The writing has been on the wall since the 2025 Trade Deadline that the Boston Bruins were not going to make the playoffs. While the team has not performed at their best, there are positives to take from this season. The team has given their young players a chance to prove themselves, and it’s given the Bruins a top line they can now count on going forward.
Bruins’ New-Look Top Line Has Emerged
It is all about trial and error. The Bruins have nothing left to play for this season, so trying new combinations and getting a good look at what works best should be the goal. Head coach Joe Sacco has done just that, trotting out a new-look top line featuring Elias Lindholm, David Pastrnak, and Morgan Geekie.
This is the best-case scenario for the Bruins because it allows them to evaluate the roster for this season and next. Also, this was always supposed to be the plan to have Lindholm playing with the Bruins’ star winger. as general manager Don Sweeney envisioned that Lindholm would play with Pastrnak when he signed the former to a seven-year, $54 million contract during the summer. However, he spent little time with Pastrnak this season after the coaching staff pulled the plug on that way too early. The duo is now playing together (with Geekie), and they’ve garnered strong results, giving the Bruins a legitimate top line heading into 2025-26.
The On-Ice Results
For the last decade, Boston has consistently had a top line that is reliable and can produce offense. In a season full of negatives, the new top line has given Bruins fans something to be excited about going into next season.
The trio has spent 82:49 together and has shown they can control the pace of a game. They have a Corsi For Percentage of 57.54 and are also outshooting the opposition 52-35. That is inspiring for a Bruins team that has struggled in both of those areas this season.
Furthermore, they’ve generated 5.9 expected goals and have scored 15 goals as a line. They’ve scored just 20 fewer goals in 500 fewer minutes than when Pavel Zacha was centering this line. Their chemistry developed quickly, and they now generate scoring chances, dominate play in high-danger areas, and get results.
Most of all, Pastrnak has improved his defensive game on this line while generating offense. He’s the line driver and everything goes through him. Geekie has turned into a bona fide sniper, and his shooting percentage is the best he’s had in a full season. Was Geekie supposed to be a first-line winger? Probably not. But he is making the most of his opportunities and playing alongside one of the top players in the league sure helps.
Lindholm, meanwhile, is capable of doing the dirty work and retrieving pucks to find his open linemates. He might be the true number-one center, especially if their chemistry continues to develop. This is a combination the coaching staff should’ve given more of a look earlier in the season, but at least they have this heading into 2025-26.
Bruins in Good Shape for 2025-26
There will be question marks heading into the offseason, but don’t expect this line to change next season. Yes, Geekie needs a new contract, but keeping hm in the fold will be a must and he needs to be re-signed. The depth will figure itself out, with young players emerging and maybe some free agents coming on board, but this top line will be the Bruins’ driving force next season.
