The Boston Bruins will kick off their 2024-25 season on September 22nd with an exciting slate of seven preseason matchups against four different teams. The first of which will occur vs. one of the best teams in the NHL last season, the New York Rangers, at 5 PM on September 22nd.

While the Rangers may not bring their top players to this matchup, and there is a good chance the Bruins won’t either, the game could be a way for fans to see some of the more fringe players in action. That said, the Bruins and Rangers will meet again on September 26th in New York with a 7 PM start time, and there is a good chance that this game could feature a better preview of what to expect in a regular season that should see both teams as among the most competitive in the Eastern Conference. 

On September 24th and October 5th at 7 PM and 5 PM, respectively, the Bruins will face the Washington Capitals, with the game on the 24th occurring at home and the preseason finale on the road. We know the Capitals were that “just happy to be there” playoff team last year, but that shouldn’t be the case in 2024-25. For one of these two games, expect the Bruins to play those “new-look” Capitals best squads.

The Bruins tour against the Metropolitan Division will continue in back-to-back preseason matchups against the Philadelphia Flyers on September 28th on the road and October 1st at home, with both games taking place at 7 PM. Philadelphia nearly became that final playoff team last year, and this season, we don’t know what to expect from them, but the Bruins will likely get a good idea in one of these two matchups. 

Boston will also play the Los Angeles Kings at 7 PM on October 3rd at a neutral site, and LA is a team looking to find more consistency in 2024-25. The Kings did finish third in the Pacific last season, but it didn’t come without a coaching change and some major highs and lows last season. 

Overall, we’re mainly seeing the Bruins get a small tour of the Metropolitan Division, featuring a powerhouse team in the Rangers, an organization that made a lot of moves in the offseason in the Washington Capitals, and a potential up-and-coming organization like the Flyers.

As confidence in Joe Biden circles the drain, the president’s team is circling the wagon.

Biden’s Wednesday schedule included a sit-down with a group of Democratic governors in a closed-door meeting at the White House, the Hill reported.

As the Herald reported, Gov. Maura Healey was on the invite list, and the gist of the meeting was to reassure supporters that he could win in the November election, despite his train wreck performance in last week’s presidential debate.

Also settling into the comfy chairs: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the chair of the Democratic Governors Association, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, their offices confirmed to The Hill.

Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Delaware Gov. John Carney were also heading to the White House for the meeting, according to a source.

“Democratic governors are proud to be some of the President’s closest partners and allies on the campaign trail,” Walz said in a statement to The Hill, adding, “The president has worked side by side with us to deliver for the people of our states and we’re looking forward to talking with him today.”

A CNN/SSRS survey found former President Donald Trump maintaining a six-percentage point lead (49%-43%) over Biden among registered voters following the Atlanta debate.

What’s worse for Biden, 75% said they believed Democrats would have a better chance of winning the White House if someone else was the party’s nominee.

It’s all hands on deck at the White House and among many Democratic leaders to right the ship, even as it keeps taking on water.

This could be good for Massachusetts.

Healey, as have many governors wrestling with the migrant influx,  called upon Washington for help time and again. The state is footing a nearly $1 billion bill for shelter and care for migrant families, and room and money keeps running out.

Biden needs Healey, who has always been a supporter he could count on. Now it’s time to pay it back.

Whether it’s on the list of talking points now or in the coming months, Healey has to make it clear that if Biden wants her help, then he has to step up to help with the migrant situation in Massachusetts.

Ideally, Biden could close the border to give beleaguered states some breathing room. The Healey Administration sent a team to the southern border to “educate” would-be Massachusetts-bound migrants that there’s no room for them here.

Hard to pull off with a right-to-shelter law, but at least they tried.

If the president really expects to get governors to pull out the stops for Biden as plausible, winnable candidate, then he needs to start writing checks.

First, to reimburse the state for some of the funds already spent on migrant housing and care, second, to establish a funding pipeline for future arrivals and schooling costs, and third, to put some muscle and manpower behind properly vetting asylum seekers and keeping criminals from crossing the border.

Healey needs that for Massachusetts. And now Biden needs Healey.

Make him earn your support, governor.

Unlike some recent rainy Independence Days, those heading to the Esplanade for the Boston Pops and fireworks should be in the clear this Fourth of July.

The National Weather Service is forecasting a warm holiday with rising humidity, but it should be dry in the Boston area.

The agency’s forecast discussion states, “Downright tropical!”

“Right now it’s looking like a pretty good day,” NWS meteorologist Kyle Pederson told the Herald.

High temps during the day are expected to be in the mid-80s, as clouds increase throughout the day. It should get quite humid, however, as dewpoints rise into the upper 60s.

Then during the evening along the Esplanade, temps should be in the 70s.

“It’s going to be cloudy, but the clouds will be high up so it shouldn’t affect the viewing of the fireworks,” Pederson said.

Then on Friday, temps should tick up a bit in the 80s along with even more brutal humidity. Dewpoints are expected to climb into the low 70s.

“It is the type of humidity you can feel,” the National Weather Service’s forecast discussion reads.

Then over the weekend, there will be a risk of rain and thunderstorms but it won’t rain continuously. Heavy rains will be possible.

“Saturday is the best chance for rain and thunderstorms, but the timing and where those happen are uncertain at the moment,” Pederson said.

Saturday will have the highest humidity levels, with dewpoints potentially in the mid-70s.