While the other half of the National Hockey League enjoys the gut-wrenching Stanley Cup playoff games, the Bruins are in the midst of their own kind of angst. They’ve missed the post-season for the first time since 2016. As management embarks on its biggest offseason since Claude Julien was nearing the end of his tenure, here are few thoughts:

Don Sweeney will lead the Bruins in a critical offseason, but his future is uncertain as the general manager enters a contract year.

Sweeney, Cam Neely, and Charlie Jacobs, speaking to the media Wednesday, said the team's top priority this offseason will be adding firepower beyond top scorer David Pastrnak.