The Boston Bruins have been one of the most consistent teams in the NHL for well over 15 seasons. However, their record of regular playoff appearances and Stanley Cup contention came to a painful end last season as they finished last in the Atlantic Division.
The Bruins are hoping that their poor play last season was an aberration and they can return to the playoffs with a much-improved showing in 2025-26. They have hired former Bruin center Marco Sturm as their new head coach, and the hope is that he can reinvigorate the roster.
However, the question is whether the Bruins have sufficient talent on the roster to help Sturm get the most out of his players.
The Bruins have made a number of moves in the offseason, but none of them appear to be of the major variety. They acquired left wing Viktor Arvidsson from the Edmonton Oilers and he could score 25 goals or more if he turns out to be a good fit for the Bruins.
They also signed pugnacious winger Tanner Jeannot to a five-year, $17 million contract. While he appears to play the kind of physical game that fits in with the Bruins’ image, many observers believe they may have overpaid for the third-line left wing.
One underrated move could involve the return of free agent center Sean Kuraly. After playing the last four seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Kuraly should play a key role as a penalty killer and fourth-line center for the Bruins.
Bruins should have signed free-agent Nikolaj Ehlers
It’s one thing to sign role players, but it’s quite another to bring a big-time offensive force into the fold.
Nikolaj Ehlers, formerly of the Winnipeg Jets, was one of the top names to sign a free-agent contract in the offseason. He put his signature on a six-year, $51 million deal with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Ehlers scored 24 goals and 39 assists for the Jets last season, and six of his goals came on the power play. His 63 points in 69 games indicated that he is a consistent offensive force. He would have given the Bruins a burst of adrenaline if he had signed with them.
The 29-year-old Ehlers has played all 10 of his seasons with the Jets. He has scored 21 or more goals in eight of his seasons. He has been remarkably consistent.
The left wing is coming off an impressive postseason performance with 5 goals and 2 assists for 7 points in 8 playoff games. Ehlers would have been a high-profile signing for the Bruins and general manager Don Sweeney needed to bring him into the fold.
Bruins may pay price for not holding on to Brad Marchand
When it became clear that the Bruins were not going to play postseason hockey last season, they traded a number of key players including Charlie Coyle, Brandon Carlo, Justin Brazeau, Trent Frederic and captain Brad Marchand.
It looked like the Bruins were doing the 37-year-old Marchand a favor by trading him to the defending Stanley Cup champions even though that team had eliminated the Bruins from the playoffs two years in a row. Marchand appeared to be a role player for the Panthers when he arrived in South Florida.
Instead, he turned out to be one of their most valuable players as the Panthers defended their title. He was a Conn Smythe contender as he scored 10 goals and 10 assists in 23 playoff games. He also appeared to fit in beautifully with the Panthers even though he spent 16 years with the Bruins.
The Panthers loved Marchand’s performance and they signed him to a 6-year, $31.5 million deal during free agency. The idea of Marchand having a playoff run with the Panthers is painful enough for Bruins fans, but the reality of him signing a long-term deal with the Panthers is shocking.
The Bruins will receive a first-round draft choice for Marchand from the Panthers, but his departure appears to be a brutal loss for Boston.
