Disappointing finish to what was a surprising and overall successful year even though it may not seem like it. Simply put the Bruins roster is not good enough. Certain players and their mistakes can go undetected or at least fly under the radar that simply will be exposed in the post season and for the Bruins a lot was exposed about their roster. First and foremost, respect to Jeremy Swayman, a Vezina trophy finalist this season following a difficult year last season after signing his big contract. He proved this season, and this playoff round that he is a top 5 goalie in the NHL in any given season and is worth everything the Bruins spent to have him be their number one. Second, the defense core lacks stability outside of McAvoy, Aspirot and Zadorov. Hampus Lindholm, the number 2 D behind McAvoy struggled mightily in the Buffalo series. Committing turnovers, failing to communicate effectively with players on the ice, it was a bit of disaster to watch game in and game out. His turnover at the offensive blue line, and lack of backcheck led to the Sabres ‘nail in the coffin’ goal in Game 6, and yet that was just the tip of the ice burg for the many mistakes he made in this series. Bruins will need to really investigate trading for a top pair D-man this summer. Lastly, the Bruins need offensive help. We’ve been saying this one for awhile, we knew this was a glaring hole in roster going into the season, and yet I feel a lot of the fan base/media is surprised it was an issue in the playoffs. The Bruins became one dimensional relying on Pasta to create their offense. Lines 2-3 especially with Arvidsson out of the lineup contributed essentially nothing in the form of scoring chances. The roster is not good enough. Pasta needs help, he said as much in his presser following the series. This offensive core was a hodge podge of under performers from season’s past. The good part was most of them had bounce back years and got the B’s to the postseason. Bad part is, its not a sustainable strategy, nor effective when the playoffs begin. The Bruins’ front office will need to get creative to address the gaps they have in the lineup, or will have to deal with some growing pains to give some young players a real extended chance in the NHL, either way don’t expect this forward group to be the same.

Grades:

Marco Sturm: B+
Respectable job coming back to Boston to take over a struggling roster and turn it around in one year back to the playoffs. Unfortunately, I think it showed during the series with Buffalo that their playing style was a little fraudulent. The Bruins were a tough team to play against during the regular season. Big, physical, tenacious, problem is everyone plays like that come playoff time and the Bruins were left exposed as maybe not being as tough as everyone might’ve thought. The team took a ton of penalties, and for most of the year killed them poorly. For a first time head coach, great first year with plenty to build off of, but I’m sure even he would say it was a far cry from perfect.

Offense:

David Pastrnak: A-
Another 100 point season for Pasta. He is clearly the lifeblood of the Bruins offense and is now far more than just a pure goal scorer, he’s morphed into an elite set up guy. Grasping at straws for improvement, but I think he will need to get back to being a true threat to score again. A lot of chances he passed up this year looking for an extra pass. Would love to see him get back to a shot first mentality as I think that is when he can be at his very best. Just 29 goals this year, the first time he’s been short of 40 since the 2020-21 shortened Covid season. He is a far cry from a Bruins’ problem, 4 straight 100 point seasons, signed for another 5 years, they need to get him some help offensively soon.

Elias Lindholm: D
It is slim pickings to find a complete number 1 center in the free agency market these days. The Bruins took a chance on Lindholm by over paying for the former 80+ point center, but he has regressed in point production to sub 50 and is not strong enough defensively to overcome this lack of scoring. The Bruins were spoiled by Bergeron, a top class, Selke winning center who took less money that market value to stay and try to win in Boston. We now have an overpaid, far cry from his prime player with still 5 years on his contract. Time is running out on Lindholm in Boston, he either needs to get back to performing at top level, or this will go down as one of Sweeney’s worst signings in recent memory.

Morgan Geekie: C+
The first year with real expectations for Geekie, and he met them for about 2/3 of the season. He was very streaky this year, going on runs of 4-5 games scoring in every game, some times multiple goals, and then would go several games without a point. I understand goal scoring is a streaky thing to begin with, but he is now paid to be the goal scorer, a near point per game guy in the league, he has to show up in other ways when the scoring isn’t there. He was invisible for essentially the entire month of March. Inexcusable for your top goal scorer to not produce during a hunt for the playoffs. Luckily, he found the scoring touch right before it started, but still couldn’t bring it to the next level. He has established himself as a true top goal scorer in the league, now its time to take the rest of his game up a notch.

