The Bruins are back on the ice, and the first real roster fight of the season is already taking shape.
Boston opened training camp this week with 49 players in the mix, a group made up of 27 forwards, 16 defensemen and six goaltenders. Wednesday was reserved for media and off-ice meetings, but Thursday brings the actual work at Warrior Ice Arena. The Bruins then meet the Washington Capitals on Sunday to open the preseason, with the regular season set to begin at home against the New York Rangers on September 29.
This camp comes without any professional tryouts, which is the same route Boston took last year. That decision leaves the Bruins with the players already in house, including established names from the 2025-2026 roster, recent additions like JJ Peterka and Ivan Ivan, and a wave of younger players trying to force their way into the picture, such as Dan Locmelis and Michael DiPietro.
The number that matters most is the one that comes after camp: 23 roster spots. That breaks down to 13 forwards, seven defensemen and two goalies, although the Bruins could still choose to carry another forward or defenseman.
Even with camp still ahead, a few names look locked in. David Pastrnak, Jeremy Swayman and Charlie McAvoy are among the clearest examples, which narrows the real battles down to the remaining openings.
Up front, Boston has a crowded group to sort through. The forwards in camp are Joey Abate, Attilio Biasca, Wyatt Bongiovanni, Riley Duran, Mikey Eyssimont, Brendan Gaunce, Morgan Geekie, James Hagens, Brian Halonen, Ivan Ivan, Tanner Jeannot, Mark Kastelic, Marat Khusnutdinov, Sean Kuraly, Elias Lindholm, Dans Locmelis, Fraser Minten, Casey Mittelstadt, Navrin Mutter, David Pastrnak, JJ Peterka, Matthew Poitras, Lukas Reichel, Jake Schmaltz, Alex Steeves, Kalle Vaisanen and Pavel Zacha.
There are 13 returners among those skaters, which makes the forward picture especially crowded. Pastrnak is the obvious fixture, and he remains in a two-man battle with McAvoy over the captaincy for the coming season.
Matthew Poitras is one of the more notable names to watch, especially after signing a one-year, two-way contract just before the roster was announced. James Hagens is another rookie prospect worth tracking after scoring four goals during rookie camp and the prospect showcase. The pressure is amplified by the calendar: Providence Bruins camp begins next Monday, leaving the younger players only four days to show they belong before another round of decisions starts to come into focus.
On the blue line, the group includes Jonathan Aspirot, Will Borgen, Frederic Brunet, Connor Clifton, Ty Gallagher, Max Guenette, Jordan Harris, Loke Johansson, Henri Jokiharju, Hampus Lindholm, Mason Lohrei, Charlie McAvoy, Tobie Paquette-Bisson, Billy Sweezey, Max Wanner and Nikita Zadorov.
That list points pretty clearly toward the seven defensemen Boston is likely to carry. Zadorov stands out as one of the biggest impact pieces, the kind of player who fits the Bruins’ identity with the way he attacks the puck, throws his body around and isn’t shy about fighting. He also once again led the league in penalty minutes.
McAvoy will be in camp, but he will not be available for the first six games of the season while serving his suspension for slashing Zach Wheeler in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. Even so, that absence is unlikely to affect whether he lands one of the seven spots.
In goal, the Bruins have Luke Cavallin, Michael DiPietro, Max Lundgren, Jiri Patera, Jeremy Swayman and Simon Zajicek competing for attention. Swayman is the clear starter unless something goes seriously off track, but the backup job is where the real intrigue sits.
With Joonas Korpisalo gone, DiPietro appears to have the inside track. He has been outstanding in the American Hockey League, winning Best Goaltender in 2024-2025 and then taking home Most Valuable Player, Best Goals Against Average and Save Percentage last season.
Boston enters the season trying to build on a rebound year that ended at 45-27-20, a 12-win jump from 2024-2025. Marco Strum is back for his second season as an NHL head coach, and this year also brings a new 84-game regular season instead of the usual 82.
There is also a captaincy decision hanging over camp. The Bruins are set to name their 15th captain after spending all of last season with three alternate captains. The race is between Pastrnak and McAvoy, with the edge leaning toward Pastrnak because of his years with the club and the way he led the team last season and in 2024, even with Marchand wearing the C.
For now, though, the story is simpler than all that. Hockey is back, camp is underway, and Boston has a long list of players trying to turn a roster invite into a spot that lasts into the season.
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Poitras is still unsigned as camp gets going, which only adds to the uncertainty around a player who once looked like part of the next wave. With the Bruins trying to sort out a forward group that already has more bodies than clean openings, the question is less about Poitras talent than where he fits, and whether Boston eventually has to make a move to clear the logjam. [Read more 🡒]