Every season one Boston Bruins player is given the seventh man of the year award. The honor is given to the player who has performed above and beyond expectations. Like in years past it will not be an easy vote for fans. This season the Bruins have dealt with a tremendous amount of adversity but have one of the league’s best records. As they have been hit with endless injuries this team still finds ways to win. With the announcement only weeks away it is time to look at this year’s candidates.
Jaroslav Halak- GAA 2.31, SV% .924
When the Bruins signed Halak in the offseason the move was not met with much excitement. Halak was coming off the worst season of his career and replacing Anton Khodobin who had a career year. So far this season he’s been better than Khodobin and surpassed all expectations. Halak has not just been good but at times Vezina-worthy.
In 36 games Halak has 20 wins including four shutouts. He currently has the sixth-best save percentage and seventh-lowest goals-against average. When Tuukka Rask struggled early on, Halak carried this team until Rask found his groove. In what has been a special regular season Halak has been among the NHL’s best for stretches of time.
Chris Wagner- 12 Goals, 6 Assists
Chris Wagner had never been an offensive force. His career high for goals was six and points fifteen. But through 70 games this season he already has career-highs in both categories. In less than a full season, he has not only become a fan favorite but surpassed all expectations.
When the Bruins to a two-year deal with Wagner he was seen as a fourth line addition. So far this season he has been much more than a physical presence and at times an offensive spark. He has had a knack for coming through in the clutch especially when David Pastrnak was injured. The Walpole native has unexpectedly been essential to this team’s success.
David Krejci- 19 Goals, 45 Assists
While the Bruins had many surprises this season, few have been better than the play of Krejci. The former second-round pick has never been known as an iron man, but he has appeared in every game this season. After battling injuries and inconsistency the last two seasons Krejci has reminded fans how valuable he is.
Through 73 games, Krejci is having a career year with 19 goals and 44 assists. With eight games remaining he only needs seven more assists to set a new career high. What makes his statistics impressive is that his linemates have constantly been changing. As the Bruins have battled injuries Krejci, has averaged 0.87 points a game which is the third highest in of his career. In a season full of uncertainty, Krejci has been the one constant.
Sean Kuraly- 8 Goals, 13 Assists
Over the past two seasons, Kuraly has become a fan favorite. This season he has taken his offensive game to a new level. Just like Wagner he has set career-highs in every offensive category. He has not just been a physical presence but made the Bruins fourth line a strength. What makes his play so impressive is how he has improved as the season has progressed.
At the start of the season, Kuraly saw action on the third line. That experiment failed as Kuraly struggled offensively. However, he hasn’t let that slow start define his season. That was evident against New Jersey as his two-goal effort marked his first multi-goal performance since the 2017 playoffs. Although the Kuraly will miss the next four weeks due to injury, he has taken significant steps forward and surpassed all expectations.
Final Thoughts:
While all these players are deserving, Chris Wagner has had the most impressive season. When Sweeney signed the Walpole native, it was seen as a depth move. The Bruins had missed out on John Tavares and Ilya Kovalchuk who were the biggest prizes in free agency. An offseason that started out with high expectations did not inspire much excitement. Wagner, however, has been anything but average.
The former Islander has not only set career highs but comes through in the clutch. Wagner has scored the game-tying goal three times this season twice which came in the third period. In all those games the Bruins either won or lost in the shootout. For a signing that was seen as just a depth move Wagner has not only surpassed expectations but shattered them.