Pavel Zacha: B
Well for a guy who is supposedly a second line center this was quite a good year, but unfortunately he was measured as a first line center due to Lindholm’s struggles. A 30 goal season is very impressive for a player who’s previous career high was just 21. At 29 years old, Zacha is signed for another year at $4.75M. If he puts up another season like this he will be a hot commodity as a UFA in July 2027 unless the Bruins can resign. He would be an awesome 2nd or even 3rd line center option, but unfortunately he’s currently leading the charge for the Bruins up the middle, and he’s just not that level of player even during his best year. No complaints, from Bruins fans on his play, but more a victim of comparison.

Casey Mittelstadt: C-
Highlighted by a 59 point year in 2022-23 season with the Buffalo Sabres, Mittelstadt simply hasn’t lived up to the hype of what many thought his NHL career would be. A highly touted prospect out of Minnesota he hasn’t materialized into the game changer that he was drafted to be. He was the weakest link on what was a fairly strong second line for the Bruins this season. He had good chemistry with Zacha and Arvidsson, but the inability to eclipse 50 points while making $5.75M a year is a problem. To be fair he agreed to that contract with the Colorado Avalanche, not the Bruins. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear his name in trade rumors this summer if the Bruins attempt to land a big fish. Still relatively young at just 27 is signed to just one more year at that price before enter the UFA market in 2027. If he is with the Bruins next season, he’ll need to contribute far more, or he’ll likely be seeing a hefty reduction in salary soon.

Marat Khustidinov: A
A pleasant surprise for the Bruins after picking him up in the Justin Brazeau deal to Minnesota. Khusty’s quickness, and tenacious nature on the forecheck is a huge plus. He had some streaks of good production to go along with good penalty killing ability, and flexibility to play anywhere in the lineup. At just $925K for another year before becoming RFA, look for Khustidinov to be a pillar of what could be shaping up to be a young gun third line alongside with Fraser Minter and James Hagens. We caught a glimpse of this trio in games 1-3 of the Buffalo series, but their youth and lack of practice together showed. Next season will be a big year for Khustidinov to capitalize on the confidence he gained from this season.

Fraser Minten: A-
Another great surprise for the Bruins this season. Once thought of as the 2nd best asset in the Brandon Carlo trade to the Leafs that contains a 2026 first round pick, Fraser Minten turned into a very solid third line center this season. It was a strong base year to build on for the 21 year old. Still on his entry level contract at $816K for another year his outlook is that of a solid middle of the ice piece with a two-way game. A balanced 35 point year from the youngster along with good penalty killing ability will serve him well. A full year of NHL experience will go a long way for his development and hopefully his production grows next season.

Alex Steeves: C-
If you look back at some of these posts I raved about Steeves around December. He injected some much needed life into the Bruins lineup around that time with his strong forechecking and knack for scoring at the time. Unfortunately it didn’t last. His play got progressively less effective and he became a rotating cast member for the third line wing position along with Lukas Reichel, Michael Eyssimont and James Hagens. Steeves signed an extension with the Bruins on January 21, capitalizing on his good play to that point to the tune of $1.625M per year for 2 years. Depending how roster depth shakes out, I am not confident he will be a full time NHLer next season if he continues with the Bs.

Michael Eyssimot: D+
Nothing impressed me much this season with Eyssimont’s game. He’s a good penalty killer sure, but his forechecking isn’t very effective, he’s not overly physical, and doesn’t produce offense nearly enough for a third liner in today’s NHL. He is signed for another year with Boston becoming a UFA after next season making $1.45M in the meantime. He is likely to remain the odd man out of a consistent lineup spot next season rotating into the 3rd and 4th line when injuries pop up.

Lukas Reichel: C-
A deadline pickup in which the Bruins evaluated a low risk, potentially high reward play from a young player who has showed very brief instances of high skill play. Giving up just a 7th rounder for him during a very quiet deadline for the Bruins, Reichel slotted into the third line and truthfully didn’t change much. He has undeniable speed, but isn’t tenacious, high skill, but largely ineffective. His game is in need of work to adapt to the NHL or he’ll shortly be another former first rounder playing in back in Europe too early in his career.

