Welcome to the middle of August, when the NHL calendar has gone quiet enough that every little update feels like news. After the whirlwind earlier in the summer, the league has settled into that familiar late-summer lull.
One thing that still gives fans something to chew on: the latest NHL Network rankings. This time, the network put out its list of the 20 best defensemen in the league right now, and the Bruins made the cut with Charlie McAvoy landing at No. 11.
That placement will probably spark a few arguments. On paper, it feels a touch low, even if you account for some hometown bias.
The top three - Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and Zach Werenski - look locked in, but McAvoy is grouped behind names like Jake Sanderson and Evan Bouchard. Neither is a poor choice, but there’s definitely a case for McAvoy to be higher.
That, of course, is the whole point of these lists: they’re built to be debated. For Boston, the hope is that McAvoy takes another step forward and spends a lot less time in the dentist’s chair this season.
The Bruins also rolled out jersey numbers for several offseason additions, along with one change for a returning player. JJ Peterka will wear No.
10, Will Borgen gets No. 17, Ivan Ivan is No.
49, Connor Clifton is back in No. 75, and Lukas Reichel is switching to No. 76.
Reichel wore No. 75 for Boston last season, so Clifton must have brought something to the table to get that number back. A $20 Dunkin’ gift card? Maybe more.
Peterka, meanwhile, is stepping into a number with some history behind it as he looks to honor the legacies of Alexei Zhamnov, Brandon Bochenski, and Anders Bjork.
In Other News...
Bruins Are Making A Youth Bet Boston Fans Can't Ignore
Don Sweeneys latest move gave the Bruins a different kind of offseason jolt, with the trade for JJ Peterka signaling a willingness to reshape the roster without diving headfirst into the free-agent market. Even with some salary cap space still available, the expectation around Boston is that the front office may keep the checkbook mostly closed and instead lean into the players already in the system. For a team that has spent years balancing the urge to stay competitive with the need to reset on the fly, that is a meaningful shift in approach.
Steve Conroy has pointed to a youth-heavy path for the coming season, with Fraser Minten, Marat Khusnutdinov and James Hagens among the names that could matter more than they would have in a more veteran-minded summer. The Bruins are not done tinkering, but if more changes come, they may be the kind that happen through trades rather than a late free-agent splash. For Boston fans, the bigger story may be less about who is still available and more about which young players are trusted to take the next step. [Read more 🡒]
David Pastrnak Is Chasing A Bruins Legacy Few Ever Reach
David Pastrnak heads into the next Bruins season sitting in rare company, and the climb above him is starting to feel very real. He finished last year with 420 career goals, good for fifth on the franchise list, and the names just ahead of him are familiar ones from Bostons recent core: Brad Marchand at 422 and Patrice Bergeron at 427. With a productive start, Pastrnak could climb quickly and move into third place before long, adding another layer to what is already becoming one of the defining scoring runs in Bruins history.
The bigger picture is what makes this chase stand out. Johnny Bucyks franchise record of 545 goals has long seemed untouchable, but Pastrnaks pace has at least put that landmark into view if he keeps piling up goals year after year. For a player who has already helped define an era in Boston, the next step is less about milestones for their own sake and more about how far this run can carry him in the record book before his career is done. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Took A Different Offseason Path But One Question Remains
Bostons offseason has felt quieter than the usual July splash, but the Bruins have still been active in ways that matter. Rather than chase the top of the free-agent market, they leaned into a different route, adding Connor Clifton as their most notable signing while doing more of their roster reshaping through trades. The biggest moves brought in JJ Peterka and Will Borgen, a sign the front office was willing to prioritize fit and long-term structure over the kind of headline-grabbing spending spree fans often expect.
What makes the approach more interesting is the broader league backdrop, where contract prices keep climbing and teams are already looking ahead to the 2027 free-agent class. For the Bruins, the real question is whether this quieter path leaves them positioned to stay competitive now while keeping enough flexibility for what comes next. The roster has been rearranged, but the front office still has to prove the new mix adds up to more than a different kind of offseason story. [Read more 🡒]