tested over the next 4-6 weeks.

While Chara doesn’t even look like the player he was a year ago—he is visibly getting slower and is getting caught making more and more mistakes—he is still a massive part, and the captain, of the Boston Bruins.

Phil Kessel is licking his chops at facing a struggling Boston Bruins squad (4-5-0) and a not-mutually-exclusive struggling Tukka Rask (2.91GAA, .880%). It’s not out of the question that the Maple Leafs could be seeing backup goalie, Niklas Svedberg, who has a searing .951% save percentage and 1.57GAA.

Regardless, this is not the same team that the Maple Leafs used to fear and who had a psychological stranglehold on them over a few seasons of regular seasons beatdowns and, of course, ‘Game 7’. There’s a changing of the guard happening in the East and Boston isn’t trending upwards.

There’s been a dearth of Maple Leafs news, but that is sure to change today and tomorrow.

Friday Links:

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR