Bruins roster breakdown ahead of Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Boston Bruins enter the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs after a rebound season that stood as a bit of a surprise after they finished well out of the race last season. They went 45-27-10 and clinched the first wild card from the Eastern Conference. The Bruins last went to the second round of the playoffs in 2024 and qualified for eight consecutive seasons before missing out in 2024-25. They last made the Stanley Cup Final in 2019, a seven-game loss to the St. Louis Blues. Three players from that team (David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy and Sean Kuraly) remain with the Bruins

Here is the 2026 Bruins roster at a glance:

FORWARDS

Viktor Arvidsson (5-foot-10, 181), Skelleftea, Sweden: The second-line wing was one of the biggest surprises of the season (55 points; 25 goals, 29 assists in 69 games) on what has been one of the Bruins' most reliable lines. Arvidsson, 33, had a combined 42 points (21 goals, 21 assists) in 84 games the past two seasons for the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers. He was traded to the Bruins by the Oilers on July 1, 2025, for a fifth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

Michael Eyssimont (6-0, 195), Littleton, Colorado: The 29-year-old forward was in and out of the lineup in a bottom-six role after signing as a free agent July 1. He had 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) in 56 games.

Morgan Geekie (6-3, 212), Strathclair, Manitoba: The 27-year-old has soared as a member of the Bruins since signing a six-year, $33 million contract July 1, 2023. He played on the first and third lines, led Boston in goals (39) and his 68 points in 81 games were a new NHL career high after he 57 points (33 goals, 24 assists) in 77 games last season. Geekie did not exceed nine goals and 28 points in his first four seasons.

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James Hagens (5-11, 177), Hauppauge, New York: The Bruins signed the 19-year-old to a three-year, entry level contract April 8, after he finished his sophomore season at Boston College. The No. 7 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft played six games for Providence in the American Hockey League and had four points (one goal, three assists) after signing an amateur tryout agreement. The forward made his NHL debut on April 12 and one assist in two games.

Tanner Jeannot (6-2, 221), Estevan, Saskatchewan: The 28-year-old has found a home as a bottom-six forward after playing for the Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning and Kings. He signed a five year, $17 million contract with the Bruins on July 1, 2025, and had 22 points (six goals, 16 assists) in 77 games.

Mark Kastelic (6-4, 234), Phoenix, Arizona: When the Bruins said they wanted to be harder to play against at the start of this season, Kastelic was a big piece of that, and the 27-year-old has delivered. He has been an important bottom-six piece, especially at the face-off dot, and had 22 points (12 goals, 10 assists) in 78 games. He was acquired from the Ottawa Senators with Joonas Korpisalo in the trade for Linus Ullmark on June 24, 2024.

Marat Khusnutdinov (5-11, 184), Moscow, Russia: Khusnutdinov might have been the most under-the-radar of players acquired before the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. The 23-year-old has played on the first and third lines and had 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists) in 77 games while bringing a dynamic element. He came to Boston from the Minnesota Wild as part of the trade for Justin Brazeau on March 6, 2025.

Sean Kuraly (6-2, 208), Niagara Falls, New York: The 33-year-old is in his second stint with the Bruins, returning to sign a two-year contract July 1 after four seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Kuraly played his first five seasons with Boston and for the 2019 Eastern Conference champions. He had 22 points (six goals, 16 assists) in 82 games as a bottom-six forward.

Elias Lindholm (6-1, 200), Boden, Sweden: Lindholm was significantly more comfortable in his second season with the Bruins after signing a seven-year contract July 1, 2024, with 48 points (17 goals, 31 assists) in 69 games as the first- and third-line center. The 31-year-old is a defensively responsible, if not flashy offensively.

Fraser Minten (6-2, 204), Vancouver, British Columbia: Minten has exceeded expectations as a 21-year-old center in his first full season. He had 35 points (17 goals, 18 assists) in 82 games and earned the trust of coach Marco Sturm, playing on the first and third lines. Minten played 25 games coming into this season. He was traded to the Bruins by the Toronto Maple Leafs before the 2025 Deadline with a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft for defenseman Brandon Carlo.

Casey Mittelstadt (6-1, 205), Eden Prairie, Minnesota: Mittelstadt resuscitated his career this season, forming a formidable line with Arvidsson and Pavel Zacha. It was Mittelstadt's move from center to wing that helped stabilize the line, and the 27-year-old had 42 points (15 goals, 27 assists) in 71 games. The only other time he has scored 15 goals in an NHL season was 2022-23 for the Buffalo Sabres. He arrived before the 2025 Deadline, coming from the Colorado Avalanche in the trade for Charlie Coyle.

David Pastrnak (6-0, 199), Havirov, Czechia: Pastrnak, who turns 30 on May 25, had another MVP-caliber season for the team that chose him in the first round (No. 25) of the 2014 NHL Draft. He had 100 points (29 goals, 71 assists) in 77 games, his fourth straight season reaching  triple digits in points. Pastrnak had 32 more points than the next Bruins' player, Geekie, and his 71 assists are a new NHL career high.

