Bruins
The Bruins have loads of query marks surrounding their bottom-six grouping.
There are nonetheless greater than two months to go earlier than the Bruins open their 2025-26 marketing campaign on Oct. 8 towards the Washington Capitals.
However, with Boston allocating a majority of its cap house on the primary day of free company on July 1, the Bruins’ depth chart is log-jammed, particularly in relation to bottom-six skaters.
The Bruins have a number of lineup questions that should be addressed within the coming months, be it finding out the glut of skaters on the third and fourth traces or figuring out which children will get an prolonged run on the NHL degree.
Figuring out full effectively that the grouping that takes to the ice at Capital One Area on Oct. 8 will possible look far completely different from this present projection, right here’s our greatest guess at Boston’s Opening Night time lineup:
FORWARDS
Morgan Geekie – Elias Lindholm – David Pastrnak
Marco Sturm didn’t mince phrases earlier this month when requested about Boston’s firepower in 2025-26.
Even when Boston’s teaching workers is banking on a bounce-back from the facility play, consistent 5-on-5 scoring is going to be hard to come by.
As such, it ought to come as little shock if Sturm and his workers decide to maintain collectively one of many few strong groupings from a depressing 2024-25 season as their high line.
Even when Elias Lindholm’s first season in Boston left lots to be desired (47 factors in 82 video games), he settled right into a groove down the stretch with two wingers who solid loads of chemistry final winter in David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie.
Lindholm closed out the 12 months with 15 factors (six targets, 9 assists) over his last 17 video games of the season.
After the commerce deadline on March 7, the Geekie-Lindholm-Pastrnak line logged 78 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time, per Natural Stat Trick. And over that stretch, the Bruins had a 47-29 edge in pictures, a 53-29 benefit in scoring possibilities and outscored opponents, 16-2. That’s a 5-on-5 buzzsaw to shut out the 12 months.
Pastrnak is the straw that stirs the drink for an often-outgunned Bruins offense. The case could be made that 2024-25 was the celebrity winger’s finest season, contemplating he scored 43 targets and nonetheless posted 106 factors on an underwhelming roster.
As long as No. 88 is wholesome and hopping over the boards, the Bruins could have an on-ice cheat code within the offensive zone.
The Bruins are additionally anticipating Geekie’s breakout season (33 targets, 57 factors) to be extra of the norm after handing him a six-year, $33 million contract final month. Even when his excessive capturing share (22.0) raises issues of some regression, Geekie might nonetheless be a 25-goal common using shotgun with Pastrnak.
Pavel Zacha – Casey Mittelstadt – Viktor Arvidsson
Loads will fall on Mittelstadt’s shoulders in relation to simply how potent Boston’s top-six offense could be subsequent season.
Boston acquired the 26-year-old pivot from Colorado within the Charlie Coyle deal in hopes that the previous top-10 decide’s skating and playmaking would add a distinct wrinkle to Boston’s ahead corps.
The outcomes final spring had been underwhelming, with Mittelstadt scoring 4 targets and 6 complete factors over his 18 video games with Boston.
Granted, Mittelstadt additionally primarily skated on a line with Cole Koepke and Vinni Letieri final 12 months, which could have sapped a few of his scoring manufacturing as a pass-first pivot.
Mittelstadt will look to recoup his worth skating subsequent to Zacha — who has averaged 54 factors per season since becoming a member of Boston — and Boston’s new commerce pickup in Arvidsson.
Arvidsson had a season to neglect with the Oilers (15 targets, 27 factors). However the speedy, shot-first winger has 5 20-goal seasons on his resume, and could be a good linemate to pair with a center like Mittelstadt.
Tanner Jeannot – Fraser Minten – Matej Blumel
There are roughly 6,000 completely different mixtures Sturm might roll out subsequent season in relation to placing the items collectively within the bottom-six grouping.
For our projection, we’ll go along with Boston giving one teenager an prolonged look on opening evening — in addition to rolling the cube on an intriguing free agent pickup.
The one secure guess for the third line may be Jeannot, given that Boston signed him to a five-year, $17 million contract on July 1.
Jeannot must be as marketed as a bruising winger who’s greater than prepared to drop the gloves. However, it may be asking lots for the ahead to duplicate the 24-goal season he put ahead in 2021-22.
At heart, the Bruins might slot in additional of a veteran skater like Sean Kuraly, particularly in the event that they need to carve out extra reps for kids like Johnny Beecher and Marat Khusnutdinov on the fourth line.
However, on this projection, we’ve got Fraser Minten profitable the 3C job out of camp, with the 21-year-old pivot’s two-way recreation, hockey smarts, and versatile skillset making him a logical long-term match at this spot within the lineup.
There are a number of candidates who might push for the 3RW spot. This could function a super spot for a prospect like Fabian Lysell to earn a full-time function, whereas even Matt Poitras might make a push right here (even when he’s higher suited enjoying down the center.
