Boston Bruins 2026 Season Preview

By James Ferreira, 10/15/25

David Pastrnak at the Winter Classic

The NHL season is upon us. At this time last year, hopes were high among Bruins fans and within the organization itself. After a respectable playoff run that saw the team fall in six games in the second round to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers, and a strong offseason that saw additions that bolstered the back end and added needed depth up the middle, Boston faithful believed the team could make a legitimate run.

To say the least, that did not happen. After a season that saw the B’s finish last in the Atlantic Division and bottom five in the league, expectations are through the floor; the 2025-2026 season will be one of many rebuilding years to come. If they finish poorly enough, the club could be on track to acquire Penn State’s Gavin McKenna , the next generational talent in the draft class of 2026 — and finishing so poorly is absolutely a possibility.

Gavin McKenna suited up for Penn State

The Bruins had a busy offseason this past summer. The most significant news came from behind the bench, when the organization hired former Bruins player Marco Sturm as head coach. With a sub-par roster, Sturm is not looking to back down from any opposition and hopes to reinstate the foundations of a winning culture within the team, taking each step one at a time.

“I want my players to play the way we all want them to play,” Sturm said regarding his goals for the season . “And get that identity back. Not just one day. Not just one period. But very, very consistent. That’s my goal right now. That’s it. Nothing else.”

Head Coach Marco Sturm behind the bench

Tanner Jeannot , Viktor Arvidsson , and Sean Kuraly were the biggest names to be signed by the Bruins, additions that do not exactly signal that the team will be making a run this year. With thin depth throughout the lineup, this Bruins team will struggle this season. In addition, coming off a trade deadline that saw the team’s roster completely dismantled, including the trade of captain Brad Marchand , the 2026 Bruins roster is a shell of its past self. Of course, many of these moves have brought up controversy around management, and left fans questioning general manager Don Sweeney and president Cam Neely ’s proficiencies at their respective positions.

The 2025-2026 season on Causeway Street bears a grim look. However, there are some bright spots for the organization for this year and the future, one of those being this past summer’s draft. Headlined by Boston College standout and 7th overall selection James Hagens , fans have an extremely positive outlook on the 2025 draft class and hold some hope for the future of the club’s prospect pool. Additionally, there is no denying that the Bruins have a solid number one goalie in net. Despite a rough 2025 season, Jeremy Swayman has proven that he can not only be an elite goaltender in the regular season but in the playoffs as well, and he looks to have a year of redemption. David Pastrnak , still in the prime of his career, as well as Morgan Geekie , are also on track to continue production at a high rate this coming season. Finally, despite a poor goal differential as a team in 2025, Charlie McAvoy , Hampus Lindholm , Nikita Zadorov , and Mason Lohrei give the Bruins a solid defensive core.

James Hagens in the NCAA Tournamen t

Despite the poor outlook on the 2026 season for the Boston Bruins, some positives shine through. And even with all the predictions out there about the coming year, hockey is a game in which truly anything can and will happen. Time and time again teams have defied the odds to defy the expectations set upon them, including a Bruins team from just a few years ago , so no team is ever really out for the count.