The Bruins keep talking about getting younger, but that promise usually comes with a catch. Heading into the 2026-27 season, Boston is once again trying to sort through a crowded roster, and that makes it tough to imagine every promising name getting a real shot at NHL minutes.
Two players who might have fit this conversation are already out of the picture. Fabian Lysell was traded to the Colorado Avalanche, and Georgii Merkulov signed with the Avs as a free agent. That leaves a different group of young Bruins fighting for space, and three of them may not see much action in Boston this season.
Frederic Brunet has been one of the summer’s brighter talking points, even earning praise from new Providence Bruins head coach Trent Whitfield. The problem is simple: Boston is stacked on defense.
Charlie McAvoy’s six-game suspension to start the season opens a door, but only a little one. Brunet has real promise, yet unless Don Sweeney moves bodies by trade or sends players down to the American Hockey League, roster spots are going to be scarce.
And given Boston’s track record with prospects, that’s not exactly a comforting setup for Brunet.
Matthew Poitras has already lived through this kind of squeeze. He broke out in 2023-24, then an injury cut that season short, and he’s spent the last couple of years stuck in the AHL.
He’s still unsigned as this is being written, though a deal should get done before training camp starts. This feels like an important season for Poitras, especially with a lot of bottom-six decisions waiting next month.
Dans Locmelis is the name that might catch some people off guard. The former UMass forward played 43 games last season for the P-Bruins and finished with 15 goals and 28 points.
His best college season came in 2024-25, when he put up eight goals and 25 assists for the Minutemen. A fourth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Locmelis will get a look, but he faces the same issue as Poitras: too many forwards, not enough room.
An injury could open the door for a call-up, but a full-time NHL job looks like a long shot.
In Other News...
Bruins Could Turn Henri Jokiharju Into A Bigger Blue-Line Answer
Henri Jokiharju has given the Bruins a useful layer of defensive depth, but his fit in Boston still looks more like a short-term patch than a long-term answer on the blue line. With the roster always under pressure to balance immediate needs against bigger-picture planning, his name has started to surface as a possible piece that could help the Bruins address another area of the defense without losing flexibility.
A few clubs around the league could make sense if Boston decides to move him, with teams like Anaheim and Dallas both needing help on the back end. Carolina also fits the conversation because of its own defensive needs, and that is where the speculation gets more interesting for Boston, since Jokiharju could be part of a broader exchange rather than a simple depth swap. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Legends Are Reuniting For Chara But One Absence Stands Out
Zdeno Chara is set to get a proper sendoff in his native Slovakia, with Zees Final Shift bringing together 21 former and current Bruins for a farewell game in Trenn. The event at Pavol Demitra Ice Hockey Stadium has the feel of a reunion as much as a tribute, with Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak and several members of Bostons 2011 Stanley Cup team among those expected to take part.
One familiar name will not be on the ice after initially being listed for the event, and that absence changes the look of Team Boston a bit. In his place, Jozef Stumpel has been added to the roster, leaving Charas celebration still packed with Bruins ties but missing one of the more recognizable faces from the original invite list. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Rolston Still Owns A Bruins Mark That Feels Untouchable
Brian Rolstons name still sits in a pretty interesting corner of Bruins history. His nine shorthanded goals in the 2001-02 season remain the single-season franchise standard, and even with the leagues style changing over time and seasons stretching longer, it is the kind of mark that has aged surprisingly well. It is the sort of record that reflects more than just finishing skill, because it also speaks to timing, instincts and a willingness to turn a penalty kill into an attack.
Brad Marchand long ago established himself as the Bruins all-time leader in career shorthanded goals with 36, which only underscores how rare Rolstons season was in its own right. Marchands 2025 trade changed the shape of that conversation going forward, and it leaves Rolstons one-year burst looking even more secure. For all the ways the modern game invites offense, this is still one Bruins record that feels almost untouchable. [Read more 🡒]