Lukas Reichel (6-0, 170), Nurnberg, Germany: Reichel represents the sole move the Bruins made before the 2026 Deadline on March 6, when they acquired him from the Vancouver Canucks for a sixth-round pick in the 2026 draft. The 23-year-old has brought speed to the third line of the Bruins and had three points (one goal, two assists) in 10 games with Boston this season. He had one assist in 14 games for the Canucks and four points (two goals, two assists) in five games for the Chicago Blackhawks, all this season.

Alex Steeves (6-0, 199), Saint Paul, Minnesota: The 26-year-old scored six goals in his first 13 games of the season. Since then, the bottom-six forward was in and out of the lineup and finished with 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) in 43 games. He signed as a free agent July 1, 2025.

Pavel Zacha (6-4, 211), Brno, Czechia: Career season doesn't quite begin to describe what Zacha put together. The 29-year-old center exceeded his previous high by nine goals, scoring 30 for the first time in the NHL. He has anchored the second line with Mittelstadt and Arvidsson and had 65 points in 78 games of his fourth season with the Bruins. The No. 6 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft was acquired from the New Jersey Devils for Erik Haula on July 13, 2022.

DEFENSEMEN

Jonathan Aspirot (6-0, 212), Mascouche, Quebec: Aspirot might be the best story on the Bruins this season with the 26-year-old free agent signee playing 61 games (13 points; three goals, 10 assists) as a rookie. He played 292 games over the six prior seasons in the AHL and was not expected to be a factor but has been effective teaming with Charlie McAvoy on the top defense pair. He signed a two-way contract July 1.

Jordan Harris (6-0, 189), Haverhill, Massachusetts: Played only eight games this season (one goal, two assists) after signing a one-year, $825,000 contract July 1. Harris broke his ankle Oct. 21 and needed surgery. He returned to play 16:03 in a 6-3 loss at the Nashville Predators on March 5.

Henri Jokiharju (6-0, 205), Oulu, Finland: The 26-year-old played 41 games (15 points; two goals, 13 assists). He was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres on March 7, 2025, for a fourth-round pick in the 2026 draft.

Hampus Lindholm (6-4, 217), Helsingborg, Sweden: Lindholm returned this season after playing 17 games in 2024-25 because of knee surgery and a follow-up repair that kept him out for the remainder of that season. He played 67 games this season (26 points; five goals, 21 assists). The 32-year-old played for Team Sweden at the 2026 Olympics and is a Bruins alternate captain whose return was significant in Boston clinching a playoff berth.

Mason Lohrei (6-5, 218), Baton Rouge, Louisiana: The 25-year-old is an offensive defenseman taken by the Bruins in the second round (No. 58) of the 2020 NHL Draft. He had 26 points (seven goals, 19 assists) in 73 games and often played with Lindholm on the second pair.

Charlie McAvoy (6-1, 211), Long Beach, New York: One of the two primary leaders and longest tenured members of the Bruins, the 28-year-old defenseman had his best and most challenging season. McAvoy missed the remainder of last season with an injury sustained at the 4 Nations Face-Off and was hit in the face by a puck Nov. 15, fracturing his jaw, causing him numerous lost teeth and keeping him out for a month. He still managed an NHL career-high 61 points (11 goals, 50 assists) and a gold medal with Team USA at the Olympics. McAvoy was chosen in the first round (No. 14) of the 2016 NHL Draft.

Andrew Peeke (6-3, 214), Parkland, Florida: Peeke was acquired in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 8, 2024, and had 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 77 games skating on the third pair. The 28-year-old was one shy of his career high of six goals set in 2022-23.

Nikita Zadorov (6-7, 255), Moscow, Russia: The hulking defenseman has rounded into form in his second season in Boston after signing a six-year contract July 1, 2024. He had 22 points (two goals, 20 assists) in 81 games while averaging 20:53 of ice time. His 152 penalty minutes led the NHL (followed by Kastelic with 140), the second consecutive season he has led the League in that category.

GOALIES

Joonas Korpisalo (6-4, 200), Pori, Finland: The 31-year-old has come up big at times and had a 3.15 goals-against average and .894 save percentage in 31 games (28 starts) in his second season in Boston. Korpisalo won a bronze medal at the Olympics with Team Finland.

Jeremy Swayman (6-3, 195), Anchorage, Alaska: The 27-year-old bounced back in a huge way this season, turning in a performance that could get some consideration as a finalist for the Vezina Trophy awarded to the best goalie in the NHL. He had a 2.71 GAA and .908 save percentage and was perhaps the biggest reason behind the Bruins' turnaround from last season. He was taken in the fourth round (No. 111) of the 2017 NHL Draft.