Boston Bruins' Keys to Getting Home Ice for First Round of Playoffs

With just 10 games remaining in the regular season, the Boston Bruins are well-positioned to claim home-ice advantage. 

Just inside the home-ice bubble as the fourth seed in the East, the Bruins have a six-point advantage over the Toronto Maple Leafs with a game in hand that could stretch the gap to eight points. As a result, a maximum of 13 points in their final 10 games is required to net Claude Julien's boys a friendly venue for the majority of a first-round series. 

Though Toronto's threat cannot be overlooked, the Bruins will have their eye on another Canadian rival. If they can overtake Montreal, who continues to guard a slim one-point lead in the Northeast division, the Bruins will likely earn a coveted top-two seed. 

Here are a few keys to locking up a favorable seed.

Getting Healthy

As the postseason looms, the Bruins are in a desperate race to return to full health. With his full complement of players available, Claude Julien will have a much easier time leading his team to a strong finish. 

Though many injuries have hampered the Bruins of late, none looms larger than that of Patrice Bergeron. Since suffering a moderate concussion against Ottawa on April 2, the defending Selke Trophy winner has missed three games including a tough 2-1 loss to the division-leading Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. 

Bergeron leads the Bruins with 31 points and sits fourth in the league with a plus-23 rating. His absence has left a gaping hole in the lineup and has blocked the Bruins from incorporating trade deadline acquisition Jaromir Jagr as previously intended. 

With Tyler Seguin unable to establish himself at center, Bergeron's value is becoming ever more apparent. If he cannot return before season's end, the Bruins could find themselves sinking in the Eastern Conference standings. 

Luckily for the B's, several other injury issues seem to be fading away. Chris Kelly made his return against Carolina on Monday night, after missing nearly a month with a broken tibia, and defenseman Adam McQuaid has nearly recovered from a shoulder injury that has held him out for several weeks. 

With health concerns eliminated, the Bruins' depth should help them build momentum through their final 10 games. 

Signing Carl Soderberg

Nearly six years after acquiring his rights from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for young goaltender Hannu Toivonen, the Bruins could finally deploy Swedish star Carl Soderberg in black and gold. 

The 27-year-old Soderberg led the Swedish Elitserien with 31 goals and ranked second in the league with 60 points in 54 games. The Linköpings HC forward has suddenly become available following his team's second round playoff exit on April 5. 

The skilled center could be a valuable reinforcement for a Bruins club that has struggled to find depth scoring this season and may be without Patrice Bergeron for some time. 

After failing to acquire a depth forward at the trade deadline, GM Peter Chiarelli is expected to make a serious push for Soderberg's signature. 

According to CBS Boston, Chiarelli said:

"

I’m not hanging my hat on this, I hope to get him and if we get him he will help us.

"

The 2004 second-round pick may not be on the verge of NHL stardom, but he seems like a likely candidate to provide the Bruins' third line with a late-season spark. 

Elite Play from Tuukka Rask

Though he has enjoyed a remarkable season, Tuukka Rask has struggled with consistency of late. 

With five losses in his last eight starts, Rask will have to return to his early season form to carry the Bruins into the postseason. Luckily for Boston, the young Finn has looked spectacular in his last few appearances. 

He has surrendered just four goals in his last three starts, despite facing an eye-popping total of 111 shots. In that span he has produced two wins while seeing 40 or more shots, with the only loss coming against Montreal with just one goal to support him. 

With a big payday awaiting the restricted free agent this summer, Rask should have plenty of motivation to backstop Boston to a division title. If he stumbles down the stretch he will undoubtedly face criticism from the legion of fans who deem him unworthy to carry Tim Thomas' torch in the Bruins' crease. 

Though Boston's remaining schedule appears fairly tame, a monumental clash with the high-scoring Pittsburgh Penguins on April 19 could define Rask's season with the two available points potentially determining Boston's seeding and confidence entering the playoffs.