The Boston Bruins are taking their game outdoors this weekend, lacing up for the 2026 NHL Stadium Series showdown against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Raymond James Stadium - the 47th official outdoor game in league history. But as the Bruins prepare for the national spotlight under the Florida sky, they'll be missing two key pieces of their forward core.
Head coach Marco Sturm confirmed that Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha won’t be making the trip. Both are dealing with upper-body injuries, and while Sturm doesn't expect their Olympic hopes to be in jeopardy, further testing is on the horizon. Lindholm is slated to represent Sweden and Zacha is lined up for Team Czechia at next month’s Winter Games in Milan - so these injuries come at a particularly tough time for both players.
And it’s not just about their international aspirations. Lindholm and Zacha have been instrumental in Boston’s recent surge, helping the team win 12 of its last 15 games since New Year’s Eve.
They're tied for third in team scoring with 37 points apiece. Zacha has been a steady presence across 54 games, while Lindholm has done his damage in just 44 - a testament to his efficiency when healthy.
Lindholm’s injury came during Tuesday’s 3-2 overtime win against the Nashville Predators. He left the game and was later labeled day-to-day.
Just two nights later, Zacha joined him on the injury list after taking a hit in Boston’s 6-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. As of Friday, there’s no timeline for his return.
To help fill the void, the Bruins recalled 21-year-old Matthew Poitras from AHL Providence. He slotted into a fourth-line role on Thursday, logging 11 minutes and firing five shots on goal.
It was a solid showing in limited time, and he’ll likely see more responsibility as the Bruins look for answers up front. Tanner Jeannot and Marat Khusnutdinov also saw their ice time climb, as Boston leaned on its depth to get through the night.
The big question now is who steps up to center the top line alongside David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie. It’s unlikely the Bruins will break up the second line of Viktor Arvidsson, Casey Mittelstadt and Fraser Minten - that trio combined for three goals and seven shots in Thursday’s win and has been clicking.
Minten, in particular, has been red-hot. He’s notched 14 points in 14 games this month, trailing only Pastrnak (25) and Charlie McAvoy (16) in January scoring. With Zacha out, Minten looks like the next man up for top power play duties, while Arvidsson has already stepped into Lindholm’s role on the unit.
This kind of depth scoring has been one of the Bruins’ calling cards all season. Even with two of their most productive forwards sidelined, Boston has shown it can adapt. It’s going to take a full team effort to keep that going, especially with the playoff race tightening.
At 32-20-3, the Bruins sit fifth in the Atlantic Division - which might just be the deepest and most competitive division in the NHL right now. They currently hold the second wildcard spot, tied in points with the Montreal Canadiens.
In other words, there’s no room for error. Every point matters, and the margin for missteps is razor thin.
The Bruins have two more games before the Olympic break, and both are big ones. First up is Sunday’s outdoor clash with the division-leading Lightning - a marquee matchup at the home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Then it’s off to Sunrise for a Wednesday night tilt with the Florida Panthers.
With the standings tightening and the Olympic break looming, the Bruins are entering a critical stretch. And while they’ll be missing a couple of key contributors, this team has shown it has the depth, grit, and scoring punch to keep pushing forward.