Whereas there are lots of unanswered questions on this 2025-26 Bruins crew, there may be one factor of which we will be fairly sure.
The Bruins won’t be lifting the Stanley Cup come June.
Name it what you need, a rebuild or a retool. No matter. They’ve hit that inevitable down cycle the place it’s time to restock for an additional day when it comes to contending for championships.
However that doesn’t imply the B’s ought to now simply settle for that they’re exiled to the NHL wilderness.
So what’s an inexpensive purpose?
The playoffs. Half of the 32 groups make it, and if the B’s do this this 12 months then you possibly can pretty name this season a hit. Now, there’s a large neighborhood of Bruins followers who wish to see their crew merely tank the season in hopes of one of the best draft decide. Possibly they’ll get again to a high 10 decide on their very own, however it could be a mistake to outright tank from the beginning of the season. If it’s not going nicely on the commerce deadline, then positive, they’ll reassess. However you by no means need to let the shedding settle into the bones of the franchise (e.g. Buffalo Sabres). They should proceed to try.
Will probably be harder for the B’s to make it than another middling groups due to the powerful Atlantic Division. However, if every little thing goes proper, it may be executed. Listed below are the 5 Musts for the Bruins to make the playoffs this season:
1. Jeremy Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo problem for the Jennings Trophy.
Hermetic goaltending is an crucial for this goal-challenged offense. There have been some promising returns in preseason. Although each goalies had hiccups of their first begins, they each responded with stellar begins of their closing exhibitions, combining for 63 saves within the two wins. The crew in entrance of them has to do a greater job of shot suppression, however they each seem like on their sport.
Extra is predicted out of Swayman, whose troubles final 12 months had been well-documented. He missed camp amid a tough contract negotiation, his play suffered upon his return and he by no means was constantly the participant that nabbed an eight-year, $66 million contract. He can and ought to be a lot better. However he’s not going to hold the entire load, not on this condensed schedule due to the Olympic break. Proper out of the gate, the B’s begin with a back-to-back and play 4 video games in six days. Korpisalo can be wanted to supply not simply competent backup work, however the sort of 1B help that Jaroslav Halak gave Tuukka Rask. Regardless of who’s in internet, this isn’t a crew that may stand up to any gentle objectives.
2. The blue line enjoys good well being.
Even earlier than the debilitating, season-ending accidents hit final 12 months, first to Hampus Lindholm after which to Charlie McAvoy, the B’s protection was off. Interim coach Joe Sacco righted the ship for a short time however then all of it fell aside once more after Christmas. Marco Sturm has tweaked the system, utilizing a sort of hybrid zone/man-on-man, and the intention is to clog up the impartial zone. Hopefully, that may decelerate the opposition from coming into the B’s zone with pace, which occurred far too usually final 12 months.
Whereas issues existed earlier than the accidents, there ought to be no underselling these losses. Lindholm was taking part in nicely on the time of his harm in November and has appeared superb within the preseason up to now whereas paired with Andrew Peeke. McAvoy’s pairing with Mason Lohrei has been way more of a piece in progress however up to now Sturm appears intent on permitting that duo to develop and develop. The one holdover pairing from final season, Nikita Zadorov and Henri Jokiharju, ought to present some regular work, particularly if Zadorov can preserve his adventurous tendencies to a minimal and decide his spots judiciously. He’s acquired some offensive presents that he confirmed in preseason.
3. Particular groups return to elite standing.
The facility play completed twenty ninth within the league final 12 months whereas the penalty kill was twenty fourth within the 32-team league. That merely can’t occur once more if this crew expects to problem for a playoff spot. Profitable or shedding the man-up/man-down conditions will usually be the distinction between successful and shedding video games.
Sturm has appeared extra involved with the latter than the previous. With probably the most explosive offensive gamers within the league in David Pastrnak and a Morgan Geekie who discovered his stride final 12 months, they need to have the ability to rating at a greater clip. Will probably be assistant coach Steve Spott’s accountability to discover a manner.
In the meantime, Sturm has put out the decision to gamers who’re prepared and, extra importantly, capable of kill penalties. The B’s misplaced their all-time shorthanded goalscorer Brad Marchand in addition to fellow PK stalwarts Brandon Carlo and Charlie Coyle.
4. Elias Lindholm and Casey Mittelstadt should play like top-six centermen.
Lindholm ought to be OK right here. He’s flanked by a bona fide celebrity in Pastrnak and a participant in Geekie who has proven he’s a succesful scorer. Within the preseason, Geekie appeared poised to repeat his 33-goal season. If Lindolm offers the defensive conscience for his two wings, the highest line ought to be good. He started final season, his first with the Bruins, with a again harm. Looking back, you might inform that he was hampered by it. He was reticent to have interaction in puck battles and that’s not his sport. Lindholm ought to be higher this 12 months, particularly with two acquainted linemates. He will not be a line-driving first line heart, however his position suits him on this spot.
The large query is Mittelstadt. Sturm spent a lot of coaching camp attempting to determine whether or not he ought to be the middle on the second line or whether or not it ought to be Pavel Zacha. He ultimately landed on Mittelstadt however the time it took to come back to that call doesn’t instill quite a lot of confidence. Mittelstadt clearly has offensive ability, as evidenced by his slick go to Zacha on his purpose in Saturday’s preseason finale. Ideally, he can get Viktor Arvidsson again to the 20-goal plateau.
However the defensive zone is the place he wants main enchancment. Mittelstadt was minus-17 in 18 video games with the B’s final 12 months. That’s not going to chop it.
5. A child has to pop.
The main and, in the mean time, solely candidate is Fraser Minten. Sturm spoke for a lot of the Bruin fandom final week when he mentioned “I like this child.” Certainly, the 21-year-old rookie made the crew and it wasn’t a lot of a shock. He cinched a spot midway via camp.
Obtained from Toronto within the Brandon Carlo commerce, the thirty eighth general decide in 2022 has proven himself to be a wise and instinctive participant, usually anticipating the place the puck goes. He’s acquired good measurement (6-2, 201 kilos) to associate with the nice head on his shoulders. As of proper now, he’ll be anchoring the third line and the sensation right here is that he can be taught on the job with out hurting the crew. Minten’s ceiling continues to be unknown. However when he was thrown on the ice with Pastrnak and Geekie, he didn’t look misplaced, taking a go from Geekie and sending a candy backhand feed to Nikita Zadorov for a purpose. With a first-round decide (top-5 protected) in June coming as nicely, this commerce seems like the most important winner of all of the offers that they made final March.
