The Boston Bruins’ opening night picture is already a little messy, and that’s before the puck drops on Tuesday, Sept. 29 against the New York Rangers at home. Charlie McAvoy will miss the first six games because of his suspension for chopping Zach Benson with his stick at the end of last spring’s first-round playoff series against the Sabres, and the blue line still has plenty of moving parts with training camp still ahead.
Even so, NHL.com took a first crack at what Boston might look like once everyone is healthy, and the projected lineup offered a few telling clues about where things stand.
One of the biggest takeaways: Henri Jokiharju and Mason Lohrei were left out of the projected Bruins defense. That speaks to just how crowded the back end is right now, with 10 players making a legitimate case for six NHL spots. Frederic Brunet is part of that mix too, and the Bruins are actively trying to get the 22-year-old into the lineup this season after a strong year in Providence.
Don Sweeney made clear that Boston wants its defensive game to keep evolving, especially when it comes to getting out of its own zone.
“D zone exits are going to be an area that we have to be better at. Part of that, I should say, starts up the ice, and Marco's [Sturm] pointed out that we'll probably have to forecheck a little differently, and create anxiety up the ice.
[That creates chances for] some of our D having the opportunity to surf the neutral zone as opposed to maybe back up and retrieve,” said Don Sweeney. “So we have to continue to evolve…everybody does.
There's only one [Stanley Cup] winner, and nobody's really copying that exact form, but there are bits and pieces that I think have to be malleable as a group.
“That's where our group is hopefully getting to. [Frederic] Brunet is a good example, with the mobility and puck skill that he’s applied in Providence, and how is that [skill set] going to translate to the National Hockey League this year? There's a good chance we're going to find out.”
The biggest question on defense may be Jonathan Aspirot. The 27-year-old is coming off a strong rookie season in which he posted a plus-30 in 61 games, along with three goals and 13 points. He handled top-pair minutes and gave McAvoy room to push the offense, but that duo also hit rough patches late in the season and in the playoffs, when breakdowns proved costly.
Beyond that, the top of the Bruins’ defense seems fairly straightforward. McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm and Will Borgen look like the early top four, with Nikita Zadorov and Connor Clifton shaping up as the rough-and-ready bottom pair. Borgen is expected to be an upgrade over Andrew Peeke, who struggled in a top-four role last season before leaving for the Utah Mammoth on a one-year, $1 million contract.
Lohrei’s place remains one of the summer’s biggest questions, especially after he finished with 26 points, the second-most among Bruins defensemen last season.
Up front, Marco Sturm and the coaching staff will have plenty of combinations to sort through, but JJ Peterka and David Pastrnak figure to get an early look together. Their skill sets fit naturally, and Pastrnak’s playmaking could create more chances for Peterka while also giving No. 88 a shot at topping the 29 goals he scored last season.
In Other News...
Two Bruins Names Just Put Boston's Roster Crunch Back In Focus
A fresh look at the Bruins roster picture has put Pavel Zacha and Mason Lohrei back in the conversation, with both players showing up on Lyle Richardsons latest trade board. Zacha remains a useful top-six center for Boston, while Lohrei is still trying to carve out a steadier role on a blue line that has little room to spare.
For the Bruins, the names matter as much as the rankings. Zacha has been viewed as part of the clubs long-term plan, while Lohreis path has been clouded by the sense that a move could help both sides if Boston decides its defensive logjam is too tight to keep everyone in place. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Aspirot Became A Bruins Blue Line Answer No One Saw Coming
Jonathan Aspirot arrived in Boston with little fanfare, the kind of depth signing that usually blends into a long season unless injuries or opportunity force the issue. Instead, the 27-year-old defenseman wound up becoming one of the Bruins most unexpected answers on the blue line, carving out a real role over the course of the year and giving the club steady minutes when it needed them most.
By seasons end, Aspirot had settled into the top four at times and even skated alongside Charlie McAvoy when healthy, a sign of how far he had come from where he started. He carried that momentum into the playoffs, appearing in every game of Bostons first-round series against Buffalo and chipping in on offense, but the bigger question now is whether this was a one-year surprise or the start of something more permanent. [Read more 🡒]
Another Trusted Bruins Executive Appears To Be Moving On
Another longtime Bruins front-office voice is on the move, with assistant general manager Evan Gold set to leave the organization on Aug. 1 after more than a decade in Boston. Gold has been a familiar part of the clubs hockey operations structure, including a run as general manager of Providence, and his departure adds another notable change to a leadership group that has leaned on continuity for years.
Golds exit also comes with the kind of outside interest that usually follows a respected executive around the league. He was recently a finalist for Vancouvers general manager opening, and his background in cap analysis, roster planning, contract negotiation, pro scouting and legal affairs has made him a well-rounded candidate whenever openings surface. For the Bruins, the immediate question is how much more turnover is coming after losing a trusted hand who has been part of the organizations decision-making fabric for so long. [Read more 🡒]