Need to Know: Bruins vs. Blue Jackets

BOSTON –– Boston Bruins hockey is officially back.

After 22 days without game action due to the Olympic break, the B’s return to TD Garden on Thursday for a 7 p.m. matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Bruins have hold of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference; the Blue Jackets trail them by just four points. There will be no time for Boston to ease into the competition.

“It’s getting closer to the end, and that means every point counts. I realize that, we all realize that. Again, our focus will [still] be on game by game. Just have short little goals, then the big picture,” head coach Marco Sturm said. “It’s time. I think for all of us, even watching games yesterday, it feels like a new season already. I’m glad the time is here, the game is here, I’m glad we are home. And I’m glad to get things going again.”

Charlie McAvoy joined the Bruins for an optional morning skate on Thursday. The defenseman earned a gold medal with Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 on Sunday.

“It is so hard to win in this game,” McAvoy said. “Now I have a win there on my record. Hopefully, a Stanley Cup isn’t too far behind.”

Sturm said McAvoy would be a game-time decision after getting back to Boston early Wednesday morning. While representing the United States on the international stage was a “childhood dream come true” for McAvoy, he is now refocusing on the final 25 regular-season games with the Bruins.​

“You have to dial back in and realize what this team has done so far this year. This position that we’ve put ourselves in, what we’ve done alone, has been really special, too,” McAvoy said. “There is so much left to play for this year. Switching back to putting the B on. I’m really excited for the second half.”

Wait, There’s More

• Joonas Korpisalo will start in net for Boston. The goaltender last played on Feb. 4 against the Florida Panthers. Korpisalo has a 3.15 goals against average and a .893 save percentage through 22 games. Korpisalo was a third-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2012 and spent eight years with the team. Michael DiPietro will be the backup goalie; Jeremy Swayman has the night off.

• Sean Kuraly was with the Blue Jackets for four seasons before signing his two-year contract with the Bruins in July. The Ohio native has 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) through 57 games this season while centering the fourth line between Mark Kastelic and Tanner Jeannot. Kuraly is also a key piece to the B’s penalty kill.

• Andrew Peeke was a second-round pick of the Blue Jackets in the 2016 NHL Draft. He spent five years with the organization before getting traded to Boston in March 2024. The defenseman has 12 points (four goals, eight assists) through 56 games, and is averaging 19:37 of ice time per night.

Opposing View

• The Blue Jackets entered the Olympic break on a seven-game winning streak, putting them in reach of playoff positioning. They most recently beat the Chicago Blackhawks on Feb. 4; Thursday is also their first game back.

• Charlie Coyle returns to TD Garden for the first time since getting traded from Boston. Coyle was first dealt to the Colorado Avalanche in March and then to Columbus in June. The Weymouth, Massachusetts native spent seven seasons with the Bruins. Coyle has 42 points (15 goals, 27 assists) through 56 games in his first year with the Blue Jackets.

• Zach Werenski leads Columbus with 62 points (20 goals, 42 assists) through 52 games. The defenseman was teammates with  McAvoy for Team USA at the Olympics and had the assist on the game-winning goal for gold. Werenski is projected to skate on the Blue Jackets’ first pair with Damon Severson.