The regular season in the NHL is simply used to pick the teams for the playoffs. No one believes the team to has the best record in the regular season has won anything. The best team is defined by which team is able to win a series of seven game series' against several other qualifiers. The game is played with a different intensity - "playoff hockey". GMs try to build teams that can succeed in the playoffs, not the regular season. The rules for ties are even different - no 3 on 3 or shoot-outs.
No one will ever look back at this season and believe Boston proved anything.