2025 Boston Bruins Lineup Projection

2025 Boston Bruins Lineup Projection

the start of the next Boston Bruins season, believe it or not, is not too far away. And with the dust settling on free agency, I wanted to take this opportunity to give my predictions on what the Boston Bruins opening night roster will look like with the players they have available today. So, buckle up Bruins fans. I’m here to give you the latest info on your belove Boston Bruins. If you’ve been liking my Bruins content, please leave me a like and subscribe. If you’ve already done so, thank you. And let’s get into it. He scores. We’re going to start off with the line combos. And believe it or not, I’m going to shoot through the hip here. I’m going to have the roster in front of me. I’m going to give you out my line combos, but I’m going to start from the back end, but I’m also going to give you a little tweak here because I think it’s almost impossible to predict exactly what the line combo will look like. But I’m going to give you some guys that I think might be filling in in these spots and give you my reasoning behind this. I’m only going to be using the players that I have available today. I’m not going to talk about anything they could possibly do in the future because at this point we don’t know. I’m going to start at the back end and that’s your goalenders and probably the most controversial roster spot on this whole Boston Bruins team. I’m probably going to say the most obvious thing here that Jeremy Swayman will be the starting goalie for the Boston Bruins next year. It’s no secret he didn’t have a good year. Um he had a terrible year last year. In 58 games with the Boston Bruins last year, he got 22 wins with a 311 goals against average and an 892 save percentage. That’s not the numbers of a starting goalie. And to be totally honest, I think the loss of Hampus Lynholm and Charlie Makavoy paid a big reason for his lack of numbers and lack of success for the Boston Bruins. You had a guy like Mason Lorai playing a ton of minutes last year when he shouldn’t have. I’m not giving excuses to why Swayman played terrible um because he did and I will get into Jonas Copracella who I think will also be the backup who I also thought played terrible. I’m just giving my reasoning why I think he will have a bounceback year especially because of how he played over in the world championship for team USA. He was lights out there which again he had good players in front of him. I know a lot of people say well the goalie needs to steal the show. He did a couple times, but I’m talking a couple times, like maybe two games the whole season and more in the latter half of the year. I think holding out in training camp last year was obviously a huge issue when a goalie doesn’t get to go to training camp. He’s behind the Bruins choices on how they played him last year. Still suspect to me. Bit weird on how they would leave him in when he’s already got five goals against, so on and so forth. Or even when Corposal was playing well, they don’t throw him in net. I have way too many conspiracy theories about how Jeremy Swayman was used by the Boston Bruins last year that at this point it really doesn’t matter. The fact of the matter was he stunk. Um the team stunk and he needs to be better. And if he’s not better next season, the Bruins aren’t making the playoffs. It just plain and simple. But at the end of the day, he’s the Boston Bruins starting goalie on day one unless he’s injured. It’s that’s what’s going to happen. And now we have our backup. Now, the reason why there’s a little bit of controversy here is because Yonas Corposalo is there currently slotted as the backup, but you also have Michael Dpietro, who is signed on a one-way deal, who was your starter in Providence last year, who was amazing in Providence last year. Corposalo, you can nail me in the comments as much as you want. He wasn’t good. Swayman was terrible, but saying that Corposal was good compared to Swayman, sure, you got me there. He beat him by like a percentage here and there. Uh, Corposala was absolutely terrible for the Boston Bruins last year. Um, if it wasn’t for Jamie Swayman’s bad season, we would say Corposal was one of the worst goalies again in the NHL. He was the year before. He consistently hasn’t been a good goalie since he was in LA there. He just hasn’t been that good. It’s just facts of the matter. He’s got three more years on his deal and it’s not that big of a deal if the Bruins do buy him out. If they bought him out, they would actually get a 75% cap savings. His actual cap hit this year would be $541,000 and then the next year would be 1.2 million. The next year after that would be 1.6 and then it’s $916,916,916,000 all the way to 20 3031. I’m not saying the Bruins are going to buy him out. I’m just saying this is what they could have an option. If DPatro steals the show in training camp, he’s going to get that spot. Sweeney has said over and over again that he’s going to give people chances and I’m going