Why Bruins’ early struggles vs. top NHL teams is concerning this season

How concerning are Bruins’ struggles vs. top teams early in season? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins are not in a horrible spot in the Eastern Conference and Atlanta Division standings through their first 15 games (9-6-0) of the 2021-22 NHL season.

There is one concern that hasn’t been alleviated. In fact, it’s gotten worse.

The Bruins are having an awful time beating good teams. And it’s not just defeating quality opponents, it’s being competitive with them.

Here’s a look at the top teams the Bruins have played against so far.

• Wed., Oct. 27 at Panthers: 4-1 loss

• Thurs., Oct. 28 at Hurricanes: 3-0 loss

• Sat., Oct. 30 vs. Panthers: 3-2 win (shootout)

• Sat., Nov. 6 at Maple Leafs: 5-2 loss

• Thurs., Nov. 11 vs. Oilers: 5-3 loss

• Sun., Nov. 14 vs. Flames: 4-0 loss

So, the Bruins are 1-5-0 versus these teams, which happen to be all the opponents the Bruins have faced that are currently in a playoff spot. The only victory was a shootout triumph, so it’s hard to be excited about that result. Overall, they’ve been outscored 23-8 in these matchups.

One of the reasons why the Bruins have been such a good regular season team over the last decade is they’ve enjoyed plenty of success beating quality opponents. They often rise to the challenge of proving their worth against one of the top contenders in the league.

So, the Bruins have taken a lot of points from these teams in recent years, and when you combine that with consistently beating the weaker teams, you see why Boston has finished with 100-plus points in each of the last four seasons (including a 106.6-point pace in the shortened 2020-21 season).

Why are this year’s struggles versus good teams such a concern for the Bruins? 

Well, one reason is the Atlantic Division is much tougher. The Panthers have emerged as the top team in the division (and the entire league) and they aren’t going anywhere. They are loaded at…