The Bruins are about a month away from opening the regular season, and the calendar is starting to fill in fast.
Wednesday’s release of the NHL’s U.S. national broadcast schedule gave Boston a clear spotlight: the Bruins will appear on national TV 20 times, the most in the league. ESPN and TNT are handling the national slate, while NESN will carry the rest. Boston’s first national showcase comes on opening night.
That schedule release also sharpened the view of the season ahead. There are five road games worth circling and five home dates that stand out, including opening night and Patrice Bergeron’s retirement ceremony. On top of that, there are five predictions tied to the vacant captaincy, James Hagens, Mason Lohrei, and expectations for the 2026-27 season.
The Bruins also had a place in EA’s latest player ratings. NHL 27 released its top 300 ratings last week, and 10 Bruins made the list. David Pastrnak landed in the top 10, and he was one of three Boston players inside the top 100.
Around the league, the conversation turned to Winnipeg after Connor Hellebuyck’s trade request drew a strong reaction on Pardon the Interruption. Mike Wilbon and Frank Isola didn’t like the idea of the Jets goalie wanting out with five years left on his contract, with Wilbon saying he would ultimately send him “to whatever outpost I could.”
Chicago made a smaller move of its own, signing defenseman Kevin Korchinski to a two-year, $2.65 million extension with a $1.325 million AAV. The 22-year-old had no points in 13 games with the Blackhawks last season, but posted 26 points, all in assists, in 53 games with the Rockford IceHogs.
There’s also growing chatter elsewhere in the league. Cale Makar’s new deal has shifted the market and put Quinn Hughes’ future under a brighter spotlight.
Sportsnet also examined six teams carrying the most intrigue heading into the 2026-27 regular season, while Pittsburgh remains tied up in discussion around its veterans, including Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson. Friedman suggested earlier in the week that Karlsson could land in Toronto.
In Other News...
Mason Lohrei Just Made Bostons Blue-Line Decision Even More Interesting
Mason Lohrei keeps surfacing in trade chatter around the Bruins, but for now his offseason has pointed in a different direction. He is taking part in team media activities and sounds like a player planning to show up for training camp, which matters because Boston still has some sorting out to do on its blue line.
The wrinkle is how Lohrei fits with the rest of the defense after the offseason addition of Will Borgen. There is at least a sense that those two could work together, and if that pairing gains traction it could ripple through the rest of the lineup in a way that leaves Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy in a different kind of alignment than before. For a Bruins group looking for balance, that decision may end up being one of camps more interesting ones. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Fans Will Have Plenty To Say About This NHL Respect
The NHL Networks latest Top 50 Players Right Now list gave Bruins fans a fresh talking point before the season even gets rolling, placing Charlie McAvoy and Jeremy Swayman back-to-back among the leagues better players. McAvoys rise is easy to understand after career highs in assists and points last season, along with the kind of all-around play and leadership that make him one of Bostons most important skaters.
Jeremy Swaymans place on the list carried its own weight, too, especially for a goaltender coming off a strong season in which he piled up 31 wins and finished third in Vezina Trophy voting. The wrinkle, of course, is where both Bruins landed in the overall pecking order, and that kind of placement is the sort of thing that usually sparks debate long before puck drop. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Fans Need To Watch Dean Letourneaus Next Big Decision
Dean Letourneau is heading into his junior season at Boston College with a decision looming that Bruins fans will want to keep an eye on. The forward remains part of Bostons longer-term picture, but the end of the season could force a choice between turning pro and sticking around college hockey for another year of development.
The timing matters because the college game has changed fast, with NIL rules and player development now playing a bigger role in those decisions. Bostons new coach, Marco Sturm, has also made it clear that young players may not walk straight into NHL roles, which adds another layer to the conversation around Letourneau and what path makes the most sense next. [Read more 🡒]