5 Reasons the Boston Bruins Will Make Another Run at the Stanley Cup

With the monstrous return of Sidney Crosby last night to the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup, NHL fans went into a frenzy. The kid was spectacular, particularly considering the fact that it was his first game action since suffering a concussion nearly a year ago.

Fans and analysts alike are shooting the Penguins straight to the top of the power rankings now that Crosby is lacing up the skates again.

This may be a justifiable stance, but here are five reasons why the defending Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins are no team to sleep on up in Boston.

1. Defense Wins Championships

It's the old cliché that has been thrown around for years, but the Bruins validated it last season. Led by a Norris Trophy candidate and a hands-down Vezina Trophy winner, the black and gold proved that defense truly can win championships.

The stereotypical Stanley Cup champion in recent memory has been a little bit different in its mold. Considering the likes of the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Detroit Red Wings, and the Chicago Blackhawks, most of the modern championship teams in the NHL have a perennial all-star as their top-line center and lots of offensive firepower to flank him.

For the 2010-11 Boston Bruins, the equation was quite different. They sent zero forwards to the All-Star Game. They leaned on their two all-stars—defenseman Zdeno Chara and goaltender Tim Thomas—to carry them to the promised land.

Sure, they found the timely goalscoring when they needed it. But when it came down to the biggest moment, it was the defense and Tim Thomas shutting out the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7. A team with a predominantly defensive mindset won the Stanley Cup.

That system remains intact. Through 19 games, Boston has allowed the second fewest goals in the NHL, trailing only the Minnesota Wild. Tim Thomas sports another eye-popping saves percentage (.938) and goals against average (1.77). Coupled with the offense, this stellar production has catapulted the Bruins out of the basement of the East and onto their current nine-game winning streak.

2. Development

Everyone knew that the Bruins were a young and energetic team in the postseason last year, and that energy was particularly highlighted by spurts of brilliance from youngsters like Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand.

What should be scary for other teams—and amidst this nine-game tear, they may be starting to realize it—is that virtually all of the Bruins forwards are still developing into the players they will one day become.

This is most apparent with the two guys I just mentioned. If you've watched the Bruins this year, you've undoubtedly seen an incredibly improved Tyler Seguin from the speedster we watched in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning last year.

He's learning to battle in the corners. He's becoming more patient and poised. Moreover, he is fulfilling the defensive responsibilities that playing in a Claude Julien system demands. Just as impressive as his team-leading 21 points through 19 games is his plus-17 rating, placing him second in the NHL behind Shea Weber.

Seguin isn't the only Bruin with the prime of his career still ahead of him. In fact, I would argue that every player on the Bruins' top two forward lines has plenty of development ahead of him. It's easy to forget that Milan Lucic is still the ripe age of 23, and none of their top six forwards are older than 26 years of age.

We're seeing Brad Marchand and Nathan Horton grow into the players Boston expects them to become, getting better each time they step onto the ice. With young defensemen like Adam McQuaid and a young Tuukka Rask playing as one of the best backup goaltenders in the league, the Bruins are watching the same Cup-winning recipe blossom together for a second straight season.

3. Chemistry

As evidenced by the streak they're currently riding, this is a team that can do magical things with a little chemistry. For a two-game stretch against the Lightning last year, we saw Tyler Seguin and Michael Ryder click like stars.

We saw the top line of Milan Lucic, David Krejci, and Nathan Horton produce at remarkable levels when they became hot. This season, with the same core guys intact and some new guys developing into stars, Boston has the luxury of setting combinations in stone and letting chemistry build.

With the emergence of Seguin and Marchand, the Bruins have finally found a set of lines that they could potentially keep intact for the duration of the season. Patrice Bergeron has centered the two youngsters on the second line, while the aforementioned group of Lucic, Krejci, and Horton has anchored the first line thus far.

Frankly, the Bruins' top two lines are interchangeable. They have both pounded the goals this month, and can continue to build their relationships on the ice as the season moves forward. With a very strong bottom-six set of forwards led by the likes of Chris Kelly and Rich Peverley, coach Claude Julien can sit back and watch his guys become a more harmonious unit than they already are.

4. Swagger

As entertaining as it is, I'm not referring to the Bleacher Report Swagger section here. On a completely serious note, I'm referring to the Bruins' swagger as a major factor in their ability to repeat as league champions.

Just look at the Bruins history. During their 39-year slump, Boston had plenty of chances that led their fan base to consistent heartbreak. When the big game rolled around, the Bruins just never seemed to have enough in the tank. They lacked the experience and the confidence of winning in that ultimately significant moment. This year, they have it.

In this town, it has been a trend that the first one is the toughest to get out of the way. The New England Patriots suffered for their entire history before winning their first title in Super Bowl XXXVI—they went on to win two more in rapid succession. The Red Sox reversed their 86-year curse in 2004, and proceeded to win another title just three seasons later.

Now that the Bruins have snapped their slump, are they poised for continued success like the other teams around here?

I can't say there's a direct correlation just yet, but I know that if the Bruins' season comes down to a Game 7 against a team like the Washington Capitals, Boston is the team that knows in the back of their mind that they can win that game.

5. Consistency and Accountability

Whether they liked it or not, Bruins fans learned a few things about Claude Julien last season. His structure is very rigid. He focuses on defense. He holds his players accountable. He is persistent in his strategies.

The same things can be said about general manager Peter Chiarelli. Ever since these two guys stepped into town, they have built the pieces in a methodical fashion leading up to the product we're watching on the ice this season. If nothing else, Julien and Chiarelli combine to give the Bruins a sense of consistency that is very effective in the modern-day NHL journey.

Remember that guy named Phil Kessel?

He's pretty good right now in Toronto. He scored 36 goals as a Bruin, but he was never a Claude Julien type of player and he clearly wasn't Chiarelli's kind of guy, either. He had defensive liabilities, and when they didn't improve, he was shown the door.

People often make the point that the Bruins may never see a 50-goal scorer in their current system. The reason? Boston's coaching staff demands a roster full of two-way players who commit their resources and hard work to all three zones. That hasn't changed before, and it will not change in the future.

Bruins players are not allowed free passes. If they aren't performing their duties, they will be removed from their slot and placed elsewhere. With super-versatile players like Rich Peverley and Chris Kelly at his disposal, Julien has no problem yanking one of his top-six forwards and throwing a third-liner into his spot (we have already seen both Peverley and Kelly see time on the first line this season).

Their structure is one that preaches consistency and accountability, and it forces every guy wearing a sweater to leave everything he has on the ice. That helped the Bruins get through adversity last postseason, and helped them turn around their 3-7 start this season. 

Further, it should help them as they continue their quest for a seventh banner to hang at TD Garden.

Be sure to follow Derek Robinson on Twitter. @DRobMachine