After finishing 5th worst overall a season ago, trading icon Brad Marchand, there was no signal of a rebuild in Beantown. Instead, the classic method of retool was chosen, and it’s worked wonders for the Bruins in the short term.

With a win over the Edmonton Oilers tonight, the Bruins would be first place in the division again.

New head coach Marco Sturm has a bought-in group that is willing to grind down their opponents. Heading into tonight’s game, Boston has won five of their last six games, including a 4-1 victory over the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday.

“I think as a team, I think we’ve really found an identity,” Casey Mittelstadt, who noticed a third period goal, said post-game. “Marco’s come in firm and strong on that. I think the way he wants to play fits the personnel we have as well.”

The Bruins don’t have to do any travelling before Christmas. Tonight is their second of a five-game homestand, where they look to capitalize as one of the league’s best home teams with a 12-5 record at TD Garden.

“We try to wear them down. The system we’re playing, when everybody is on the same page, it’s not easy to play against,” David Pastrňák said. “We just try to be patient, wait for our opportunities and sometimes it works out in the third. That’s a perfect example today.”

Geeking out

Although the strangling Sturm system is what’s preached, that doesn’t mean the Bruins aren’t scoring goals – quite the contrary. They’ve scored the fifth most goals across the league with 113 (before Wednesday games).

Morgan Geekie has been the revelation of the season across the NHL, sitting second in goals with 24 on the year, only bested by Nathan MacKinnon.

The 27-year-old was a buy-low option for the Bruins in the summer of 2023. He couldn’t get his footing in Seattle after being claimed in the expansion draft, and Boston took a gamble believing there was a player there.

There sure was, and following career highs in goals (33) and points (57), Geekie inked a six-year extension worth $33-million. He’s proving last season was not a flash in the pan, while the Bruins are getting a team-friendly contract that harkens back to the days of Patrice Bergeron.

Following another pair of goals against the Mammoth, Geekie is on pace to smash last year’s career highs, with 24 goals and 37 points at the moment. For a guy drafted in 2017 in the 3rd round, a quarter of his career goals have come this season alone.

Paired with David Pastrňák and Elias Lindholm, they’re a legit NHL first line that can punish the opposition.

Jeremy’s the man

Boston’s return to form dovetails with the improved play of goaltender Jeremy Swayman.

Whether it was the holdout to miss training camp last season, or the expectations of living up to the $62.5 million contract, Swayman disappointed Bruins’ fans after the controversy, posting a sub-900 save percentage for the first time of his career.

Remember, the Bruins dealt Linus Ullmark, who’d won the Vezina Trophy with them, to the Ottawa Senators in anticipation of giving Swayman the reins.

His numbers are back to where the brass expect, with a 2.74 goals against average and a .909 save percentage. Not only that, but his Goals Saved Above Expected rate him as one of the best goalies in the league right now at 18.4, third overall behind only Logan Thompson and Iyla Sorokin.

Swayman has stabilized and the Bruins are winning more games. One would have to think that despite a crowded Team USA crease, Swayman is gunning for that third spot behind Connor Hellebuyck and Jake Oettinger.

Manufacturing success

Despite a goal share 5-on-5 that is 9th best in the NHL (before Wednesday’s games), with a goal differential of +5, their expected goal share is 5th worst in the league, according to Moneypuck.

That suggests the Bruins may be getting a bit lucky, or are making things happen and manufacturing their luck.

Lines 2-4 aren’t the scariest collection of players, but Pavel Zacha is having another fine season: 8-15–23.

Casey Mittelstadt was unceremoniously dumped by the Colorado Avalanche at the deadline last year after that experiment fizzled. But he’s returned to being a good middle-6 player, with 8-6–14, and on pace to break his career high in goals if he can stay healthy.

Heck, Viktor Arvidsson was producing before his injury with 14 points in 25 games, including three game-winning-goals.

It’s not a sexy collection of names, but they are getting the job done, and many of Sweeney’s gambles have paid off.

Steady

A word on the Bruins defence.

Nikita Zadarov has shouldered the load as Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm have missed games for stretches this year.

There was a time at the start of the decade when McAvoy was seen in the elite tier of NHL defencemen. Injuries and decreased production have hampered these aspirations, as he’s missed 40 games combined the last three seasons.

With that said, he’s still a funnel on the Bruins top powerplay, a group that is operating at 25.5 per cent, top-5 in the NHL. Curiously, he has no goals in 22 games, but has 15 helpers.

Notes

The Bruins claimed defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok off waivers from the Dallas Stars on Tuesday, placing blueliner Jonathan Aspirot (upper body) on injured reserve. Kolyachonok has played 11 games this year.
This is the fifth NHL team for the former 2nd round pick of the Florida Panthers back in 2019. “I’ve been there before, so kind of used to it. Of course, I am very happy to join and can’t wait to get started,” Kolyachonok said after practice.
The IR is getting a little crowded, with Henri Jokiharju, Jordan Harris, Matej Blumel, and Michael Callahan out.
Viktor Arvidsson is listed as day-to-day so could be good to go to play his former team, just like Trent Frederic.
Tanner Jeannot is also day-to-day with illness. One to monitor with Bruins lineups today.
The Jeannot signing blew pundits away in the off-season. A 5-year, $17 million contract, Jeannot is meant to provide more grit and sandpaper to the Bruins game. Also, hopefully to re-kindle his career high of 41 points. This year, he has 14 points, which already makes it one of his best seasons.
Don’t forget that David Pastrňák is one of the nastiest, slickest players in the league. He has nine points (two goals, seven assists) in four games since returning from an undisclosed injury, which caused him to miss five games.
Since 2022-23, he’s collected the fifth most points league-wide, and only MacKinnon and Draisaitl have more goals.
David Pastrňák also surpassed Rick Middleton (402) to become the fifth highest goal scorer in franchise history. Now at 404, he is 18 tucks behind Brad Marchand for fourth. Barring the unforeseen, he will become the Bruins greatest goal scorer one day, as Johnny Bucyk sits at the top with 545.
The west has not been so kind, though, to Beantown. They are 7-7 vs the Western Conference this year.
Don’t get behind! The Bruins are now 15-0-0 this season when leading after two periods.
Also, in a league where everyone is going to overtime, the Bruins don’t very often. But when they do – they are a perfect 6-0 in overtime or shootout games this season.
As we’ve learned, there are many rinks in the Eastern Conference that the Oilers have historically struggled in. Boston is not one of them lately. In the last decade, the Oilers are 8-1 in Boston, and have won five in a row. Their last loss in TD Garden was Oct. 11, 2018.

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