to try and believe him in there. He’s lied in the past. Um, that’s why I’m going to get into the roster later where I’m just like I don’t know how other players are even going to have a chance to make this team considering the signings they made over the offseason. But I do think if DPro is better, he will take that backup role in Boston and Corposal will be put on waiverss and unfortunately I seriously doubt any team’s going to claim him and then he’s going to be your goalie in Providence. Just it is what it is at this point. DPro is never going to be the starter though. It it’s a lot like last season when a lot of people thought Brandon Busy could be the starting goalie and I I’ll still never understand that one. Um Trade Swayman, Busussy is going to be the starter. That still to this day makes no sense. But DPro still also doesn’t make sense to be a starting goalie. I think he can be a very good goalie as a backup. And again, I I think Corpusal can be decent as a backup, but I think the Bruins sheltered him last year. His starts were against really bad teams last season. um he rarely played against good teams and even when he did play some good games, they still sat him and put Swayman back in the net. Swayman played against the best teams in the league and Corposalo didn’t. It’s these are just facts if you look at where and who he gets he played last season. Can Corposalo have a bounceback year? I hope so. But again, it’s also going to matter the team in front of him. Corposalo also was in net with terrible defense in front of him. Hopefully Nikita Zidorov spends less time in the box. um with a healthy Makavoy and a Lynholm, you’re not going to have Mason Loai out there in all these high pressure situations and he’s going to go against lesser opponents and he’s going to get more time to develop. These are just facts and hopefully this works out for the Boston Bruins. But at this point, your starting goalie is Jeremy Swayman and your backup is Jonas Corposalo. Now, let’s get into the defensive pairings. I’m going to start at the bottom here and I think your top lefty on your third pair is going to be Mason Lorai and I think that’s not a bad thing. I think that’s going to help him out. Um, he’s not going to have as much ice time as he had previously, but I think that it’s going to help him develop. Uh, he’s got so much offensive potential, and I understand so many people dog him for his stats, especially his plus minus. Me personally, I think plus minus is a very, um, team stat. I think that the plus minus has a lot to do with who you’re playing with. And the Boston Bruins, they weren’t good last year, just plain and simple. And for Mason Loai, in 77 games, he got five goals, 28 assists for 33 points. That’s very good. Um, for an offensive defenseman for his age, I think he’s going to get better, but I think playing on that third pair is going to help him out as well. Um, and also maybe it’ll get the fans off his back a little bit. As of right now, I think the right side is very weak for the Boston Bruins, but I don’t really have many options. So, that’s where your Andrew Peak is going to come in. defensive guy, not the fastest foot fleet of foot, but you know, he’s very good at boxing people out. He’s very good at being responsible in his own end, and he can clear guys in front of the net. Him being paired with Lorai. It’s not the best pairing, let’s let’s totally be honest, but it’s not the worst pairing as well. I think Pete can make up for a lot of the defensive deficiencies that Mason Lorai has, and it can also teach him a little bit more about the game. I think also Lorai is going to spend a lot more time watching guys like Nikita Zadorov or His Linholm play that left side in front of him. um and he’s going to learn the game a little bit better, but I think Peak is going to compliment him and I I don’t see it that bad of a pairing. Your next pairing you’re going to have the left side is Nikita Zadorov. If he spends less time in the box, I think he’s going to be extremely more effective and I do think he’s going to spend less time in the box this year. He spent a lot of time running around and trying to do everything and especially at the beginning of the year when there wasn’t injuries, he was trying to show off how big he is and, you know, live up to this contract. when you think of the the contract now, it’s not that big, but decided he needed to run through a wall and try and punch everybody in the face every two seconds. That’s not his game. He needs to be stronger in front of the net. He needs to get the puck out of the zone. He needs to be a presence um in the corners and he needs to be able to use his size to box guys out to the sides and then push him towards the boards. So, keeping the puck away from the in the middle there, just get the puck out of the slot. I think Sidorov can be way more effective this season. And I’m hoping that he can just play his game. Not try to do too much, just play his game. Believe it or not, for his size, he’s