Bruins Notebook: Biggest Storylines from End-of-Season Media

BOSTON –– The Boston Bruins arrived at Warrior Ice Arena on Sunday to officially close out the 2025-26 campaign.

The group was eliminated from the playoffs on Friday, falling to the Buffalo Sabres in Game 6, and had a lot to reflect on – not just regarding its postseason showing, but on a year that proved the B’s have more to give than once projected.

“Just really proud of the group,” Charlie McAvoy said. “Everybody poured everything they had into this season. I think we surprised a lot of people. For what our expectations were, it’s not really a consolation prize to be standing here after losing in the first round. As we get a little further away from it, we’ll be able to look back on how special this year really was.”

And so, as the players packed their bags and held their final meetings, there was a sense of optimism about the future. That this was just the start.

“I think we made some really good strides this year for what we’re building – and that’s to make noise in the playoffs,” Jeremy Swayman said. “I think it will be a good summer. Hopefully, guys are going to come back ready to go, and I think we all have confidence that will be the case.”

Head coach Marco Sturm led his team to a 100-point season in his first year behind the bench. He is already thinking about year two.

“I was disappointed yesterday, obviously, not winning the game and not moving forward. At the end of the day, it’s like, okay, we’ve got to keep it real here. We know we have work to do, and we know we probably have to get better and add pieces overall,” Sturm said. “We’re not going to be a surprise team anymore. That’s why it’s going to be really important how we come out of the gate. And that for me is training camp, it’s going to start already.”

Here are some of the main storylines to come out of Sunday’s locker-clean-out day:​

Injury Updates

The Bruins did not give themselves any excuses this season. The players wanted to battle with their teammates, no matter what. Now is the time to heal.

Nikita Zadorov revealed he tore his MCL in Game 3 and played the rest of the series. The defenseman said he does not think he will need surgery.​

“He’s a warrior. Hearing it from the medical department – they’ve never seen anything like it,” Sturm said of Zadorov. “That shows it all, that he’s a warrior, that he wants to play…A big man like him, it’s very impressive.”

Viktor Arvidsson, who left Game 4 and did not play for the rest of the series, said he suffered a broken rib and “a little puncture on the lung.” He had practiced on his own in Boston and was aiming to be back for Game 7.

“Just tough breathing and moving,” Arvidsson said. “It’s just tough. You want to be out there, but at some point, you just have to think about yourself and think about your family and stuff and kind of go from there. I don't want to put myself in any danger, either.”

The 33-year-old forward had two goals this playoffs and 54 points (25 goals, 29 assists) during the regular season. Arvidsson is an unrestricted free agent this summer.

“I had so much fun. It was a great year. I am happy to talk to Sweens about coming back, it’s just a lot of areas that need to be figured out with my family and stuff like that,” Arvidsson said. “I really like it here, so I am open to it.”

Hampus Lindholm said he had a small fracture in his foot after blocking a shot against the Vancouver Canucks around Christmas.

“That’s been a little something that’s nagging me a little bit. It’s starting to heal up now, so I can kind of get back to that final process of hopefully having a full summer of training normally,” H. Lindholm said. “Luckily, I play a sport where you can kind of lock your foot in pretty good. You can play with stuff like that when you get on the ice. It’s probably more annoying when you’re walking around outside. Elliot was a little bit disappointed; my dog. He didn’t get the long walks anymore. That was probably the biggest downside with that injury.”

McAvoy was also playing hurt. The defenseman said he broke his hand in Game 2 after going into the wall weirdly. McAvoy played with a cast in his glove, he said. The alternate captain nonetheless led his team with an average of 25:37 of ice time in the playoffs and logged two assists. McAvoy will also get some dental work done this summer, as a result of breaking his jaw in November.

“I tried to do everything I could, the best I could,” McAvoy said. “Some makeovers this summer. Hopefully I’ll be a little bit more whole.”

David Pastrnak and Elias Lindholm were working through injuries during the year, too. Pastrnak said he had a groin issue dating back to November, and E. Lindholm was dealing with the same back problems as last year.

​“Battled mentally a lot with that as a player. With the stride, you remember that pain for a while when that happens. Struggled with that a little bit,” Pastrnak said. “I would say for the last month, I was much better mentally with the skating and more confident.”  

