Bruins acquire key piece in Peterka, add veteran defensemen Borgen, Clifton

After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is examining where each team stands in preparation for the 2026-27 regular season, which starts in September. Today, the Boston Bruins:

2025-26 season: 45-27-10, fourth in Atlantic Division; lost in Eastern Conference First Round

Key arrivals

JJ Peterka, F: Peterka, 24, was traded from the Utah Mammoth to the Bruins on June 26 for the No. 23 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and a conditional first-round pick in the 2028 draft. Peterka, who has four more seasons remaining on the five-year deal he signed in 2025, had been in Utah for one season after a trade from the Buffalo Sabres. He had 47 points (25 goals, 22 assists) in 82 games last season. Peterka will get a chance to play on the top line with David Pastrnak -- which could lead to a bounce-back season for him -- and should be handed more than the 15:59 of ice time that he played in 2025-26. … Will Borgen, D: The Bruins acquired the 29-year-old in a trade with the New York Rangers on July 1 for a second-round pick in the 2027 draft and a 2028 conditional third-round pick. He had 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 75 games for the Rangers last season, averaging 18:03 of ice time. … Connor Clifton, D: It’s a return to Boston for the 31-year-old, who last played for the Bruins in 2022-23 before spending two seasons with the Sabres and one with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He signed a two-year contract on July 1. He had six points (two goals, four assists) in 50 games last season.

Key departures

Viktor Arvidsson, F: Arvidsson, 33, had a bounce-back season in 2025-26, with 54 points (25 goals, 29 assists) in 69 games for the Bruins. He signed a two-year contract on July 1 with the Detroit Red Wings as an unrestricted free agent. … Joonas Korpisalo, G: The Bruins traded the 32-year-old to the Rangers on July 1 for forward Kalle Vaisanen and a fourth-round pick in the 2028 draft. Korpisalo had served as backup goalie in Boston for the past two seasons, going 14-9-6 with a 3.15 goals-against average, .894 save percentage and one shutout in 31 games (28 starts) last season. Korpisalo’s departure will make room for American Hockey League goalie Michael DiPietro. … Andrew Peeke, D: Peeke, 28, spent the past two-plus seasons in Boston, including having 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 77 games last season. He signed for one year with the Mammoth on July 3.

On the cusp

James Hagens, F: Hagens, who was selected No. 7 in the 2025 NHL Draft, made his NHL debut at the end of last season, playing in two regular-season games and three games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Bruins after playing six games for Providence of the AHL. He had 47 points (23 goals, 24 assists) in 34 games for Boston College prior to that. The 19-year-old forward should be a sure bet to make the Bruins this season, though he could start on the wing before eventually making his way back to center. … Michael DiPietro, G: The Bruins traded Korpisalo with the goal of having the 27-year-old back up No. 1 goalie Jeremy Swayman on the NHL roster, a notable decision in the wake of two of their former AHL goalies performing in the postseason in the NHL in Dan Vladar of the Philadelphia Flyers and Brandon Bussi of the Carolina Hurricanes. DiPietro went 34-8-1 in 45 games for Providence with a 1.91 GAA, .930 save percentage and three shutouts, winning his second straight AHL goalie of the year award. He has four games of NHL experience. … Frederic Brunet, D: The Bruins have a bit of a logjam on defense, but general manager Don Sweeney has repeatedly mentioned the name of Brunet, a 22-year-old who has played one game in the NHL and spent last season with Providence, recording 36 points (12 goals, 24 assists) in 65 games. He was taken No. 132 in the fifth round of the 2022 draft, and will be subject to waivers this season.

What they still need

A top-tier center. When the Bruins signed Elias Lindholm on July 1, 2024, he was supposed to anchor their top line. But he sustained a back injury that offseason and has been dogged by it ever since, which is why he is yet to perform anywhere close to what the Bruins were anticipating. They got a career year from Pavel Zacha (30 goals, 35 assists in 78 games) and a better-than-anticipated debut season from Fraser Minten (17 goals, 18 assists in 82 games) in 2025-26, but they lack top-end talent at the position. Hagens may start on the wing, though his future should be at center, but he’s not yet ready to take on the role. They made it work with their center depth last season, but the Bruins continue to search for the Patrice Bergeron heir three years after his retirement.

They said it

“I think we stood here a year ago and wondered whether we were going to score enough goals. To the players’ credit, the coaches’ credit, they found ways. Our power play improved. We have a different look now with a left one-timer in the elbow. I hope it all comes together. I hope we’re right back up in the upper echelon. The challenge is, we were a 100-point team. We stood here last year and I don’t know whether or not any of us thought we were a bona fide 100-point team, but we went out and did it. Players get all the credit. I’m trying to make sure I supply all the assets as players that we continue to improve because that’s the mandate.” -- general manager Don Sweeney

EDGE stat to watch

Swayman was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy last season and led the NHL in quality starts (38; starts with greater than .900 save percentage). Swayman also ranked second in the NHL in mid-range save percentage (.928; behind Scott Wedgewood’s .937) and third in percentage of quality starts (70.4), helping Swayman reach a career high in wins (31). -- Pete Jensen

Fantasy spin

Peterka, who is tied for 16th in the entire NHL in 5-on-5 goals over the past three seasons combined (61 since 2023-24), has a chance to set NHL career highs in goals and points with the Bruins this season, as he could play on the first line and power play with Pastrnak (100 points last season; tied for seventh in NHL) and Zacha (career-high 65 points). Swayman, who ranked third at his position in fantasy leagues last season, was tied for fourth in wins (31) and finished fifth in saves (1,426). -- Chris Meaney

Projected lineup

JJ Peterka – Pavel Zacha – David Pastrnak

Marat Khustnutdinov – Elias Lindholm – Morgan Geekie

Casey Mittelstadt – Fraser Minten – James Hagens

Tanner Jeannot – Sean Kuraly – Mark Kastelic 

Jonathan Aspirot – Charlie McAvoy

Hampus Lindholm – Will Borgen

Nikita Zadorov – Connor Clifton

Jeremy Swayman

Michael DiPietro