However, with Boston in want of some scoring punch and a shot-first strategy, we’ve got free-agent pickup Matej Blumel — who scored 39 targets in 67 video games with the AHL’s Texas Stars final season — winning the job out of camp.
Don’t be stunned if New Hampshire product and fellow AHL standout Alex Steeves — who lit the lamp 36 occasions in 59 video games for the Toronto Marlies — additionally makes a push.
Mikey Eyssimont – Sean Kuraly – Mark Kastelic
It’s unclear if the Bruins have the firepower up entrance to recurrently mild the lamp.
However, they need to have the personnel in place to land some welts with regularity, particularly additional down the lineup.
Though Boston might flip to youthful gamers like Beecher or Khusnutdinov right here, this trio of Eyssimont, Kuraly, and Kastelic would supply each stability and snarl to the underside of the Bruins’ depth chart.
Even at 32, Kuraly remains to be largely as marketed as a fleet-footed, two-way 4C, whereas a wholesome Kastelic showcased simply how efficient he may very well be final season as a forechecking menace who’s greater than prepared to drop the gloves.
Eyssimont ought to ingratiate himself to Bruins followers briefly order. Past his knack for pestering opponents on the ice, Eyssimont blends that antagonistic mindset with a shot-heavy strategy that must be welcomed in Sturm’s system.
DEFENSE
Mason Lohrei – Charlie McAvoy
If the Bruins need to proper the ship in 2025-26, they’re going to want their protection and goaltending to make an about-face from a depressing displaying final 12 months.
And with the Bruins in want of some stability within the D-zone, it wouldn’t come as a lot of a shock if Sturm and Co. opted to pair collectively Boston’s top-two defenseman in Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm.
However, there’s a legitimate case to be made that Boston’s D is at its finest when each McAvoy and Lindholm are tasked with driving their very own D pairings, somewhat than Boston placing all of their eggs in a single basket on the blue line.
The presence of Mason Lohrei additionally complicates issues. Whereas the consensus may be {that a} uncooked defensive product like Lohrei must be handed sheltered minutes additional down on the depth chart, Lohrei has struggled when slotted subsequent to Andrew Peeke.
In the 596 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time that Lohrei and Peeke have logged collectively during the last two years, the Bruins have been out-attempted, 644-523, and outscored, 34-21. Yikes.
Because the Bruins attempt to regular Lohrei’s recreation, slotting him subsequent to McAvoy and tasking him with being a crisp puck-mover versus an O-zone danger taker may be the very best course.
The Bruins do maintain a constructive objective differential (20-18) within the 443:48 of 5-on-5 ice time that McAvoy and Lohrei have logged collectively.
Hampus Lindholm – Andrew Peeke
With Lohrei slotted up with McAvoy, Lindholm is as soon as once more tasked with anchoring his personal D pairing, this time alongside Peeke.
The return of Lindholm — who was restricted to simply 17 video games this previous season attributable to a fractured kneecap — is a welcome sight on a Bruins D corps that missed his skill to log heavy minutes, ferry the puck out of the D-zone, and doubtlessly run the highest power-play grouping.
After spending loads of time skating alongside one other stay-at-home D in Brandon Carlo, Peeke gives an identical skillset that might complement Lindholm’s play type.
Nikita Zadorov – Henri Jokiharju
Regardless of some penalty points early on, Zadorov was largely as marketed in 2024-25 as a bodily D-man with underrated puck-moving expertise and a willingness to imagine extra of a management function.
The return of Jokiharju on a three-year, $9 million contract must be a welcome sight for Zadorov, because the duo was one of many few brilliant spots down the stretch this previous spring.
Within the 273:39 of 5-on-5 ice time that Zadorov and Jokiharju logged collectively final season, Boston held a 12-5 edge on targets scored.
GOALTENDERS
Jeremy Swayman
Joonas Korpisalo
The return of reigning AHL Goaltender of the Yr Michael DiPietro on a two-year deal raised eyebrows that the Bruins might opt to dangle Joonas Korpisalo on the trade market with a purpose to each release cap house and elevate DiPietro right into a backup function.
However with no commerce struck to date for Korpisalo, the Bruins appear snug shifting ahead with the veteran — particularly if the workforce intends on reducing Swayman’s workload after a lackluster 2024-25 marketing campaign.
“Joonas was sincere on the finish of the 12 months in saying that he believed we should always have utilized him extra,” Don Sweeney stated in July. “And particularly possibly when Jeremy was struggling, and I used to be sincere — I didn’t disagree with him. And we’ve gone over that as a workers to acknowledge that when a participant is enjoying effectively sufficient, possibly he deserves the web.
“No matter who it’s, in Michael’s case, he had an incredible 12 months. He was AHL goalie of the 12 months. We felt that, him nonetheless being younger sufficient, there’s, there’s development potential in Michael as effectively. Michael comes and pushes — possibly it makes the choice even more durable for all of us.”
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