After a light February that included an 11-day break, the Boston Bruins are heading into a March that could shape the rest of their season. The playoff race is tightening, the NHL trade deadline is in the mix, and Boston is staring at a stretch packed with games that could matter a lot when the standings are sorted out.
March has been a turning point for the Bruins in the last two seasons, and not always in the same way. In March of 2025, the Black and Gold were sellers.
This past March, they mostly stood pat. Boston then got help from the fire sale the previous season in 2025-26 and reached the playoffs, even with general manager Don Sweeney staying relatively quiet at the deadline.
Now comes another demanding month, and it opens fast. The Bruins are at the New York Rangers on March 3, then at the Ottawa Senators on March 4. They return home for a March 6 matinee against the Pittsburgh Penguins, followed by games against the Seattle Kraken on March 8 and at the Montreal Canadiens on March 10.
The pace doesn’t really let up. Boston visits Pittsburgh again on March 11, then gets home dates against the Calgary Flames on March 13 and the New York Islanders on March 15. After that, it’s back on the road for games at the Philadelphia Flyers on March 18 and at the Nashville Predators on March 20.
The stretch continues with a home game against the Buffalo Sabres on March 23, another home meeting with the Senators on March 25, a trip to the Washington Capitals on March 26, and a March 30 home game against the Canadiens.
A glance at the schedule shows why this month stands out. Boston has two meetings each with Montreal, Ottawa and Pittsburgh - one at home and one on the road against each club. The Bruins also go to New York to face the Rangers and to Washington to play the Capitals, two Eastern Conference matchups that could carry real weight in the postseason race.
There are also games against Metropolitan Division teams in the Islanders and Flyers, plus a visit from the Flames and a road game at Nashville. And then there’s Buffalo, which may be the most eye-catching matchup of all because it comes as a rematch of last spring’s first-round playoff series, won by the Sabres in six games.
If the Bruins want to get into the playoffs for a second straight year, they’ll need to stay afloat in the Eastern Conference standings through March. That means making the most of a home-heavy early portion of the season, because April is set up to be much tougher, with Boston spending most of that month on the road.
In Other News...
Bruins Face A Real Matthew Poitras Decision Before Camp
Fraser Mintens new seven-year deal has given the Bruins another young center piece to sort out, but it has also sharpened the focus on Matthew Poitras as training camp draws near. The 21-year-old remains unsigned, and with Boston already weighing how its center depth will look when the season opens, Poitras has become one of the more interesting roster questions on the docket.
Corey Pronmans read on the situation added another layer, suggesting it would be a surprise if Poitras were simply lost on waivers. That leaves the Bruins in a familiar spot for this stage of the calendar: either get a deal done, or decide whether a trade makes more sense than taking any chance on a player with clear value still waiting for his next contract. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Blue-Line Crunch May Force A Veteran Out Before Opening Night
A crowded Bruins depth chart on defense is creating one of the more interesting questions of camp, with the back end and the bottom six both carrying more bodies than spots. Boston has not moved yet, but the roster squeeze is already obvious enough that it has prompted some early chatter about how Don Sweeney might clear room before Opening Night.
One name to watch is Henri Jokiharju, who is under contract for two more years at $3 million per season and could become part of the conversation if the Bruins decide they need to reshape the blue line. For now, Sweeney still has a little time to sort it out, and Charlie McAvoys six-game suspension gives the front office an added reason to pause before making a decision that could affect the defense beyond the first week of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Suddenly Have A Real Shot At A Massachusetts Native
Chris Kreiders situation has suddenly put the Bruins on the radar for a player who has long made sense as a fit on paper. The Massachusetts native is now available as Anaheim and Kreider have moved to place him on waivers for a contract termination, opening the door for a new landing spot. Bostons need for more scoring is no secret, and a homecoming angle only adds to the appeal if the sides decide there is interest.
The wrinkle is that Kreider appears to have some control over where this goes next, which makes this more than a simple waiver scramble. The Bruins can be viewed as a logical destination, but there has been no official sign that they have moved in that direction yet. For now, it is one of those situations where Bostons fit is obvious enough to keep watching, even if the final answer may depend on choices made well before any real decision reaches the Bruins. [Read more 🡒]