When the Boston Bruins officially open training camp next week, they’ll have 16 defensemen vying for ice time.
After subtracting returning veterans Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, Brandon Carlo and newly acquired free agent Nikita Zadorov, those numbers suddenly dwindle. So how will the Bruins blueline stack up come opening night?
First, let’s check off the locks: Charlie McAvoy will once again anchor the Bruins defense. The assistant captain and resident puck-moving defenseman netted a season-high 12 goals, to go along with 35 assists and 47 points in 74 games last season. The 6-foot-1, 209-pound defenseman will look to improve on those numbers with another big man skating alongside him.
Nikita Zadorov will take up plenty of room on the left side. The towering 6-foot-6, 248-pound defenseman split last season between Calgary and Vancouver, netting six goals, 14 assists and 20 points in 75 games. A highly physical defenseman, Zadorov also racked up 125 penalty minutes. Although he’s the first to admit that he’s not the second coming of Zdeno Chara, his imposing size and physical play is a welcomed addition. It’s an intangible that has been missing since Big Z’s departure at the end of the 2019-20 season.
Hampus Lindholm will also look to bounce back stronger than ever. The 6-foot-4 224-pound defenseman posted season-best totals in his first full season on Causeway Street, earning 53 points in 2022-23. He was unable to maintain that momentum last season, netting three goals and 26 points in 73 games. Although those stats are more his speed, a 40-point pace should be well within reach.
Brandon Carlo remains the team’s defensive conscious. The 6-foot-5, 217-pound blueliner stayed the course last season. He potted four goals and 14 points in 76 games. He’ll continue to eat up big minutes against the other team’s top snipers entering his ninth season in Boston.
Outside of the top four, there remains at least a dozen options for the Bruins coaching staff to choose from.
Mason Lohrei appears to be the clear-cut front-runner on the left side. The 6-foot-5, 211-pound defenseman loomed large on the Bruins blueline last season. After acing an early November audition with the varsity, Lohrei was recalled to Boston for good in late February, scoring four goals and 13 points. The Wisconsin native is expected to fill the void left by Matt Grzelcyk, who headed to Pittsburgh as a free agent. He also packs enough offensive punch that could warrant him earning some secondary power play time.
The sixth and final spot is virtually up for grabs. It was a void left by Kevin Shattenkirk. The 34-year-old free agent posted six goals and 24 points in 61 games for Boston last season. He also provided secondary unit power play time last season. If NHL experience carries any weight, Andrew Peeke and Jordan Oesterlie will certainly get first crack.
A 6-foot-3, 214-pound right-handed shot, Peeke appears to be the most logical option for the right side. The Parkland, Florida native split the season between Columbus and Boston last season. He played in 15 games with the Bruins picking up a pair of assists, while playing in six playoff games. The five-year NHL vet has played in 233 NHL games since 2019.
Oesterlie seems to fill the void left by Derek Forbert. The left-handed shooting defenseman played 22 games with two assists with Calgary last season. The 6-foot, 187-pound defenseman is a well-travelled 10-year veteran with 371 NHL games with previous stops in Edmonton, Chicago, Arizona and Detroit.
Other options include Parker Wotherspoon, Ian Mitchell, Alec Regula and Billy Sweezey.
Wotherspoon picked up eight assists in 41 games with Boston last season. The left-handed shooting defenseman once netted 10 goals and 66 points with the Tri-City Americans of the WHL in 2016-17. So offensive potential is there. Mitchell played in 13 games with the Bruins last season, picking up two helpers. He has NHL experience with 95 games under his belt with Boston and Chicago since the 2020-21 season. He was second among Providence Bruins defensemen with six goals and 24 points in 42 games last season.
A member of the Providence Bruins last season, Regula also played in 22 NHL games over three seasons with Chicago from 2020-23. A Hanson native Sweezey will also be in the mix. the 6-foot-1, 206-pound defenseman spent the past two seasons with the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL. He played nine games with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022-23 earning one assist.
Franklin’s Michael Callahan, Drew Bavaro, Fredric Brunet, Ryan Mast and 19-year-old Jackson Edward, round out the cast of hopefuls, giving coach Jim Montgomery plenty of options.
And with training camp now a week away, that battle is about to begin.
