The Bruins are set for another shakeup in hockey operations, and this one sends Ben Smith back to a place he knows well.
Smith is expected to leave his role as Boston’s player development coordinator and return to Boston College as an assistant coach. The move would fill the opening created Tuesday on the BC bench, and it comes after Smith spent the last year with the Bruins, working alongside Parker MacKay in player development.
Smith joined the Bruins ahead of the 2025-26 season. Before that, he played at BC from 2006-10, which makes this a familiar path back to campus.
That’s one of the bigger Bruins notes in a quiet stretch of the offseason, with 46 days left until the home opener and 28 days until rookie camp opens.
Elsewhere around the league, Zach Werenski was in front of reporters in Columbus and made clear where he stands. A month and a half after using his trade protection to block a deal to Dallas, the Blue Jackets defenseman said he loves Columbus and doesn’t have a problem staying longer, but he also wants to see the team take the next step. He addressed the trade chatter, too, including what it’s been like to be the player in the rumors instead of the one reading about them.
There’s more league noise beyond that. Zach Whitecloud is drawing trade interest after landing in Calgary in the Rasmus Andersson deal, with his cheap contract and right-shot profile making him appealing to a long list of teams. NHLTradeRumors.me reported that “15 or more” teams have checked in since he arrived.
In Detroit, the Red Wings’ GM search has turned to TurnkeyZRG, the search firm led by CEO Len Perna. Max Smith noted the firm’s connections to the Ilitch family, the Maple Leafs’ hire of John Chayka, the Red Sox, and the NCAA through Charlie Baker.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now took a look back at the Penguins’ salary-cap-era contracts under four different GMs, breaking them down with both a subjective ranking and a cost-per-point list.
In Colorado, Valeri Nichushkin discussed the trade that sent him from Colorado to Columbus in an interview with a Russian outlet. He pointed to the Blue Jackets’ young core and described the Avalanche as one of the older teams with a limited window at the Stanley Cup.
Chicago is heading into the season without Connor Bedard after the shoulder injury he suffered at a summer practice in Vancouver. He’s not expected back until November, and Jack Bushman projected the Blackhawks’ forward lines for when he returns.
The USHL also announced a new role for Colby Cohen, naming him vice president of hockey and player experience. He’ll oversee hockey operations and lead player-development strategy and player-experience initiatives, while continuing his media work with ESPN. Cohen played 147 games for the Providence Bruins from 2010-13 and also spent three years at Boston University.
And in Calgary, longtime radio voice Peter Maher died at 79. He called Flames games for 33 seasons before retiring in 2014.
In Other News...
Bruins Suddenly Have A Backup Goalie Battle Behind Swayman
Joonas Korpisalos move to the New York Rangers left the Bruins with an open lane behind Jeremy Swayman, and it has quickly turned into one of the more interesting early camp questions for Boston. Michael DiPietro has put himself in position to claim the job after standing out in the AHL, and the organization now has a real decision to make on who will dress as the No. 2 goalie when the season begins.
Jiri Patera, signed recently to a two-way contract, adds another layer to the competition and gives Boston a second option to weigh against DiPietro. The Bruins are expected to use training camp to sort it out, which means the backup role is not likely to be handed out on reputation alone. For a team that wants stability behind Swayman, this is one of the quieter battles worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Brad Marchand Update Brings Back A Tough Bruins Reality
Brad Marchands latest injury update landed with a familiar sting for Bruins fans, because it brings back an uncomfortable reminder of how much his body has been through in recent years. The veteran forward said he underwent surgery for a lower-body injury, and the issue is believed to involve both his hip and a sports hernia, two areas that can make even a routine return to form a drawn-out process. For a player who has long been at the center of Bostons identity, any medical update involving Marchand inevitably carries bigger significance than just one roster note.
The timing only adds to the uncertainty. Marchands recovery could keep him sidelined for about two months, which would put his status for Opening Night in doubt and leave another gap in a Bruins lineup that has already had to adapt to his absences before. He had double hip surgery in 2022, and while he remains a major figure in the rivalry picture between Boston and Florida, this latest setback is another tough reminder that the road back for an aging star is rarely straightforward. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Just Lost Three Prospects As One Future Question Lingers
Three Bruins prospects have now hit the end of their signing window, closing the book on a trio of different development paths the organization had been tracking. Philip Svedebck, Oskar Jellvik and Mason Langenbrunner are all unrestricted free agents, giving Boston one more reminder that prospect pipelines do not always stay intact from draft day to the point where an NHL job might finally come into view.
Svedebck still wants to keep his pro hockey career going in North America, while Jellvik has moved on to a new opportunity in Sweden and Langenbrunner has stepped away from the game to pursue business ventures. For the Bruins, the bigger question is the same one that always follows a stretch like this: which young players still fit into the long-term plan, and which ones are already headed somewhere else? [Read more 🡒]