James Hagens: B-
Harsh? Probably, but that’s the way it is. Hagens is the most hyped Bruins prospect in nearly a decade. He has speed, skill and ability that made him at one point rumored to go first overall in the 2025 draft. He fell to the Bruins at 7th, and became a no doubt pick for the Bruins who spent a lot of time scouting him at BC in his freshman season. He returned to BC for a sophomore season and produced 47 points in 34 games, added 7 in 5 games at World Juniors, and tacked on an NHL assist in 5 games with the Bruins. I don’t think his first 5 career NHL games are in any way indicative of the player he is likely to be, but he is another victim of comparison so far. Porter Martone, just ahead of Hagens at 6th overall joined the Flyers following his season at Michigan State and has so far produced 13 points in 16 games for Philly. Two very different styles of play, Martone’s the easier style to acclimate to NHL, but nonetheless the Bruins were hoping Hagens could provide the same spark to the lineup, but it didn’t quite happen.

Sean Kuraly: C
Not much negative, not much postive to say about Sean Kuraly this season. He played his role as a 4th line C/W well this season. He eats up ice time on the penalty kill effectively and provides some leadership through experiences qualities that Bruins’ locker room likely needs. At 33 years old and signed to just one more year with the Bruins at $1.85M I expect this to be his last contract in the NHL of true value. Would I love to get more than 6 goals out of him? Yes of course. Do I expect to? No.

Tanner Jeannot: D
For just a second let’s imagine that Jeannot was signed to a 3 year $2.25M deal with the Bruins. Well, if that was the case his grade goes to a C+ and we’d think nothing more of it. He is big, physical, a playoff type player who is one of the few true heavyweight fighters left in the NHL. Unfortunately the Bruins signed him to a 5 year, $3.43M AAV deal that just stings a little more. Just 6 goals this season, 22 points total, simply not good enough for the money he is making. I know there are intangibles like leadership qualities, locker room chemistry and all that, which I still factored into the figure in our imaginary scenario. Not a good contract for the Bs that will likely go overshadowed overtime if they get high production from the young guns line.

Mark Kastelic: C
Probably the best of the 4th liners this season on a consistent basis. Maybe its just the eye test, but I found him to play more a factor in games than the other two. He’s pesky, willing to fight, willing to block shots, all the things you’d expect from a 4th liner, but he also makes half as much as Jeannot doing all the same things. If the Bruins happen to come across a better option to help bolster production on the 4th line I think Kastelic could flourish and be a sneaky good offensive option for 30-40 points, but he can’t do it on his own.

Defense:

Charlie McAvoy: A-
I feel strongly he would’ve been rewarded with an A or even A+ had the playoffs never started. Chucky battled a lot this season, and kept coming back better. Starting the year after a nasty shoulder injury kept him out the second half of last season, then get hit in the face with a puck (broken jaw), then some off the ice health issues with his infant daughter, then an elbow to the jaw on the way to the Olympics, a gold medal, returns from Milan with Norris level production, only to break his hand in Game 2 and be largely ineffective for the playoff series against Buffalo. He needs help back there. Cale Makar has Devon Toews, Quinn Hughes has Brock Faber, Victor Hedman has had 2-3 other options to help him and McAvoy really hasn’t had that in awhile. The Bruins need a 1B defenseman to play alongside or share the responsibility with McAvoy, and I believe he will unlock a full season at that Norris level we’ve seen he is capable of.

Hampus Lindholm: C
Hampus returned this season after missing most of last with a significant knee injury. Prior to his injury he was once an effective number 2 defenseman. He had great puck moving ability, a good skater, and added some offensive upside in past seasons. It became very clear during the Sabres series (if it wasn’t already) that Lindholm is no longer a true number 2 defenseman. Does that mean he’s useless to the Bruins? No, absolutely not. He can still be very effective on the Bs throughout the remainder of his contract, just not as a top pair guy. At 32 years old, coming off injury the minutes clearly got to him. Didn’t help he didn’t have a solid partner this season either, but I see him and Zadorov pairing up to be a very responsible 2nd pair option next season if the Bruins can add a major player defensively.

