It could have been worse. Much worse.

The Bruins are in eighth place in the East coming out of the All-Star break and still in jeopardy of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2007. But that seems unlikely after the club played significantly better in the weeks before the break, with a 9-2-4 stretch that lifted them into the final playoff slot.

If the B’s continue to play as they have recently, they should edge higher in the standings.

But just think of the predicament the team could be in if it had not managed to survive surprisingly well without the injured Zdeno Chara (19 games), David Krejci (17), Adam McQuaid (18) and others during November and December.

Credit Providence blueline call-ups Joe Morrow, Zach Trotman and David Warsofsky for filling in quite well for the missing D-men — and various forwards for stepping up in Krejci’s absence.

“Despite all the injuries we’ve had a decent record,” said B’s coach Claude Julien in December. “If we’d collapsed this last month, we’d be in trouble. But we held tight, we battled. It wasn’t always pretty, but we always found ways — with character, determination and perseverance — we found ways to win.

“We can look back at those games and say maybe they weren’t pretty wins, but look how valuable they are now.”

True. But it was not pretty. The Bruins managed to stay close to .500 despite having few, if any, of their key regulars playing well.

So logic would have dictated that the B’s should have been in trouble with the injuries and sub-par play. But they hung around, not too far out of the top-eight, and, when they finally woke up and started to play better late last month, turned their season around.

Had the turnaround not occurred, the individual grades for the first part of the season would have been abysmal — nothing better than C’s, and plenty of D’s and F’s. As it is, most of the marks are at least respectable, with most individuals, like the team as a whole, still having plenty of room for improvement.

GOALIES

Tuukka Rask B

The defending Vezina Trophy winner struggled early with uncharacteristic numbers (2.69 GAA, .901 save percentage after 13 starts) and was rightfully unhappy with the D-zone play in front of him. He did let in some weak goals, however. But he has looked like the Rask of old the past month, with an 8-1-4 mark since Dec. 20. The team GAA in January was 1.60, compared to 3.00 in December.

Niklas Svedberg C+

The 25-year-old Swede has been an adequate backup, going 5-5-0 in 12 games, with a 2.22 GAA and .922 save percentage, giving the B’s a chance to win most nights. He’s been good on initial shots, but allows too many dangerous rebounds.

DEFENSEMEN

Dougie Hamilton B-

Sometimes he looks like a fast and talented star-in-the-making No. 1 defenseman — with 8-18-26 totals, two GWGs and four PPGs. And sometimes Hamilton looks like a 21-year-old kid still learning the job and prone to errors of decision-making or execution. Either way, he seems on his way to stardom, and his first pro fight last week in Denver is a good sign.

Torey Krug B-

Ideally a third-pair, power-play specialist, Krug’s had to do more this season — averaging 19:11, sometimes in the top pair — and has produced 9-15-24 (8 PP points) numbers and a plus-6. The RFA-to-be probably already has a $3 million-a-year deal locked in.

Adam McQuaid B-

The hard-luck D-man missed 18 games with a broken thumb, and team defensive-zone play improved noticeably after his return Jan. 3. The B’s were 7-7-4 without him in the lineup. He’s solid, tough and reliable, but a UFA who could be squeezed out by B’s tight cap.

Zdeno Chara C

The captain was playing so-so when he injured his knee in Game 9, then missed 19 games. The team went 11-7-1 without him. Chara struggled with skating and puck-handling for weeks after returning Dec. 11, but did look more like the tough, shutdown D-man of old in the last several games before the break. Turning 38 March 18, he still has three years and $16 million left on his contract.

Dennis Seidenberg C-

Coming back from major knee injury, he has struggled at times to be the defensive stalwart he was. Looking back, the idea than he might have played in the latter rounds of last year’s playoffs seems farfetched. But Seidenberg has gradually improved in recent weeks, averaging 22:07 of ice time and contributing 3-6-9 with a plus-3.

Kevan Miller C

The solid, strong stay-at-homer has quietly done his job pretty well, with a team-leading plus-13 and 1-4-5 totals in 17:53 of ice time.

Matt Bartkowski D

He was a top-four D-man last year after Seidenberg went down just after Christmas. But via bad turnovers, missed coverages and ill-advised decisions, he’s been in and out of the lineup, playing 20-of-48 games (0-4-4).

Incomplete:

Joe Morrow (15 games; 1-0-1; +3)

David Warsofsky (4 games; 0-1-1; +1)

Zach Trotman (17 games; 0-4-4; -1)

FORWARDS

Carl Soderberg B+

The big Swede has probably been the B’s most consistent forward, with 10-21-31 and plus-7 numbers in 48 games. He was the de facto No. 2 center in Krejci’s absence, but is better suited for the No. 3 role. He’s produced well on power plays, with four PPGs and seven assists.