extremely fast. In 81 games for the Bruins last season, he got four goals, 18 assists for 22 points. It’s not bad. At 66, the guy can skate. I’m okay with Zidorov. He doesn’t make that much money at a $5 million cap hit, especially with the cap the way it’s going to be. This ended up being a pretty sweet contract for the Boston Bruins. As long as his speed never dissipates and he can stay the box, Zidorov can be extremely effective and he’s a very good leader in the dressing room. on the right side with him. This is the one I think the Bruins brought back cuz they kind of had no choice at this point. And that’s Henry Yokihyu. I probably said it wrong. I know I’m going to get lamb based in the comments at this point. It is what it is. But right shot defenseman. He’s got some offensive potential. He’s more a defensive guy. I think Zidorov has more offensive upside than him. Yokihyu is he is what he is at this point. The Bruins, no matter what, need to upgrade on the right side. And he’s not going to hurt you. He’s not going to stand out. He’s all right. I I would love to have so many more things to say about this guy, but I I really don’t. Is he better than Andrew Peak? I don’t think he is, but I think Peak needs to be down there with Mason Lorai to protect him from his defensive deficiencies. Um, and then your top pairing, you’ve got Hampus Linholm and Charlie Makavoy. Both suffered terrible injuries last year. Hampus Linholm pretty much missed the whole season uh after blocking a shot at the beginning of the year. Uh, and you could tell how much that affected the Boston Bruins. Lynholm is probably the best puck moving defenseman. Not probably. Lynholm is the best puck moving defenseman on the Boston Bruins. He helps get the puck out of the zone. He’s pretty much the reason their power play sucks so much last year. I I truly believe because when you lose your quarterback, it’s hard to come back from that. I I know a lot of people want Makavoy to be this guy, but Makavoy is an extremely gifted two-way defenseman, but he is not as offensive as everybody seems to think he is. He is Lynholm is an offensive defenseman who actually is decent on the defensive side of the puck as well. But I think with Lynholm back there, you’re going to have way better um breakouts. You’re going to be able to get the puck up the ice and not have the puck in your zone. Far too many times last year, the Bruins defense tried to bang the puck off the boards. Pretty much gave it right back to the other team. The puck would go back into the zone and they just couldn’t get the puck out of their zone because they had nobody could stretch stretch the other team. you had no one that could read the other team as well as Lynholm and Makavoy to get the puck out of the zone. U Mason Loy tried to do it all by himself and it just didn’t work out for him. I think with a healthy Lenholm and a healthy Makavoy who will play the right side, I think the Boston Bruins defense will be that much better. When you lose two of the best defenseman you have, I I don’t know how you expect the team to be successful. Um it just not going to work. So my top pair is going to be Linholm and Macka Boy for now. I don’t see how you can have Peak or Yuki Hyro um on that right side on the top pair with Lynholm. And maybe at some point they’re going to put Sidor off with Charlie Makavoy. They might move Linholm down to that second pair and they’ll just go back and forth. But Zidorov Makavoy I thought was terrible last year and I just can’t get back to it. You have two people playing the same way. I think Lynholm allows Makavoy to not have to do everything. It allows Makavoy to make those big hits. allows Makavoy to play that defensive game and be that shutdown guy that he can be cuz Makavoy is one of the best shutdown defenseman in the league when he wants to be. Much as people want to think Makavoy is not one of the elite defenders in the league. Sorry to burst your bubble, almost everybody else seems to think so. Um, a lot of Bruins fans don’t. I think it’s because we’ve been so spoiled here in Boston. Everybody wants Makavoy to be Ray Bourc. Well, that’s not what he is. Makavoy is not Ray Bourc. He’s more of a two-way guy. Ray Bourc is more offensive than he was defensive. He was good defensively, but he was way more of an offensive defenseman. I think if you put Linholm and Makavoy together, there’s your Ray Bourke. But Makavoy is going to be able to still be able to carry the puck and be able to be offensive, but he’s not going to be leaned on as much as he needs to like he was last year until he was injured at the Four Nations. So, I think all in all, the Bruins defense, I would rate them as a B. Like I and as of right now, Jordan Harris is that seventh defenseman. I I I don’t know where he fits in as well. I’m hoping he can make some impact in training camp. And my guess is the Bruins might invite somebody that plays the right side as the um training um the training camp invite. Uh we’ll see. Um just just look