The Bruins finally got their first exhibition look Sunday at TD Garden, and with it came the first real glimpse of how several new faces might settle into Marco Sturm’s system. The opening tune-up was less about the final result than about competition, chemistry, and which newcomers could start carving out a role before the regular season arrives on October 29th.
Connor Clifton is the most familiar name in the group. The New Jersey native spent the 2018-2023 Bruins seasons in Boston before leaving as an unrestricted free agent in July of 2023.
He then spent a couple of seasons with the Buffalo Sabres and later joined the Pittsburgh Penguins. During those three seasons away, Clifton picked up an illegal check to the head of New Jersey Devils forward Nico Hischier that resulted in a 2-game suspension.
He also posted 73 and 79 game points with the Sabres, then 50 game points with the Penguins, while averaging 16:00 of ice time each year.
Now he’s back in black-and-gold, and the setup around him looks different than the one he left. Clifton is set to skate alongside Nikita Zadorov and Henri Jokiharju for the first time as a Bruin, while also reconnecting with Alternate Captain Charlie McAvoy, who missed several games last season because of injury and the start of a 6-game suspension. Clifton’s new 2-year contract will give Boston a clearer answer on what he can provide this time around.
JJ Peterka brings a different kind of value. The right wing arrived after spending 2021-2025 with the Buffalo Sabres and then joining the Utah Mammoth last season.
Boston is counting on his scoring touch to add another layer to a lineup that has already put plenty of emphasis on defense. Peterka scored 65 goals in Buffalo, an average of about 25 per year, and that kind of production is exactly what can open things up for the Bruins.
Sturm made it clear that the forward combinations are still a work in progress. “The first choice might not be the right one as a pair, or as a line, so definitely there will be some changes throughout camp, preseason, even the start of the season.” That flexibility should give Peterka a chance to find the right fit and show what he can do offensively.
Will Borgen is another addition worth watching, especially in penalty-kill situations. He has come to Boston after stops with the Sabres, Seattle Kraken, and New York Rangers, and training camp has already given him a temporary spot next to Hampus Lindholm.
Borgen said Lindholm has helped him settle in. “He’s helped me out," he says, "Whether it’s systems, what they do here, and yeah, just trying to build a little chemistry with the guys here.”
That pairing has some real intrigue. Lindholm is known for shot-blocking and for leading Bruins defensemen in assists, though he missed the 2024-25 season after fracturing his patella while blocking a shot.
Borgen, meanwhile, played 75 games last season and produced a career-high 5 goals along with 17 assists. If that combination keeps building, it could be one of the more useful looks Boston gets in Tuesday’s next exhibition game.
Sturm has decisions to make, and the early signs suggest there’s plenty to sort through before the games start to count. Boston opened exhibition play with a win Sunday, and the challenge now is folding these new pieces into what already worked on the blue line last season.
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Alex Steeves was part of the same competition, but Poitras made the stronger case on the night and added some intrigue to the roster battle up front. With opening night still ahead, Boston has a decision to make about how much it wants to lean on his development, and whether his preseason push can translate into a spot as an extra forward or even a fourth-line center. [Read more 🡒]