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Haggerty: Bruins 'Took A Step Forward' Despite Playoff Loss

BOSTON (CBS) -- The Boston Bruins' season may have ended in disappointment, but that doesn't mean there wasn't some good to take away from it.

CSNNE's Joe Haggerty talked with 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich on Monday about the Bruins' Game 6 loss to the Senators, who will face the Rangers in the second round of the playoffs. The performances of the Bruins' top players wasn't quite good enough to overcome their glut of injuries to the defense and lack of scoring depth beyond the stars.

Still, Haggerty believes the 2016-17 season brought plenty of positives for the Bruins moving forward as they continue to integrate young, up-and-coming core players.

"I think you're going to look back and say this team showed a lot of heart and this was a good thing and a positive that they can build on," said Haggerty. "They took a step forward; they've got some young players coming in and they got back into the conversation in the playoffs."

One of the major positives was 19-year-old Charlie McAvoy, who emerged in the series as a surefire top-four defenseman with the upside to become an elite No. 1 blue liner.

"The bright side of this playoff series is they've got an absolute bona fide stud defenseman in Charlie McAvoy," said Haggerty.

Haggerty also touched upon what could happen with the Bruins in free agency and the expansion draft. Listen to the full podcast below:

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