(Sports Network) - The Boston Bruins were expected to be a playoff team this season, but nobody could have predicted the club's sensational start to the 2008-09 campaign.

The Bruins head into Thursday's action as the leaders of the Northeast Division with 36 points and they are just two points behind the New York Rangers for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Although, the Rangers have played four more games than Boston so far.

Boston made last year's postseason as an eighth seed and surprised many by taking top-seeded Montreal to seven games before losing the first-round series.

The Bruins made the playoffs a year ago by playing a team-first, defensive system instituted by Claude Julien, who is now in his second season as Boston's bench boss. Julien's strategy required the Bruins to win many close games, but this year the team has showed an ability to score as well as defend.

Through their first 24 games of the season the Bruins have notched 84 goals and allowed just 55. Both numbers are the best in the Eastern Conference this season.

Centerman Marc Savard is the leader on offense with 30 points (8 goals, 22 assists), while immense defenseman Zdeno Chara anchors the blueline.

Despite being an All-Star last year, goaltender Tim Thomas is still surprising people with his terrific play between the pipes. Thomas is 9-3-3 on the season and is amongst the league leaders in goals against average (1.88) as well as save percentage (.940).

After getting off to an average start to the season (5-3-3) in October, the Bruins blew away the competition with an 11-1-1 mark in November.

Obviously, December will be an important month for Boston as it tries to prove that the dominant team that emerged in November wasn't simply a mirage.

MAPLE LEAFS: BURKE THE SAVIOR?

When Brian Burke was named the Toronto Maple Leafs new general manager last week, it shouldn't have been a mystery as to what the franchise, as well as the fans, were expecting from his tenure.

Of course I'm talking about a Stanley Cup title, or, more specifically, the club's first world championship since 1967.

Obviously, winning a Cup is something within Burke's power as he was the GM who helped build the Anaheim team that won it all in 2007, completing the process that saw the Ducks blossom from Disney-owned oddity to NHL powerhouse. Burke, an American, is now tasked with turning Canada's pride and joy into a contender once again.

When introduced to the media last weekend in Toronto, Burke called his new position a "dream job," but in reality, being the Leafs GM in recent years has been something closer to a nightmare. Toronto hasn't made the playoffs since 2003-04, marking the first time in club history that the Leafs have sat out the postseason in three straight seasons.

Since the announcement, the Maple Leafs have gone 2-1 and ended a five-game losing streak on Saturday -- the same day Burke was officially announced as the team's new GM. But, Burke's attempt to transform Toronto back into a winner will be a long process and it will be quite some time before we can accurately assess his progress.

Burke will get the time he needs to turn things around, but being able to do so is another matter entirely.

SENATORS: OVERWHELMED IN OTTAWA

In the early 1990s, it was not an odd occurrence to gaze at the NHL standings and see the Ottawa Senators in the basement. At the present time, it takes a little while to get used to.

The Senators were simply awful in their first four years of existence after entering the league as an expansion club in 1992-93. But, the team made the playoffs in 1997 and has been a staple in the NHL's second season ever since, qualifying for the tournament in 11 straight seasons.

That streak appears to be in serious danger 23 games into the 2008-09 campaign, as Ottawa is last in the Northeast Division with just 22 points.

The Senators have won three of their last four games, but the club has yet to string together three straight victories yet this season.

Ottawa also has struggled tremendously on offense this year, a problem rarely seen with Senators teams over the past decade. Ottawa is 27th in the NHL with just 56 goals on the season for an average of 2.44 per contest.

Not surprisingly, Daniel Alfredsson, Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza are 1-2-3 in terms of scoring for the Senators. But the team's formidable top line has even seen its production drop slightly, especially Spezza, who has one goal and 17 assists in 23 contests.

There is plenty of time for the Senators to right the ship and make the playoffs for the 12th straight year, but the issues dogging the team now need to be remedied before it's too late.

CANADIENS: HABS SEEKING CONSISTENCY

The Montreal Canadiens were the top-ranked team in the Eastern Conference a year ago, and started the 2008-09 campaign like they were on a mission get the same standing this year.

However, after starting the year 8-1-1 the Canadiens have cooled off considerably, going 6-5-3 in their last 14 outings. The Habs are still second in the Northeast, but Boston has clearly shown itself to be the class of the division so far.

Montreal has shown signs of a resurgence, winning three of their last four contests, including two straight victories. It marks the first time the Habs have won back-to-back tests since jumping out to a quick start in their first 10 games.

A big problem for the Canadiens has been the lack of production from some of their main weapons, especially Alex Kovalev, who posted the second-highest point total of his career with 84 points in 2007-08.

This year, Kovalev has 18 points (5g, 13a) in 24 games. That's just three points less than veteran right wing had at this stage last year, but he had seven more goals after 24 tests in 2007-08.

Montreal has a lot of talent up and down its roster and it would be surprising if the Habs didn't snap out of their funk. Then again, it better happen soon because hockey fans in Montreal aren't exactly known for their patience.

SABRES: SLIDING AWAY IN BUFFALO

Like Montreal, the Sabres were able to get off to a quick start this season, going 6-0-1 in their first seven tests of the year.

However, Buffalo has managed just five total wins since then and has lost seven of its last nine games. To make matters worse, all seven of the setbacks in that stretch have come in regulation.

Despite the slide the Sabres currently have 25 points, which currently has them one point in back of Carolina for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

One huge bright spot for the Sabres this year has been the steady production of franchise forward Thomas Vanek, who has been leading or amongst the top of the league in goals scored all season long.

Vanek comes into Thursday's game against Florida with 18 tallies on the year, tying him with Philadelphia's Jeff Carter. The Austrian sniper has 10 more tallies than the next highest goal scorer on the Sabres.

Winning games on the road has been a struggle for the Sabres, who have lost four straight away from western New York and are 4-4-2 as the visitor this season. Buffalo will try to change that when it heads out on a three-game road trip, which begins Thursday at Florida.