If you had told a crowd of Bruins fans that a month into the season they would be sitting atop the Atlantic Division with a 9-4-1 record, not many would believe you. Sure, they were a playoff team last year and they made improvements to the roster over the summer, but the underwhelming loss in six games to Buffalo in the playoffs last year and a roster still with large holes to fill was a tough sell to many, especially in a cutthroat Atlantic division. So what happened?
The most obvious reason is the influx of young talent the Bruins are receiving. James Hagens and Fraser Minten are the stars of the show, tied for third on the team in scoring with five goals and assists each. The two have solidified their futures as cornerstone pieces of the Bruins franchise after taking a big step forward. 19-year-old Hagans is a rookie and was the 7th overall pick in the 2025 draft. Minten was a 2nd rounder in 2022 by Toronto who split time between the AHL and NHL before being dealt to Boston at the 2025 deadline in the same deal that sent defenseman Brandon Carlo to Toronto.
While on the topic of young talent, it’s hard to forget about Matt Poitras and Marat Khustnutdinov. Poitras, who had been a significant contributor early in his rookie season, had been lost in the shuffle the previous two seasons after a shoulder injury sidelined him for the rest of his rookie season. Khustnutdinov, recently extended, played the majority of his first two NHL seasons in Minnesota, where he struggled to find his footing. The move to Boston at the 2025 deadline allowed his career to take off in ways it never did in Minnesota. He is now a key piece for the Bruins middle six forward corps, and a 30-point campaign last year earned him a three-year extension.
“I think the young guys are showing a really promising future for the Bruins,” says HHS senior Colin Casey.
The team’s veterans certainly haven’t been absent either; David Pastrnak and Jeremy Swayman are doing their usual thing with Pastrnak scoring at a 100-plus point pace and Swayman putting up a .912 save percentage in net. Newcomer JJ Peterka has been more than worth the two first round picks the Bruins dealt to Utah to get him. Pavel Zacha and Casey Mittelstadt picked up right where they left off last year. Even Elias Lindholm is second on the team in scoring with 11 points after a disappointing first two years in Boston.
“I’m really surprised by the start to the year for the Bruins, but I’m not complaining,” says Liam Jordan.
While the team’s first month has certainly been a success, whether or not they will continue it over the next five is a question unanswered. Still, it’s hard not to be optimistic about this team now and in the future.