Nikita Zadorov: B-
Zadorov plays his role well. Enormous, physical, agitator, who protects everyone else on the ice. He blocks shots, can eat minutes, kill penalties, etc. Downside is he commits far too many penalties, isn’t the best skater, gets lazy, but also tries to do too much. He could benefit from simplifying his game to just his strengths as a true shut down guy. At $5M a year for 4 more years the Bruins will take what he offers every year like this.

Mason Lohrei: D-
The experiment with Lohrei in Boston should be over. I have never been a fan as you all know, but now I think more people are on board with me after his most recent play in the playoffs. He is a turnover machine who can’t defend effectively, yet can’t produce to the level of a true offensive defenseman in the NHL. He would be great trade piece for a lower seed team willing to provide him ample ice time to try and develop him further into being more offensive, but the Bruins have that guy with McAvoy, and Lohrei is not a good enough defender for the Bruins to continue down this path. He was rumored in trades during the season, expect that to continue, otherwise Providence is a great destination for him next season.

Jonathan Aspirot: A+
Our first A+ all the way near the bottom here, but Aspirot was the best surprise this season. He paired great with McAvoy providing some stability so McAvoy could be more aggressive. He plays a very simple, hard nosed game and I love it. He clears people out from the front of the net, defends hard and well, and can eat minutes. He is a guy you don’t have to worry about which is more of a luxury than you might think. You know exactly what you’re going to get from him, and now extended 2 years for $887,500 AAV, he is an awesome fit for the Bruins.

Andrew Peeke: C-
An expiring UFA didn’t do much to ensure he will return as a Bruin next season. For the most part just an average defenseman, and unfortunately the Bruins don’t need an average defenseman going forward. Historically the B’s have looked to move on from guys like Peeke, think Clifton, Wortherspoon are examples from recent memory that fall in the same category of player. Was he the problem defensively for the Bruins this season? No. Is he the solution? Also no. With Jokiharju already signed for a couple more years, I think the Bruins will punt on Peeke.

Henri Jokiharju: C
Henri Jokiharju was the best of the 3 options the B’s went with in the 6th D spot in this playoff run, I can see him emerging to a more full time role next season as he is signed for another 2 years at $3M AAV. He is a solid bottom pair option, but nothing more than that. He is still relatively young at 26, and is at a fair price, I could see him potentially being on the market as part of a package, if again the Bruins want to make a big splash in the trade market.

Jordan Harris: Incomplete
We didn’t see enough of Harris this season to warrant a fair grade. He had a decent start to the year before leaving with injury for the better part of the season, only to comeback and not find regular playing time. A good guy to have around as a plug and play 7th D-man, maybe with Jokiharju next season.

Goaltending:

Jeremy Swayman: A+
One hell of a bounce back season for Swayman after a pretty terrible 2024-25 campaign. A Vezina finalist alongside Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy and New York Islanders Ilya Sorokin, Swayman cemented himself this season as true top goaltender in this league. He was the number one reason for the Bruins post season appearance and continued to give them a chance in almost every game against the Sabres. So many good teams right now are scrambling to find a true number one goalie, and the Bruins have quite the luxury in Swayman as the building block for their next few seasons.

Joonas Korpisalo: C+
See not as harsh on Korpi as you might’ve thought if you read any of my early season articles! Korpisalo provided great relief goaltending down the stretch in games the Bruins needed to win. He made some truly stellar saves in games this season and all respect goes to him. That doesn’t change the fact that he still costs $3M a year for a team that has Michael DiPietro, the now two-time AHL goalie of the year sitting in Providence awaiting his chance in the show. I expect the Bruins to move on from Korpisalo this summer and finally give DiPietro a shot.

Overall we can reflect on this season as being a success for the Bruins, even though its hard to admit after such a dismal first round exit. The Bruins have cap space, a solid core of top players, some emerging young talent, and some draft picks. That is a great place to be, I hope and expect that the Bruins will make some big splashes in the trade market this summer.

Thank you following along for my first season on recaps! I appreciate all of you taking the time to read my rants, raves and opinions this year. I look forward to running it back again next year!