The Bruins have spent the first month of the 2026-27 season making a lot of people look twice.
On Nov. 5, Boston sat in first place in the Atlantic Division and was heading into one of two road games this month against the Pittsburgh Penguins. That’s not exactly where most people expected to find the Bruins after October, but here they are after a strong opening stretch.
The month started with a four-game West Coast trip that turned into a big early haul. Boston picked up seven of a possible eight points, beating the San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings before finishing the swing with an overtime loss to the Dallas Stars. Then the Bruins opened November with a 3-2 shootout win over the Vegas Golden Knights, giving second-year coach Marco Sturm another result to like in a month that features nine home games out of 11.
Sara Civian of Bleacher Report summed up the start this way: "Whether you saw them coming this year or not, they are sitting firmly atop the Atlantic with their 11-4-1 record and plus-20 goal differential, and the full team keeps passing the necessary tests. Captain David Pastrňák has eight goals and 20 points in 16 games, rookie James Hagens put together a Calder Trophy-worthy first month, and both Jeremy Swayman and Michael DiPietro look fantastic in net,'' wrote Civian.
That’s the heart of Boston’s early success: the whole group has been delivering. The goaltending has been better than many expected, with Swayman and DiPietro both giving the Bruins quality work. Up front, Hagens has burst onto the scene, while Matthew Poitras and Fraser Minten have also played major roles, with Minten on pace for a better statistical season than his breakout 2025-26 campaign.
The bigger question now is whether any of this holds up over an 84-game schedule. Boston’s start has been impressive, but the Atlantic won’t make anything easy. Still, if the Bruins are going to stay in the mix and finish as one of the top eight teams in the conference, they’ll need the same kind of production from Hagens, Swayman and the rest of the group that has fueled this surprising opening month.
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Mitchell Robinsons early stretch with the Celtics has been a study in adjustment. The big man has had to fit into a different role than the one he played with the Knicks, and the transition has shown up in his offense, where his rebounding and shooting efficiency have slipped from what he had been producing before arriving in Boston. Even so, Joe Mazzulla has pointed to the broader value Robinson brings, especially on the defensive end and in the way he changes the feel of the second unit.
There have still been encouraging flashes, including a recent win over Milwaukee without Jayson Tatum, when Robinson grabbed six offensive rebounds and logged 20 positive bench minutes despite some shooting issues and a negative net rating. The larger question for Boston is how much of his current production is simply part of the learning curve and how much reflects a more persistent fit issue, because the Celtics clearly need the version of Robinson who can tilt a game without needing everything to go right around him. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Hit A Serious Roadblock In Their Dylan Larkin Pursuit
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NHL insiders Elliotte Friedman and Darren Dreger have both suggested Detroit would need Larkins approval for any deal, and the Red Wings are still exploring their options. For Boston, that leaves the situation hanging on whether Larkins stance changes, because until then the Bruins are working against a very real roadblock rather than a straightforward trade market. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Poitras Suddenly Carries A Painful Bruins Question Into Pittsburgh
Matt Poitras was back on the ice with the Bruins after a rough night against Vegas left him dealing with a broken nose. He missed practice to have it reset, then returned wearing a protective bubble shield, a small but visible reminder of how quickly a routine game can turn into a lineup concern for Boston.
The Bruins are expected to take Poitras with them for their next game in Pittsburgh, which at least keeps the young forward in the mix as the team moves forward on the road. Boston also gets another piece back on the blue line with Frederic Brunet returning after a three-game absence, giving the club a little more stability as it sorts through its latest health questions. [Read more 🡒]