5 Burning Questions for Boston Bruins After 2015 Trade Deadline

The Boston Bruins are in the middle of one of their worst seasons of recent memory, and they are holding on to the last wild-card spot by a thread. The team has had to overcome bad luck and injuries the entire season, and big changes could be coming sooner than you think.

The Bruins' main acquisition at the deadline, Brett Connolly, is likely done for the regular season, and the team is going to have to pretend like it didn't make any deals at the deadline.

With that in mind, here are five burning questions for the Bruins after the NHL trade deadline.

Will Tuukka Rask Be Able to Steal a Series for the Bruins?

Winslow Townson/Associated Press

The Bruins, as constructed, have the 11th-worst offense in the NHL, and they have scored 2.64 goals per game. The defense has been a little better, as it ranks 11th overall in goals-against per game with a mark of 2.51.

With these numbers in mind, it is clear that the Bruins offense isn't going to carry them, and their only hope will be if Tuukka Rask can play out of his mind. 

Rask is 25-16-10 this year with a 2.35 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage. These numbers aren't his best, but they have been respectable, to say the least. He has shown in the past that he can shut the door when needed, but can he get back to the level necessary to steal a series?

Is This Peter Chiarelli's Last Year as General Manager?

Elise Amendola/Associated Press

When it comes to general managers, Peter Chiarelli is one of the most overrated in the NHL. He has done very little to put his touch on this roster, except for dealing Tyler Seguin to Dallas. 

New York Rangers assistant general manager Jeff Gorton, during a brief run as the Bruins' GM, signed Zdeno Chara, traded Andrew Raycroft for Tuukka Rask and drafted Milan Lucic, Brad Marchand and Phil Kessel.

Other top players Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci were already in the system, so you can see that the core of this roster was in place before Chiarelli was in charge. Chiarelli put the Bruins in cap hell by giving Jarome Iginla a bonus-filled contract that Boston is paying off this season, and that deal may be his downfall.

While Chiarelli gets a lot of credit for being a savvy general manager, could this be his final year in charge if Boston fails to win the Stanley Cup?

How Much Does Zdeno Chara Have Left in the Tank?

Winslow Townson/Associated Press

This season, it has been very clear that Zdeno Chara has really lost a step. The Bruins' captain is averaging 22:53 minutes a game, which is his lowest total since he was 24 years old. His offense has started to dry up as well, as his points per game average is down by .12.

Chara has also only appeared in 44 games this year because of a knee injury suffered in October. While regression is to be expected of a soon-to-be 38-year-old defender, his rapid decline this year makes you wonder how much he has left in the tank.

Dougie Hamilton has been able to take on an enhanced role this season, but Boston needs to evaluate how much juice Chara has left. The postseason, if Boston makes it, should be a good test, and it will let management know if they need to go after a top-pairing defender this summer.

Could This Be Claude Julien's Last Season in Boston?

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

If Boston doesn't make the playoffs, it wouldn't be surprising to see head coach Claude Julien scapegoated. Jeremy Jacobs' son Charlie is the Bruins' new CEO, and during his first press conference in January, he let it be known that he was disappointed in the team's performance.

Not much has changed since that point, and it appears that the Bruins could fall out of a playoff spot if they don't start winning games on a consistent basis.

For that reason, it wouldn't be out of the question for Charlie to make a clean sweep, or at the very least, give Julien the boot. It would be the wrong decision, but it is still a possibility if the Bruins do not deliver what he wants.

Will David Krejci Be Back This Season?

Winslow Townson/Associated Press

David Krejci has had terrible luck this year with injuries. Since signing his mega contract extension, Krejci missed five games with an undisclosed injury, four games with a hip injury, 11 games with a lower-body injury and he went on IR with a left knee injury.

Krejci is expected to miss four-to-six weeks with his most recent injury, but he wants to get back for the playoff push. However, will Krejci be able to return for the regular season, or will Boston still be playing if he's well enough to play in late April or early May?

Stats via Hockey-Reference and The Hockey News unless otherwise noted.