(Photo Credit: Peter Joneleit - Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Boston Bruins' all-time adversary is the Montreal Canadiens.
But who is their biggest rival, right now?
Should that distinction even exist?
If the Canadiens are Boston's arch-rival, which they are, shouldn't that ALWAYS be the case - regardless of peaks of valleys?
Could a century of animosity towards Montreal be eclipsed - even temporarily?
You, the fans voted.
Here are the rankings of Boston's biggest rivals RIGHT NOW.
3. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
(Photo Credit: Mark Blinch - NHLI via Getty Images)
The Bruins, and Maple Leafs have long been rivals - but their competitive history has reached new heights over the past decade.
In that span, they've faced-off 4 times in the postseason - each series going 7 games, with Boston victorious.
In 2013, the Bruins, famously, overcame a 4-1 deficit in the 3rd period before winning in overtime.
Three years later, the Maple Leafs drafted, franchise-forward, Auston Matthews - and expectations sky-rocketed.
Unfortunately for Toronto, however, Boston has continued to stand in their way.
The Bruins again ended the Maple Leafs' seasons in 2018, 2019, and most recently 2024 - courtesy of David Pastrnak.
Despite the frequency of recent-playoff matchups, the one-sided nature seems to leave voters with the perception of Toronto being Boston's "little brother" - and potentially why this rivalry ranks 3rd on this list from Bruin fans' perspectives.
2. MONTREAL CANADIENS
(Photo Credit: Fred Kfoury III - Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Montreal not being at the top of this list is shocking.
Now, yes, the rivalry is in a bit of a lull.
It's been a decade since their last postseason meeting in 2014, and ensuing seasons have seen the teams skate in opposite directions.
Boston has had 8 playoff-appearances in the last 10-seasons - Montreal has had 4.
In that span, the Bruins have accumulated a record of 23-11-1 against the Canadiens.
In fact, it's been nearly 5-calendar years since Montreal's last regulation-win against Boston - November 5, 2019.
In addition to Boston's recent dominance over Montreal, the teams just haven't played each other as much over the last 5 years.
The emergence of COVID-19 cancelled the remainder of the 2019-2020 regular-season - and the 2021 season was an abbreviated campaign featuring a unique, divisional realignment.
For nearly 2 years, the Bruins and Canadiens never competed -
(February 12, 2020 - November 14, 2021).
Simultaneously, however, Boston has acquired competitive-hatred for other opponents - potentially, allowing Montreal's rival-status to become vulnerable.
But, still, there are many Bruins fans who believe it shouldn't matter if the Bruins are strong and Montreal is weak - if Boston is struggling, and Montreal is thriving - or if there is growing animosity for other teams - Montreal is their arch-rival, ALWAYS - No matter what.
1. FLORIDA PANTHERS
Here you have it.
The Boston Bruins biggest rival RIGHT NOW - according to you, the fans.
Okay, so clearly, there's recency bias on display- which makes total since, considering the prompt is asking about "right now".
But that was the intrigue in the question - would fans analyze literally, and value the present - or would they value the big picture, and view the present as a glimpse-in-time, unable to surmount history?
The beauty, is that there's no right answer, it's completely subjective.
And it was so much fun, and incredibly rewarding to read all of the conversation among fans - pleading their opinion.
The highest-percentage of votes went to the Florida Panthers.
The defending Stanley Cup Champions have twice ended Boston's season in as many years - once, in particular, in devastating fashion.
As one fan mentioned online, if Toronto's Bostons' little brother, Florida's Bostons' big brother - at least heading into the 2024-2025 season.
The 2022-2023 Bruins currently hold the record for most wins (65), and points (135) in an NHL season. Unfortunately, they're remembered for their 1st-round collapse, and exit at the hands of the Panthers.
Where this series went wrong, and the moments in which it was lost, could be written about for pages - but alas, Boston was eliminated after blowing a 3-1 series lead.
The following postseason, and with significantly less talent, the Bruins admirably fought hard - but were once again eliminated by the Panthers in 6 games.
Florida, at the moment, is the class of the NHL.
Led by Matthew Tkachuck, Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe, Gustav Forsling, Aaron Ekblad, and Sergei Bobrovsky - the Panthers are incredibly deep, highly skilled, and extremely physical. They play with edge, thrive in chaos, and aren't afraid to cross-the-line.
The Bruins, and their fans, have, respectively, experienced this first-hand.
Bennett and Tkachuck, namely, are public enemies in Boston for their style-of-play, and miscellaneous antics.
In Game 3 of their 2024 2nd-round series, the hard-hitting Bennett got away with a cheap-shot on Brad Marchand, forcing the Bruins' captain out of the lineup until Game 6.
In Game 4, rather than serving a suspension, Bennett was the beneficiary of a controversial goal that would help propel Florida to victory.
Apologies for any potential PTSD revisiting this blown call.
As for Tkachuck, he's not only a professional hockey player, he's a professional pot-stirrer as well. He makes a living of putting up points, while antagonizing his opponent as well as anyone in the game today.
But as it pertains to Boston - there's no question that, recently, their most meaningful, emotional, and spirited games have been against the Panthers - and that Florida has taken away a lot from them.
With that in mind, it's understandable why the majority of voters chose them as Boston's biggest rival RIGHT NOW.
Comments