Patrice Bergeron B-

After 18 games, the B’s top two-way center had just three goals and — more significantly — a minus-2, more even-strength goals-against than ever before. This from a guy who was plus-38 last season. Now, though, after 47 games he has 11-21-32 and a plus-7. He’s remained very good on faceoffs, leading full-time centermen with a 58.9 win rate.

Craig Cunningham B-

The unsung, 24-year-old plays only 10:40-per-game, but plays every second hard and at full speed. Lately he’s fit in at RW on the Krejci-Lucic line. Has modest 2-1-3 totals in 23 games, but could have a future as the B’s fourth-line center.

David Krejci B-

He displayed his obvious value when he returned from injury and the top line began to play much better — heck, all the lines did. Krejci has played only 17 games since the start of November. He’s having a pretty good faceoff year at 53.7 percent.

Chris Kelly C+

His versatility has come in very handy, as he has played both on the wing and, in Krejci’s absence, in the middle. Kelly has 5-16-21 totals and a plus-6.

Loui Eriksson C

As Tyler Seguin soared, Eriksson offered little early this season, with just three goals in his first 27 games. Lately, though, he’s bounced back and has 11-18-29 numbers in 47 games and finally resembles the player the B’s thought they were getting from Dallas. Had overtime GWGs Dec. 17 (Minnesota) and 21 (Buffalo).

David Pastrnak C

With only 12 games, he’d normally get an incomplete, but he’s potentially a very important player for the rest of the season. Pastrnak dazzled with recent back-to-back two-goal games vs. Tampa and Philly, but lately has looked out of step — pushed off pucks and knocked down too easily. But when he has time and room to move, his speed and offensive skills can make the top line — and the team — better.

Brad Marchand C

The pesky winger also started very slowly, with just one goal in the first 11 games. At the break he has 13-12-25 totals and is plus-12, but he needs a productive final stretch to reach last year’s totals of 25-28-53, plus-36. He’s been hit with too many unfair “reputation” penalty calls, but fully deserved his two-game suspension for a slew-foot.

Milan Lucic C-

Another key guy who contributed little in the first five weeks, with only three goals in the opening 22 games — and really an inconsistent scorer all season. The prolonged absence of Krejci seemed to render him mediocre. At the break he has 9-16-25 totals and is plus-7. He needs a big finish to reach last year’s numbers (24-35-59; plus-30). He’s fought three times.

Seth Griffith C-

After starting the season at Providence, the 21-year-old quickly found himself as the B’s No. 1 line right-winger and did a decent job. He scored one of the top goals of the year vs. New Jersey Nov. 10. His role diminished and he is back in the AHL, but he contributed 6-4-10 in 30 games and should have an NHL future as a third- or fourth-line guy.

Reilly Smith C

Being a no-show for the first half of training camp took a toll, as the winger’s timing and hands seemed off and he scored only four goals in the first 26 games. He has 9-14-23 and plus-5 totals, after going for 20-31-51 and plus-28 last year. Fast, with a good two-way work ethic and strong on the puck, he’s in line for an RFA salary bump to some $3 million.

Gregory Campbell C-

His fourth line did not offer much over the first few months, and he had just 1-0-1 in a 24-game span from Oct. 30-Dec. 23. But the center has been better lately, netting the game-winning goal in Dallas last week. He’s still a key to the 12th-ranked (82.8) penalty-kill unit and had a team-high four fights.

Daniel Paille D+

The veteran winger has played only 11:33 per game, and his 1-7-8 production is unacceptable for a guy who skates as well as he does. He’s netted as many as 19 goals in a season and averaged just under 10 the past three seasons. His minus-8 adds to the bleak picture.

Simon Gagne D

The B’s gave the oft-injured 34-year-old a job off a so-so training camp, hoping he’d get better in time. Just as he began to show hints of improvement, he left the team to be with his gravely-ill father. Then, after his dad died, opted not to return even though the B’s wanted him back.

Incomplete:

Jordan Caron (6 games; 0-0-0; -1)

Alex Khokhlachev (3 games; 0-0-0; -2)

Bobby Robins (3 games; 0-0-0; E)

Matt Lindblad (2 games; 0-0-0; E)

Ryan Spooner (5 games; 0-0-0; -2).

COACHING — A

Claude Julien and his staff have had to do more line-juggling than ever in search of offense, and incorporate several AHL call-ups as blueline regulars. Through it all, the B’s have found ways to grind out enough wins to stay in the playoff picture. The team now seems to have regained its confidence and identity.

MANAGEMENT — D

GM Peter Chiarelli is renowned for his patience on personnel moves, but his trade of Johnny Boychuk was premature and brought back too little (two reduced-value second-round choices from the much-improved Islanders). You never know the details of trade talks, but shouldn’t Boychuk have gotten the B’s at least a legitimate top-six forward? We’ll see if Chiarelli can acquire a needed winger in the coming weeks. And then how he handles another crushing cap crunch next summer.