While we wait to find out who the Bruins will play in round 2, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at how teams that have swept their first round opponent have historically fared. Over the course of the previous 20 NHL seasons there have been 18 teams that have put away their first round foe in 4 games. Of those 18 teams, 4 have gone on to win the Stanley Cup, while 10 teams never made it past the next round. In the past 20 years of playoff hockey, teams that have completed the sweep in the first round have a record of just 8-10 in the second round.
| First Round Sweep | Playoff Fate | |
| 2008 | Pittsburgh Penguins over Ottawa | Lost in Stanley Cup Finals to Detroit 4-2 |
| 2007 | New York Rangers over Atlanta | Lost in 2nd Round to Buffalo 4-2 |
| 2006 | New Jersey Devils over New York Rangers | Lost in 2nd Round to Carolina 4-1 |
| 2005 | Lockout | |
| 2004 | No 1st Round Sweeps | |
| 2003 | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim over Detroit | Lost in Stanley Cup Finals to New Jersey 4-3 |
| 2002 | No 1st Round Sweeps | |
| 2001 | Toronto Maple Leafs over Ottawa | Lost in 2nd Round to New Jersey 4-3 |
| Colorado Avalanche over Vancouver | Won Stanley Cup | |
| 2000 | New Jersey Devils over Florida | Won Stanley Cup |
| 1999 | Buffalo Sabres over Ottawa | Lost in Stanley Cup Finals to Dallas 4-2 |
| Dallas Stars over Edmonton | Won Stanley Cup | |
| Detroit Red Wings over Anaheim | Lost in 2nd Round to Colorado 4-2 | |
| 1998 | St. Louis Blues over Los Angeles | Lost in 2nd Round to Detroit 4-2 |
| 1997 | No 1st Round Sweeps | |
| 1996 | Chicago Blackhawks over Calgary | Lost in 2nd Round to Colorado 4-2 |
| 1995 | No 1st Round Sweeps | |
| 1994 | Dallas Stars over St. Louis | Lost in 2nd Round to Vancouver 4-1 |
| New York Rangers over New York Islanders | Won Stanley Cup | |
| 1993 | Buffalo Sabres over Boston | Lost in 2nd Round to Montreal 4-0 |
| St. Louis Blues over Chicago | Lost in 2nd Round to Toronto | |
| 1992 | No 1st Round Sweeps | |
| 1991 | No 1st Round Sweeps | |
| 1990 | No 1st Round Sweeps | |
| 1989 | Pittsburgh Penguins over New York Rangers | Lost in 2nd Round to Philadelphia 4-3 |
| Montreal Canadiens over Hartford | Lost in Stanley Cup Finals to Calgary 4-2 | |
| 1988 | No 1st Round Sweeps |
The Bruins have swept a series in the first round* five times throughout their history (6 counting this year). Of those five times, the Bruins have advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals three times. The 1928-1929 Boston Bruins swept the Montreal Canadiens and went on to win the Stanley Cup
*For the purpose of this analysis, the term "first round" refers to the first playoff series in which the Bruins played in that season. The NHL has used different playoff formats throughout the league's history, including the use of preliminary round byes.
| Bruins First Round Sweep | Playoff Fate | |
| 1979 | Bruins over Pittsburgh | Lost Next Round to Montreal 4-3 |
| 1978 | Bruins over Chicago | Lost in Stanley Cup Finals to Montreal 4-2 |
| 1974 | Bruins over Toronto | Lost in Stanley Cup Finals to Philadelphia 4-2 |
| 1969 | Bruins over Toronto | Lost in Next Round to Montreal 4-2 |
| 1929 | Bruins over Montreal | Won Stanley Cup |