up any guy that’s from the Boston area and maybe that’s the guy. I a little part of me thinks it’s going to be Grizzlick, but he’s a left shot and that’s just not what they need. Um so the Bruins probably will invite someone to camp, but hopefully it’s a defenseman. This brings me to the forwards. I will get to the top line. I think the top actually you know what I’m going to start at the top line because I think it’s the easiest. You’ve got Morgan Giki on the left, Elias Lynholm at center and David Pastnac at right wing. David Pastnak is one of the best right wingers in the NHL. One of the best goal scorers in the NHL. Had an amazing season last year. In 82 games he got 43 goals, 63 assists for 106 points. Pastnack was a leader on and off the ice for the Boston Bruins, especially after Makavoy went down in the Four Nations. Pastnack stood out as a true leader for the Boston Bruins and then they trade Brad Marshian and Pastnack steps up even more. I I at the end of the season the Geeky Linholm Pastnack line was a very good line for the Boston Bruins. Lynholm played great in the world championship. I’m hoping Geeky can repeat some of his success from last year. Um he’s only at 5 million $5.5 million. He got 33 goals, 24 assists, and 57 points. I don’t see how he doesn’t get another 30 goal season. um especially playing on that line and as long as that line can gel they weren’t jelling at the beginning of the year but I think starting the season starting training camp and getting more reps together and having the confidence in each other I think that can be a very good line isn’t Patrice Berseron so this year at least we won’t be hearing everybody saying oh he’s Patrice Berseron like I don’t think he is I think he’s a defensive center with some offensive upside he’s going to know his role this season be more pass first get the puck to pass get the puck to Geeki you know, be good in front of the net, be good on the zone entries, be good on the forche, be good on the back check. I think Lynholm will play that position very well for them. He’s able to keep up with Pastor Neck and Geeki. That line’s going to be fine. Is it the best top line in the NHL? No, not by any means. I think Lynholm’s perfect position would be 2C on most teams, on most very good teams, but I think Lynholm can be sufficient enough to be the one seed for the Boston Bruins next next season. I have zero issues with this top line at all. Bearing any injuries, this line will be fine. This is where it gets interesting with the Boston Bruins because from line two to line four, it’s anybody’s guess at this point. I think one of the only thing that’s being consistent for me is Pavle Zack on that left side. And for now, I’ve got Casey Middlestat as your second line center. I think Middlestat has a lot to prove next season. Let’s let’s be honest here. He’s got two years left at $5.7 million. In 63 games last season for the Colorado Avalanche, he got 11 goals, 23 assists, and 34 points. In the 18 games he played for the Boston Bruins, he got four goals, two assists, and six points. He came to a team that was terrible last year. So, I’m I’m I’m going to give him a pass. Middlestad has so much potential, and he’s that guy everybody keeps saying. So, my hope is the Bruins find another Pavle Zaka here. When the Bruins brought over Pavlzaka from the New Jersey Devils, he was struggling there and Casey Middlestat has struggled since leaving Buffalo. So hopefully, you know, he’s 6-1, but he’s not the fastest guy, but he can play wing and he can play center. I think Middlestat’s game needs to be more pass first, needs to control his zone entries and because he can slow down plays and use Zaka’s offensive abilities and smarts more. I think Casey Middlestat needs to pass the puck more. And that brings me to the right side because I’ve seen a lot of people pencil in Victor Arbertson right off the bat. And I don’t think that’s possibly the case. I actually think second line rightwing can be Matthew Potra. He spent a ton of the season last year in the AHL and played great for the Providence Bruins. He has made the Bruins out of camp the last two seasons. He has bulked up the last two seasons. Everybody keeps saying he needs to get better. I’ve said in my last video he just needs to keep his head on a swivel a little bit more, but I think that he adds way more speed and more offense than Victor Arvdson. Victor Arvinson isn’t slow, but he isn’t fast when compared to Matthew Potra, who has a ton more speed. A lot of people say Matthew Potra at 5’11 is too small. I’m not going to have this conversation anymore because I just think it doesn’t even make any sense at this point. We’re okay with Brad Marian, who was at 5’9, but for somehow, you know, Matthew Potra, who’s the same height as Sydney Crosby, by the way, is all of a sudden too small to play the game. Um, that’s not how the game works anymore. We’ve we’ll get into the thugs that we have in the bottom six that can help, but I think Matthew Potra would complement