As we have reached the end of the 2025 part of the season, and the halfway point of this season I feel its time to run through some mid season grades for the team, players and coaches so far this season.

Overall: C+

Even though the Bruins have struggled as of late, they have likely exceeded most fan’s expectations so far this season. Let’s be honest, the outlook on this 2025-26 season was bleak, but the team has competed hard, and have remained in playoff relevancy to this point in the season. This is not a team we can expect to buy at the deadline for a playoff push, rather we might see some departures from the roster in order to stack draft capital and young talent, a priority for the organization this year.

Marco Sturm: B

Sturm returns to the Bruins organization as a first time head coach, and though there have been and will continue to be some learning curves that come with the job for he and his staff, I am encouraged by the player’s heart and his ability to make effective changes to the playing style and structure of the team to address weaknesses. A lackluster roster that has over performed in many ways so far this season. I would like to see a greater emphasis on team discipline, as the Bruins are #1 in the league in penalty minutes this season with 538, and more offense provided from the back end. Under Jim Montgomery, the Bruins defensemen excelled at providing offense from the backend, over the last year that production has faded mightily. With gifted skaters such as Lindholm, McAvoy and Lohrei back there, it would be nice to see more offense in 2026.

Forwards:

David Pastrnak: B

This hasn’t been Pasta’s best year by any stretch, but through injury he still leads the Bruins in points with 41 (15 g, 26 a) in his 35 games played. He also leads Bruin’s forwards on average time on ice per game. It has become more clear throughout the first half of this season that Pasta is beginning to embody the leadership role. There is no doubt that the departures of last season and seasons past of key former teammates such as Bergeron, Krecji, Marchand, and Carlo have dampened the spirits of Pastrnak, but expect him to sniff a 100 point season if he remains healthy.

Morgan Geekie: A

The best surprise of the season so far has been Geekie’s ability to put the puck in the net. 2nd in the league in goals, behind Nathan MacKinnon, 1st in the 2025 calendar year, Geekie is evolving into a truly gifted scorer in front of our eyes. Currently in his first year of a 6-year $33 million contract ($5.5 AAV) with the Bruins, this deal is quickly becoming a major discount for a 30-40+ goal scorer. The cat is out of the bag, and teams will adapt to defend him, but his production at this price is huge for the Bruins in the coming years.

Elias Lindholm: B-

Elias Lindholm struggled mightily in his first year with the B’s last season. The change from Western Canada to the East coast US was proven a difficult one as things never clicked. This season has been an improvement, but still not what the Bruins are hoping for from their No. 1 center. Lindholm, once upon a time in Calgary was a point per game, 2 way center, who finished 2nd in Selke Trophy voting, the Bruins paid for that type of player and just haven’t seen it yet. Hopefully we get a chance to see him at his best soon.

Pavel Zacha: B+

Zacha started the season hot with 11 points in the month of October, but has since cooled significantly producing only 15 points in November and December combined. Currently on a 3 game pointless streak, he is incredibly important to the success of the Bruins up the middle. When he is producing on both ends of the ice, the Bruins find success, when he isn’t, the team struggles. Unfortunately, consistency has been the knock on Zacha since his time in New Jersey. Skilled enough to belong in the top 6, but lacks the consistency needed in his current role. The Bruins will need his best to make any run at the postseason.

Casey Mittelstadt: C

I have been unimpressed with Mittelstadt since he arrived in Boston at the deadline last season. Once marketed as the next great American born hockey player, his NHL career has come up dreadfully short of those expectations. A highly skilled player that simply lacks grit, toughness and compete in areas of the ice you need it most. He has been bounced around in his career a bit, hopefully with the stability of playing for the Bruins he can begin becoming the player most thought he’d be.

Viktor Arvidsson: C+

The 32 year old Swede was never brought in to be a driver of the team’s offense, yet his production is still behind where it should be in my opinion. 15 points on the year, just 7 goals, at a 9.7% shooting percentage. They need more from him, simple as that. A player that needs to find the scoresheet, or be a pest to play against. At this point in his career he needs to adapt to being an effective player now, rather than a shell of his former self.

Alex Steeves: B+

Alex Steeves has been a nice find for the Bruins. Last year’s AHL runner up in goal scoring (behind fellow Bruin Matej Blumel), Steeves was called up to the NHL roster during the month of November. He had an immediate impact on the success of the team and has showed his goal scoring ability at times this season. I still believe he should be a regular in the NHL, but he needs to add another piece to his game when the goals aren’t coming. He is a tenacious forechecker, which could be a piece of said identity, but he can often go unnoticed during a game, which is not ideal.

Fraser Minten: A-

Another nice get for the Bruins in the return for Brandon Carlo last season. As much of a bummer it was to see a key defenseman like Carlo go to a division rival in the Leafs, Minten being a return piece is a welcomed consolation. Minten is starting to develop into a solid 2-way center in the NHL. He has clear ability to defend, win faceoffs, and kill penalties. Just 13 points on the year so far, but has 10 points in games where the Bruins win… seems like a trend. His production on the 3rd line give Bruins a better chance, this will be the next step for him as a pro.

