Need to Know: Bruins vs. Canucks 

BOSTON –– The Boston Bruins continue their homestand with a 7 p.m. matchup against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday at TD Garden.

“They traded their best player, and since then, they’ve played the best hockey. It’s a young group now. They feel free, no pressure. They just go out, work and we’ve got to be ready,” head coach Marco Sturm said of the Canucks. “I think it’s a big game for us. We want to finish [well] before Christmas, so we are going to have some work to do.”

Sturm adjusted his forward group ahead of the game.

​Jeffrey Viel is slotting back into the lineup for the first time since Nov. 29. The 28-year-old forward was on the fourth line with Sean Kuraly and Mikey Eyssimont during Saturday’s morning skate. Alex Steeves will draw out, Sturm said.

“Obviously, I think bringing a lot of energy. Keep it simple early and just help this team on the ice and get a spark going,” Viel said of his return. “I am a pro, so it’s just showing up every day, being positive and working on my game. Just staying in shape. It’s not always easy, but it’s part of the game.”

Marat Khusnutdinov is projected to be on the first line with Elias Lindholm and David Pastrnak, while Morgan Geekie moves to the second line with Casey Mittelstadt and Pavel Zacha. The third line of Tanner Jeannot, Fraser Minten and Mark Kastelic is also reunited.

The Bruins are looking to bounce back after falling 3-1 to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday.

“Mindset doesn’t change. Doesn’t matter what team is out there, we’ve got to try to get the win,” said former Canuck Nikita Zadorov. “Good teams don’t lose two or three in a row. I think in this league, if you’re going to be in the mix at the end of the year, you’ve got to do the good homework after the game, know what didn’t go well the game before and just come with an open mindset after that.”

Wait, There’s More

• Jeremy Swayman will start in net for Boston for the fourth consecutive game. The goaltender most recently made 22 saves against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday. Swayman has a 2.76 goals against average and a .908 save percentage through 23 games this year.
• Elias Lindholm enters Saturday’s contest on a two-game point streak; he has five points in the last five games. The 31-year-old forward spent part of one season (2023-24) with the Canucks before signing in Boston, as did Zadorov. Lindholm has been the stalwart first-line center this year and has a total of 22 points (five goals, 17 assists) through 25 games.
• Charlie McAvoy leads all Bruins defensemen with 16 points, all of which are assists. The 27-year-old blueliner has two points in four games since coming back from injury on Dec. 11. McAvoy is skating on the first pair with Zadorov, and is averaging 23:51 of ice time per night.

Opposing View

• The Canucks are coming off a 4-1 win over the New York Islanders on Friday; Saturday’s matchup in Boston is the second game of a back-to-back for them. Kiefer Sherwood had a hat trick, and David Kampf also scored against the Islanders. Netminder Thatcher Demko made 22 saves on 23 shots. Vancouver has won its last three games.
• Zeev Buium – along with Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren and a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft – was traded to Vancouver in exchange for Quinn Hughes on Dec. 12. Buium has two points (one goal, one assist) in his first three games with the Canucks. The 20-year-old defenseman has been skating on the second pair with Tyler Myers.
• Former Bruin Jake DeBrusk is in his second season with Vancouver. The 29-year-old forward spent seven years in Boston. DeBrusk has 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) through 34 games this year, and is on the third line with Kampf and Nils Hoglander.