The Bruins head into training camp with a defense that looks crowded on paper and uncertain where it matters most.
Boston has no shortage of bodies for the blue line, but the real issue is sorting out which six can actually form a better unit. Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov, Mason Lohrei, Jonathan Aspirot, Will Borgen and Connor Clifton are all in the mix, along with a cluster of bubble players trying to force their way into the conversation.
That kind of competition sounds healthy until the roster math gets ugly. With only six defensemen dressing each night, somebody is going to be on the outside looking in, and waivers could make those calls tougher.
Last season’s team-wide numbers told a story that looked better than the underlying play. The Bruins were 30th in expected goals against, 27th in scoring chances against and tied for 30th in high-danger chances allowed.
Jeremy Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo helped hide a lot of those problems, but that kind of cover can’t be the plan again. If Boston wants cleaner results, the defense has to start controlling entries, ending plays earlier and getting the puck out of the zone faster.
That’s the standard Marco Sturm is pushing, and now he has a crowded group trying to prove it can meet that standard.
McAvoy is still the centerpiece. He remains Boston’s top two-way defenseman and the player the structure has to be built around, even if the identity of his partner is still unsettled.
Lindholm still looks like a second-pair two-way option, though injuries and some decline in his skating remain part of the conversation. Zadorov gives the Bruins the kind of versatility that lets him move around the lineup, with size and disruption that can fit in a lot of different looks.
After that, the questions start piling up.
Lohrei has the offensive skill Boston needs, but his positioning, decision-making and defensive risk remain real concerns. The Bruins cannot afford to keep having another defenseman cover for his mistakes.
Aspirot is one of the more intriguing names in camp after earning more responsibility last season, but he still has to show he can handle top-four duties consistently. Borgen stands out because his physical, stay-at-home style fills a need Boston has, and he could bring penalty-killing value as well.
Clifton adds physicality and aggression, but his spot is not something to take for granted.
That’s the tension of this camp. Boston has 13 possible options, but surprisingly few players with roles that feel settled.
McAvoy, Lindholm and Zadorov are the closest things the Bruins have to certainties. Everything else is up for grabs.
For Boston, this isn’t just about choosing six defensemen. It’s about finding the combinations that actually make the group better.
The talent pool is there. The answers, at least for now, are not.
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