Without a question, the Boston Bruins had a difficult season in 2024-25. That all came to a head at the trade deadline as general manager Don Sweeney traded longtime Bruin, and captain, Brad Marchand, and a dependable defenseman in Brandon Carlo in two shocking moves.
The Bruins played out their schedule but the questions were there. Those questions were "what happened, and how do we fix this?" It is non-Bruins fashion, but the 2025-26 season may be controlled by the young core.
Bruins are no longer a veteran team
During the 2024-25 season, the Bruins relied on every player to help the team out of their funk especially after the deadline. Surprisingly, the players that showed up were the young players trying to make a statement. Forward Marat Khusnutdinov led the way after the trade from the Minnesota Wild, scoring three goals and two assists for five points in 18 games. This does not seem like much but he also bring speed and a defensive game that will be put into use next season. The Moscow, Russia native is 22 years old.
The other members of the young core at forward include Matthew Poitras, John Beecher, and Jakub Lauko. Poitras will be counted on for secondary scoring in the middle six. Last season, the 21-year-old center has one goal and 11 assists for 12 points in 33 games. The 24-year-old Beecher, also a center, brings size down the middle and a gritty game to go with it. He will also be vital in the special team units. Last season, he produced three goals and eight assists for 11 points in 79 games.
The final forward is the 25-year-old Lauko. He registered five goals and six assists for 11 points in 56 games. he also provides a gritty game and a defensive style of play that gives off a vibe that Boston teammates will not be messed with.
Mason Lohrei took big steps in 2024-25
On defense, Boston is more of a veteran group but one player that effectively stood out was young gun Mason Lohrei. When defenseman Charlie McAvoy went out with an injury, 24-year-old Lohrei filled in nicely and arguably became the defense leader.
His game picked up even more after Sweeney traded Brandon Carlo to the Toronto Maple Leafs and Lohrei showed great leadership, playing double the minutes he had before the trade. Last season, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound defenseman recorded five goals and 28 assists for 33 points in 79 games. He has a fantastic future ahead of him.
The Bruins might take a stumble next season but they have some players who they should count on as their young core. How will they be played and thier minutes distributed? That will be up to Sweeney if he is still general manager, and intern head coach Joe Sacco, if he remains coach.
If Boston is going full rebuild, they may fire Sacco and go with a new coach. There are plenty of candidates out there including John Tortorella, Peter Laviolette, Derek Lalonde, Greg Cronin, and Rick Tocchet. This is all up in the air but should be sorted out before the 2025 NHL Draft or the start of free agency. The Bruins season will be one to watch, good or bad.