“High Stakes Finale: How Bruins’ Draft Dreams Could Hang in the Balance Against the Devils”

As the curtain falls on the 2024-25 NHL season, Boston Bruins fans brace themselves for a bittersweet finale this Tuesday night at TD Garden against the New Jersey Devils. Once heralded as a serious contender in the Eastern Conference, the Bruins’ season has veered into the unexpected, placing them at the lower end of the standings. Yet, amidst the disappointment lies a glimmer of hope—for those who believe in the silver linings of a rough season, this final game could hold key implications for the team’s future. With a potential top-five pick in sight, the stakes are higher than ever, as the Bruins might just position themselves for a brighter tomorrow. With a “lose-for-the-best-odds” strategy in play, the outcome of this matchup could set the tone for the franchise, as they hope for a dash of luck in the upcoming draft lottery. Buckle up, it’s going to be an interesting night! LEARN MORE

The 2024-25 NHL season will mercifully come to an end for the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night when they host the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden.

The B’s were expected to be an Eastern Conference contender this season, but instead they have fallen to the bottom tier of the league standings.

The good news for the Bruins is they could have a top-five pick in the upcoming 2025 NHL Draft. Losing their final game to the Devils would help that cause.

In fact, the Bruins would clinch the fourth-worst record in the league and the fourth-best odds to win next month’s 2025 NHL Draft Lottery if they lose to the Devils in regulation on Tuesday.

If that happens, the Bruins would have the following odds in the draft lottery, per Tankathon:

• No. 1 pick: 9.5 percent chance
• No. 2 pick: 9.5 percent
• No. 3 pick: 0.3 percent
• No. 4 pick: 15.4 percent
• No. 5 pick: 44.6 percent
• No. 6 pick: 20.8 percent

A regulation loss Tuesday would give the Bruins a final record of 33-40-9 (75 points). The Devils have nothing to play for, though, so there is no clear incentive for them to try to win this game. They are locked in to third place in the Metropolitan Division and will play the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The two teams above the Bruins in the standings are the Seattle Kraken and Philadelphia Flyers. The Kraken have played 81 games and own a 35-40-6 record (76 points), while the Flyers have played 80 games and own a 33-37-10 record (76 points).

If the Bruins are tied with the Kraken at the end of the season, they will finish below Seattle in the standings (with better lottery odds) due to having fewer regulation wins. If the Bruins are tied with the Flyers at the end of the season, they would finish above Philly (with worse lottery odds) due to having more regulation wins.

The worst-case scenario for the Bruins is finishing with the sixth-worst record. This would require a win over the Devils, a regulation loss by the Kraken in their final game, and the Flyers earning one point (or zero) from their last two matchups.

Getting the best possible lottery odds is the last objective for the Bruins this season as they enter game No. 82. It’s been an awful season for the Original Six franchise, but there could be a reward coming soon depending on how the draft lottery shakes out in May.