Marat Khustnutdinov: B

Having started the year on rocky ground with new head coach Marco Sturm as an in and out of the lineup player, Khusty has become an effective player for the Bruins. Brought over to the Bruins in a deal to Minnesota for Justin Brazeau, the Bruins are getting similar production from Khusty as they once did Brazeau. He seems to be developing a decent chemistry with Pastrnak, which will never hurt your chances of getting more ice time. I would like to see a little more pest from him towards opponents in the second half of the year.

Tanner Jeannot: C-

The contract is forever going to be the problem that looms large over Jeannot. Recently he has been more involved physically, which a necessity for him to remain effective and helpful to this roster. At times he shows flashes of being a strong power forward, but the flashes are never sustained and are few and far between. He needs more impact on the games night in, and night out.

Sean Kuraly: B

Kuraly has carved a nice career for himself as a gritty fourth liner. His return to Boston this off season was a welcomed one as he embodies the identity of a hard nosed Bruins player. Strong in the faceoff dot, and on the kill, if he could find a way to tuck a few more he’d be an easy A.

Michael Eyssimont: C-

Not much to say here and that’s part of the problem. Not enough impact on a nightly basis for Eyssimont. He has been recently getting scratched every so often, I predict him being a player that will be removed from the lineup in favor of younger prospects later in the season if the Bruins are outside the post season cutoff.

Mark Kastelic: B-

Originally got a lot of hate as the return piece for the Bruins in a lopsided trade with the Senators for Linus Ulmark, Kastelic has consistently found ways to be an effective depth player. Physical, strong, and at times can be crafty, he is another player along with Kuraly that embodies that identity of the Bruins.

Defense

Charlie McAvoy: B-

This might be a harsh grade for McAvoy considering he missed almost a month of time and has been limited in some capacity from his broken jaw from a puck to the face, but I argue he hasn’t quite found the offensive upside of his long talked about potential as a player. Don’t get me wrong he is the cornerstone to the defense and a strong, young leader on this team, but I have seen he dominate games on both ends of the ice, both as a Bruin and during international play at the 4 Nations last season. We just don’t see that on a nightly basis, which I believe will hold him out of Norris contention when talked about alongside Makar and Quinn Hughes.

Hampus Lindholm: B

It has become very clear the importance that Hampus has on this team. A brutal knee injury last year only allowed him 17 games in a season in which the Bruins went on to perform the worst they have in several years. When he is in the lineup, they are a much stronger team, plain and simple. His standout year in the record setting 2022-23 season is unlikely to be repeated without the star players and depth that were apart of that team, but I would like to see him push to eclipse the 30 point mark this season. I think that would make for a successful return season.

Nikita Zadorov: B

I would rank Zadorov higher if it weren’t for the incredible amount of penalty minutes he has at this point in the season. Yes, I understand fighting majors add up, but he takes an awful lot of minors too. Otherwise Zadorov provides a spark from the back end with his physicality. He drags the team into the fight on nights where they struggle to establish their game and is slowly winning over the fan base as well. He is a veteran defenseman, and knows what it takes to succeed in this league, an important piece to help bring along the next generation of players.

Andrew Peeke: B

I think Peeke is very effective for what he is. A poor man’s Ryan McDonagh, Peeke has contributed nicely to the production of the back end. Maybe the most unlucky when it comes to bad bounces and own goals, Peeke’s skating game and defending makes him a solid top 4 defensemen. I think in an ideal world, he’d matchup great as a 3rd pairing guy on a great team. I would be sad to see him leave, but a guy I think might be on the block around the deadline.

Mason Lohrei: C+

After a poor start to the season in which I called for his removal from the lineup (in which he was scratched 5 games in a row), Lohrei has been better. A gifted skater, with offensive upside, but his struggled to defend in zone is the cause for many headaches for the team. As a big body, he could learn a thing or two from Zadorov on how to best utilize it. I still don’t think the offensive production/upside outweighs the at times liability that he can be defensively, but this season is a good opportunity for him to grow.

Jonathan Aspirot/Henri Jokiharju: B-

As the 6th defensemen on this team the key is to not be a noticeable liability. These guys have not been… mission success. They are interchangeable and relatively steady. Not much else to say.

Goalies:

Jeremy Swayman: B+

The new father to be, Swayman has been all you can ask for as a Bruins fan this year. After a disappointing year last season, the first as the true No. 1, he has responded nicely to the tune of a 2.87 GAA and .903 SV% in 27 games played thus far. Not quite the level of his playoff run of the 2023-24 season in which he single handedly brought the Bruins to the second round, but the complaints from the Boston media have settled down considerably since last season.

Joonas Korpisalo: D

We’re in a sad state of affairs with Joonas as he simply can’t be trusted with a regular workload at this point in the year. A 6-8 record, 3.60 GAA and .882 SV% in 14 games started this season is not the back up play the Bruins need. He rebound control is noticeably poor, and the team clearly doesn’t play with the same confidence in front of him. I would really love to see an extended NHL look for either of the Providence Bruins goalies who both have much better numbers down in the AHL this season.