Bruins Brass Previews the 2025-26 Season

BOSTON –– Regular-season hockey is finally upon the Boston Bruins.​

With opening night just two days away, CEO and alternate governor Charlie Jacobs, president Cam Neely and general manager Don Sweeney previewed the 2025-26 campaign on Monday at TD Garden.

Here are some of the main takeaways from what the Bruins brass had to say.

Confidence from Competitive Training Camp

Whether a returning veteran or fresh-faced acquisition, training camp was a new experience for all of the Bruins this year. Head coach Marco Sturm shared his vision for the team – with an emphasis on sturdy defense, quick transitions, offensive urgency and prideful physicality – ahead of his first year behind the NHL bench.

The communication and clearly set expectations through the three-week camp have the Bruins feeling confident as Wednesday’s game against the Washington Capitals approaches.

“Ran a really competitive, structured [camp]. Was really designed to reestablish and build the foundation that he expects our guys to play with,” Sweeney said. “Refreshing to see the skills be a little different and bring a new perspective that he incorporated into games.”

Sturm joined the Bruins as the 30th head coach in franchise history on June 5 and has worked to swiftly make his mark as his group forms its identity. Boston’s latest preseason performances showed an understanding of the systems from the players, which will all continue to develop in the next 82 games.

​“His organization, his layout for what the staff expects on a daily basis, his ability to digest how that day went and tweak it the next day – you’ve heard his voice throughout camp,” Sweeney said of Sturm. “I think that’s really important for our players to understand that he’s in charge of this.”

Emphasis on Defensive Identity, Toughness

Boston’s blueline will be a key piece of its success this season.

The Bruins have reinforcements with the return of Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm from injury, and some depth with the signing of Jordan Harris, who is slotted to be the seventh defenseman. It helps, too, that Jeremy Swayman has looked sharp throughout camp. The goaltender posted 30 saves in his final exhibition showing on Saturday.

“I think we are going to have to play tight defense if we’re going to be one of the eight [teams in the Eastern Conference to make playoffs],” Neely said. “We got guys who are going to be tough to play against, hard to play against. I think teams are going to circle playing against the Bruins and go, ‘Oh damn, we have to play them tonight.’ That is the type of lineup we put together.”

Production from top-six stalwarts like David Pastrnak, Morgan Geekie and Pavel Zacha is anticipated, so Bruins management wanted to add some sandpaper and scoring flair to the bottom six this offseason. The signings of Tanner Jeannot, Mikey Eyssimont and Sean Kuraly all fit the gritty persona the Bruins were after.

“We really felt like the bottom part of our lineup needed a little bit more piss and vinegar, if you will. That was something we attacked first,” Neely said. ​

It is all part of an effort to put together a stronger season on the ice for the fans.

“I think the pressure is there every day, no matter if we won the Cup last June or not,” Jacobs said. “There is pressure every day. We are very blessed to have the market that we have and the fanbase that we have.”

Neely echoed the same sentiment.

“We recognize that they have their own expectations of their teams in this city. We have to match that or do better than that. We’re not satisfied at all with last year. We know we need to be better. And that is our mission: to be better,” Neely said. “It’s really a treat to see this building come alive. We’ve got to give more reasons to come alive this year than we did last year.”

Message to Bubble Players

As is the reality across the NHL, training camp becomes a numbers game at the end. That means that players who could potentially contribute in the lineup are held to the outside and given more time to fine-tune their games in the AHL with the Providence Bruins.

That was the case for Jonathan Apirot, Matěj Blümel, Michael DiPietro and Alex Steeves – all of whom cleared waivers on Monday. Matt Poitras, who is waiver-exempt, also reported to Providence training camp.

Sweeney is not counting those names out, though, and still views the players as important parts of the organization moving forward.

“The other guys are going to go and put the work in that’s required to be next in line. The message is going to be, ‘We’re going to play the players that are playing the best.’ That extends to Providence,” Sweeney said. “They know that they were on the doorstep of making our team and breaking camp. But they also know there is going to be an opportunity here when either somebody is injured or they are not doing the job we expect them to do.” ​

Fraser Minten is one of the youngsters who secured a spot in his first camp with the Bruins. The 21-year-old forward said he knows the work is not done and is going to make the most out of the NHL role that Boston believes he can fill.​

“Fraser, to his credit, took the opportunity, and he’s earned it,” Sweeney said. “We’re going to start that way.”