Reigning champion Bruins hit the front in ominous fashion

Not since 1998 has the Stanley Cup been successfully defended and it took an extremely special Detroit Red Wings team to achieve that feat. Although it would be premature to put the 2011 Boston Bruins into the same bracket their form suggests they are capable of a deep playoff run.

They ended the year with a comfortable lead in the Northeast Division, the best defensive record in the league and on the back of going 9-3-0 in December.

Cornerstone of the team would be veteran goaltender Tim Thomas, again putting up the numbers that made him the current holder of the Vezina and Conn Smythe trophies. At 37 years old Thomas continues to defy the ageing process by being so dominant in the net and giving the Bruins a chance to win every game.

Tuukka Rask could lay claim to being the best backup in the league, and could undoubtedly feel a little hard done by that he is only that, he leads the NHL in Goals Against Average and Save Percentage.

Saying Boston’s position at the bottom of the goals against column is down to their goalie would be doing a huge injustice to their stellar defensive core, led of course by team captain Zdeno Chara. The towering Slovak may be their biggest name and has team high ice time but he is accompanied by some understated but extremely dependable D-men like Dennis Seidenberg, Johnny Boychuk and Andrew Ference.

Scoring depth is another luxury the Bruins possess to make them such a force to be reckoned with. Each forward line contains strong two way players who make big contributions at both ends of the ice. Patrice Bergeron is a hockey player that defines their offensive style, perhaps one of the most underrated playmakers in the league, but he’s also a smart and gritty player without the puck.

Bergeron may only put up around 60 points a season rather than 100 like some superstars but when you also have Krejci, Lucic, Horton and Peverley all capable of those numbers you get an idea of their firepower.

Two names not mentioned so far are Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand, who happen to be Boston’s two top point scorers so far this season, both are putting together excellent sophomore seasons and surprising a few in the process.

Seguin in particular had a disappointing rookie year under the pressure of being the second overall pick in the ’10 draft. This time round though his production is much improved and he looks to be the complete offensive player that many thought he would become when he was scouted prior to the draft.

Marchand has developed rapidly since securing his spot on an NHL roster and was a clutch performer in the playoffs. He has managed to carry that form over and unexpectedly leads the team in goals, time will tell if this is a breakout season for the winger but he looks capable of keeping it up.

I’d be shocked if the Bruins didn’t end the season as division champs, which will put them in an excellent position to go far in the playoffs. They certainly have one of the strongest rosters in the league and are now proven winners as well. Expect to see them make the conference finals at the very least.