Hagens to World Championship

James Hagens is set to represent Team USA at the 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Switzerland. It will be held from May 15-31.

The 19-year-old forward played at the IIHF U20 World Junior Championships this season, too, during which he had seven points (two goals, five assists) through five games.

“I just talked to James, and I am so excited he has that chance to play. That was one of my first questions after we got kicked out: Is he going? I know the importance, being with Team Germany, and even coaching and going through the process with Leon Draisaitl. I explained to him that situation – it was massive, massive,” Sturm said. “Those kinds of tournaments and experiences are just the best. I am really happy that he has a chance to go there to play against men, too. Coming from college, playing regular-season games, playing in Providence, playoff experience and now this – it can’t get any better. So good for him.”

Hagens signed his entry-level contract with Boston in April after playing six games in the AHL. He posted one assist in two regular-season games and skated in the first three games of the playoffs. Hagens will look to build his game alongside the NHL regulars on Team USA.

“I am really excited. It will be cool getting that experience and being around guys like that as well,” Hagens said. “Just go out there and play hockey, get a chance to go out and play more games. You’ve just got to make sure you bring over good habits and you learn from it, too.”  

Youth Outlook​

Hagens is one of the players who makes the Bruins excited about the future. The same goes for Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov, who both established themselves as valuable and versatile pieces of the B’s forward group this season.

Minten played in all 82 games of his rookie year in Boston, garnering 35 points (17 goals, 18 assists) while playing up and down the lineup. The 21-year-old forward gained power play and penalty kill responsibilities, too.

​“It is always up to the player,” Sturm said. “If you have a guy like Minten, started on the fourth line, all of a sudden, nobody thought he could be the No. 2 [center], and then all of a sudden he had a few games at No. 1. That’s how big of a jump he made.”

Minten does not take the opportunity for granted. He will be going back home to Vancouver for the summer with a clear idea of what he needs to train for to be successful in the Bruins’ system and in the league as a whole.

“Obviously, you want to continue to establish what you are as an NHL player, but that mindset, I don’t think you should lose. I think that’s when things go south for guys. Try to keep that hungry mindset,” Minten said. “There’s lots of areas. Physically, for sure. Mentally, you grow, gain confidence, and understanding what works for you with routines, physically. And then on the ice, I think my skating felt pretty good for most of the season. Was pretty happy with that…Just trying to work on the offensive side of things that I think will give me that next level.”

Khusnutdinov ended the year on the first line alongside Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha. He, too, has been a guy Sturm can use in many situations. The 23-year-old forward had 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists) during the regular season. Hagens got his first taste of the pros and is ready to work as well.​

“I really want to work on my speed. You have to be able to move. These are the best guys in the world,” Hagens said. “I also want to get stronger, I want to be able to hold my own when I go in the corner with guys. You want to be able to use your body, to create space for yourself. Just trying to work on that over the summer.”

Leading by Committee

​Sturm was not sure how not having a captain would bode for his team. He was pleasantly surprised by the way his players – old and young – came together to drive the Bruins success throughout the highs and lows of the year.

“I thought it went really well. Maybe because guys were really close, the leadership group, I thought they did a good job overall. Everyone had their input; there was no outsider. We always kept it really tight. I actually didn’t mind it,” Sturm said. “Having said that, there will be more conversation to have with Don, how we’re going to move forward. Personally, I liked how we handled, especially the players, handled the situation all year long.”

Pastrnak and McAvoy were tabbed as the leaders before H. Lindholm earned an ‘A’ on his jersey ahead of the season. But it went far beyond that circle.

“It was a full-group effort. Everybody helped us. There were many leaders,” Pastrnak said. “The season is so long, so early on, you probably lean more on certain guys and the older guys and the more experienced guys. But as the season goes and you’ve been together for a while, there are a lot of guys from the younger age and middle age stepping up as a leader.”

​The team is embracing the freedom to carry the organization through its next stages, and the players know it will take everyone.

“We put some onus on guys to want to be leaders and be part of it, and everyone did amazing. Learned a lot about ourselves,” McAvoy said. “Another pillar, foundation piece that we did a really good job with. Something I am sure we will revisit this summer with how we can be even better.”