Bruins’ dream seeding, matchup scenarios for 2026 NHL Playoffs

The Boston Bruins have had a surprising season to this point and they find themselves in the playoff structure with 14 games to go in the regular season. That may seem encouraging, but they are one or two losses away from being out of the playoffs because they are right on the edge. They currently sit in the first Wild Card spot — the seventh of eight playoff teams — but they are tied with eighth-seeded Detroit Red Wings and one point ahead of the surging Columbus Blue Jackets.

The good news is that first-year head coach Marco Sturm has turned around a team that finished in last place in the Atlantic Division last year. The Bruins have played sensational hockey at home, recently building a 13-game home winning streak that recently came to an end against Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks. They have a core of three key stars in David Pastrnak, defenseman Charlie McAvoy and goalie Jeremy Swayman that have helped the Bruins return to respectability.

The problem for this team is its ability to finish off road games. They had a 5-1 lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning in their Feb. 1 outdoor game at Raymond James Stadium and lost in a shootout. Since then, they are 1-2-4 in their ensuing road games. They have regularly turned early leads into disappointing finishes, and that’s a bad sign for a team with eight more road games, including a four-game road trip in early April. That has to change if the Bruins are going to be a playoff team this season.

Bruins have ability to determine their own fate

While the Bruins are teetering on the edge of the playoffs after their Tuesday night 3-2 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens, they are just four points out of second place in the Atlantic Division. It seems that catching the Lightning would be a pipe dream based on the way Tampa Bay played until the Olympic break, but Tampa Bay is 3-7-0 in its last 10 games. Lightning head coach Jon Cooper is searching for answers as a result.

The dream scenario right now would have the Bruins going on a hot streak, passing Montreal and Tampa Bay in the Atlantic Division and finishing in second place in the Atlantic Division. That would give them home ice advantage in their opening round postseason series, and the best opponent would appear to be the Canadiens in that scenario.

The ability to win games on the road is in question at the moment, and that ideal scenario seems out of reach at the moment. The best scenario with a more realistic viewpoint is holding on to the No. 7 seed. That would put the Bruins in the playoffs against the Buffalo Sabres (90 points), who lead the Atlantic Division by four points over the Lightning.

The Sabres have the same number of points as the Metropolitan Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes, but they are currently the No. 2 team in the conference because Carolina has a game in hand. The Sabres have risen from the depths and the dregs of the NHL and are on track to make the playoffs for the first time since 2011.

They have become a battleship team this season as they are led by high-scoring Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch, but once they get to the playoffs, their regular-season accomplishments will be forgotten.

Bruins could take advantage of favored Sabres

They would go into their opening-round series against the Bruins as the favorites and the pressure would be intense. The Bruins would be looking for the experienced Pastrnak, McAvoy, Pavel Zacha and Swayman to lead the team as they return to the playoffs after a one-year absence.

The Sabres might come out flying for the opening period in Game 1 of the series, but Sturm knows how to prepare his team for the big moment. The Bruins know how to withstand an early surge and stay in the game without panicking.

Finding a way to win one of the first two games in Buffalo would likely be enough to push the Sabres to the edge. Head coach Lindy Ruff would have a difficult time keeping the Sabres from thinking that their brilliant regular season was turning into a memory.

Coming home with a split in Buffalo would light a fuse under the Bruins and they could win the next two games at the TD Garden. That would give the Bruins three opportunities (if needed) to finish off the series.

Facing the Sabres seems like a daunting task, but other than rising to second place and home-ice advantage in the first round, it is the ideal postseason scenario for the hopeful Bruins.

The pressure would be on the Sabres and the Bruins have the weapons to heap even more on them and create a first-round upset.

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