The Boston Bruins have a mission during the 2023-24 season. The team that set the NHL regular season record for wins and points last year, is determined to bounce back from the shocking first-round loss that knocked them out of the Stanley Cup playoffs last year.

The Bruins were beaten in 7 games by the upstart Florida Panthers, and their demise came in overtime of the 7th games. Boston head coach Jim Montgomery and his players had to live with that defeat all summer, and the shocking defeat left scars.

In addition to that brutal loss, the Bruins had to contend with the retirement of their top two centers. Future Hall of Famer Patrice Bergeron, a 6-time winner of the Selke Award as the NHL's best defensive forward, decided to call it a career. He was joined on the sidelines by veteran David Krejci, one of the most creative playmakers in the league.

It appeared that both Bergeron and Krejci could have been solid contributors this season if they had decided to play, but neither one felt inclined to line up for the Bruins this season.

As a result of their depressing finish last season and the departure of two of their best players, many expected a huge fall for the Bruins this season. Some thought they might make the playoffs as a Wild Card team, while other more skeptical observers said the Bruins would not even make the playoffs.

Shockingly strong start to the season

Once the season got underway, the Bruins once again showed that they were one of the strongest teams in the league. They started the season by blazing away to a 9-0-1 record, and they continued to pull away from the competition by running off to a 14-1-3 record through their first 18 games.

While they no longer had Bergeron and Krejci to lead the way, the Bruins continued to play exceptional defense and they have been getting clutch scoring from David Pastrnak and new captain Brad Marchand.

Defense has been the greatest strength of the team for more than a decade, going back to the days when Claude Julien served as head coach of the team from 2007 through 2017. When Julien was let go, Bruce Cassidy gave players more offensive freedom but he kept the same defensive system. Montgomery has attempted to enhance the offense further while maintaining the team's defensive strength.

The Bruins have slowed down a bit in December, but they are still in first place in the Atlantic Division with a 19-5-6 record, giving them a 6-point lead over the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs. They are second to the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference, as New York has 45 points.

Pastrnak has driven the offense for the Bruins and is clearly All-Star worthy

When it comes to scoring big goals and making offensive plays, Pastrnak is clearly one of the best players in the league. He has a magnificent shot and he is coming off a season in which he scored a league-leading 61 goals.

There has been no downturn this year, as he is the team's leading scorer with 19 goals and 24 assists in Boston's 30 games. He may have to go on a major hot streak to catch Toronto's Auston Matthews who leads the NHL with 26 goals, but he is certainly capable of doing just that.

Pastrnak has shown an increased capability when it comes to setting up his teammates and taking on the role of playmaker. Instead of looking to shoot the puck in nearly all situations, he is also looking to set up his teammates.

Some of his passes are risky, but there is a more well-rounded pace to his game this season.

Jeremy Swayman continues to play sensational in goal and should be an All-Star

Since defense is the backbone of the Bruins success, it's not a surprise that they have a goaltender who is worthy of being an All-Star. Actually, it is somewhat debatable about which goaltender should be an All-Star because both Swayman and Linus Ullmark are outstanding netminders.

However, Swayman is having a better season than last year's Vezina Trophy winner. Swayman has the third-best goals-against average with a 2.06 mark to this point in the season. He also has a .933 save percentage along with a 9-1-4 won-loss record.

Swayman has an excellent glove and also does a brilliant job of anticipating where the next shot is coming from, and he often makes highlight-film saves that allow the Bruins to quash opposing offenses.

Ullmark has not been as strong, as he has a 2.86 GAA, a .912 save percentage and a 10-4-2 record.