The Boston Bruins had waited nearly five months to get back on the ice, and when the new season finally opened Tuesday night at TD Garden, Fraser Minten delivered the first real jolt of the 2026-27 campaign.
After two quiet periods against the New York Rangers, Minten broke the deadlock late in the third, taking the puck into the Rangers’ zone and beating Igor Shesterkin with a wrist shot to the blocker side at 16:14 for a 1-0 Boston lead.
That goal answered the early-season question of who would score first for a Bruins team that had some offseason turnover and was still adjusting to a few notable changes. JJ Peterka, acquired from the Utah Mammoth, was in the top six, while James Hagens earned a roster spot and lined up on the “Kid Line” again with Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov.
Viktor Arvidsson is gone to the Detroit Red Wings in free agency. And Charlie McAvoy was unavailable for the first six games while serving his suspension for slashing Zach Benson at the end of Game 6 last spring.
Minten’s goal did more than just put Boston ahead. It cracked the game open.
JJ Peterka followed with his first goal as a Bruin, and Mark Kastelic added an empty-netter to finish it off. In a span of 75 seconds, Boston scored three times to start the season the right way.
For Minten, it was a memorable first game after signing a seven-year, $50 million deal over the summer. For the Bruins, it was the kind of finish that sent the crowd home happy on opening night.
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Dean Malkoc also has a new role after spending four years as associate director of amateur scouting, and Kyle Chauvette has taken on a particularly unusual combination of responsibilities within the organization. Those changes, along with the rest of the front-office additions, show Boston continuing to fine-tune the infrastructure around the roster before the new season gets going. [Read more 🡒]
Peterka Already Changes How Dangerous Bostons Top Six Feels
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What makes the early return even more intriguing is where Peterka might fit as Boston keeps sorting out its best combinations. The Bruins are clearly trying to build chemistry that can make their top six feel more dangerous, and Peterka gives them a new piece to work with alongside established talent and a rookie still finding his place. If that alignment clicks, it could change the way opposing teams have to defend Boston every night. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Got The First Sign Their New Pieces Could Matter Fast
The Bruins did not need long to get a read on some of their newer faces Wednesday night at TD Garden, and the early answer was encouraging. Boston opened its season with a 3-0 win over the Rangers, with JJ Peterka and Mark Kastelic also finding the net and Mason Lohrei helping set up one of the key plays. In a game that stayed tight for most of the night, the Bruins got the sort of immediate contribution they had been hoping to see from pieces still settling into place.
Fraser Minten supplied the deciding goal, and the way Boston closed out the opener only added to the sense that the roster may already be finding some traction. Jeremy Swayman backed it up with a shutout against a Rangers team that had chances but could not solve him, while Igor Shesterkin was forced to handle repeated pressure at the other end. For a club looking to learn quickly what its new additions can bring, this was about as clean a first look as it could ask for. [Read more 🡒]