Boston Bruins clinch NHL playoff spot: How did they improve so quickly?

The Boston Bruins have qualified for the playoffs. They have executed a swift turnaround after finishing No. 28 in 2024-25, a catastrophic season in which they traded captain Brad Marchand as part of a deadline teardown.Here’s how they completed their 180-degree turn:1. Jeremy Swayman regressed to his previous standard. In 2023-24, Swayman reached a career peak. He was the No. 1 star of the Bruins’ first-round triumph over the Toronto Maple Leafs. He nearly carried the Bruins past the Florida Panthers, the eventual Stanley Cup champions, in Round 2.Things turned quickly for Swayman.Advertisement