the line more. That’s not saying that he’s definitely going to be making, but for right now, that’s where I’ve slotted Matthew Potra. I’ve slotted him as your second line rightwing over Victor Ardson. I think Victor Arson has proven himself in the NHL. And I think maybe one day he can get back to those gold totals that he’s gotten previous years when he was playing in Nashville and such. But I think if Matthew Potra is going to make this hockey club out of camp, it’s going to be in the top six. And I just don’t think he’s going to be center. I think Middlestat will be center. So I think you put Potra on the right wing and you test it out. See what happens. As I said before, I don’t think the Boston Bruins are going to be a Stanley Cup contender next year. Maybe they make a wild card spot, but it doesn’t hurt. You have a guy like Potra who has so much offensive upside, so much offensive ability. Why not try him in your top six on that right side? He adds so much speed to that line. So then you have a line of Zack Middlestat and Potra where you have a guy with speed and all offensive creativity. You have a guy like Middlestad who’s able to slow the play down, is good on his draws, and then you have a guy like Zaka who has such a strong two-way game, but also has a pretty deceptive shot. So, you have a lot of intangibles to that line. Hopefully, they could play together. But that’s right now, that’s my guess. If not, it will be Victor Ardson, but I’m hoping it’s Matthew Potra. I just think that gives more to your top six. That brings me to my bottom six and my third line to start. I’ve got Fraser Mitten as my third line center. um Boston had him in at the end of the year to be that guy. He is extremely good two-way player. He’s currently right now practicing in the offseason with uh his his best buddies Mlin Celibbrinier and Connor Bard. I think he’s your third line center of the future. I think he starts as your third line center. He needs to be stronger at his faceoffs, but I think he has so many intangibles that he can lead that line and be that guy. Uh the Bruins having him in at the end of the year and having him in the team photo says a lot to me. And I think without a doubt, Fraser Mitten is your third line center to start next season. This goes over to my left wing. I think the third line is the most interchangeable line there is because I think a lot of people keep putting Tanner Jano there. I I think Tanner Jano will be on the fourth line, but maybe he’s on the third line. Um the bottom six is so interchangeable. I don’t think it is down the middle, but I think on the wings it’s very interchangeable. Um, I think Michael Eimont actually will be your third line left winger in Victor Arvdson and Blumel will actually fight it out for that third line rightwing spot. Um, I think in the end Arvidson wins out. I think a lot of these that’s the issue of the Boston Bruins offseason. He signed a lot of guys that fill in that bottom six role and I think unfortunately uh Luc Melis gets the short end of the stick here because I don’t think he’s better than Matthew Potra and I think he’s going to have a hard time getting in the top six unless you’re moving guys out to make space for him. I I think he probably starts in Providence and that’s why I haven’t mentioned his name just yet. I know the guy had an amazing time in Providence. He was amazing in the World Championship. I just think they probably want him to have a little bit more seasoning. I hope he makes the team and you know they said that they’re going to move guys around if he makes a team but if he makes the team where’s he gonna play that that’s my issue he played very well with Matthew Potra so maybe but I I just think Lelis starts the season in Providence and that’s why I think Eimont will be your possible third line left winger Fraser Mitten on the right side and then Victor Arvinson is your third line right winger I think Luml tons of speed he can score but probably starts the year in Providence but he could be that dark horse to make the team everybody wants to talk about. I think I want to see more from the kid, but right now I’d have a line of Eimont who, as Don Sweeney put it, everybody hates to play against him. He’s that pest. He’s got speed. He’s hard on the forche, hard on the the back check. He’s that guy. And then you have Fraser Mitten. And then you have Victor Arvinson who can score some goals and is that leadership on that on that line. I I just like the sound of that line. And that brings me to my fourth line where I’ve got Tanner Jano, you know, that guy that I love so much on that fourth line. Sean Corali at center and Mark Castellik is your right winger. Meaning Johnny Beecher is your extra, which is not a bad thing. You now have Corali and and Castelick who both can play center. I think you’re not bringing in Carali to make him your spare part. Um, he brings some leadership into that bottom six. And then you have Tanner Jano who also I’ve heard is a very good locker room guy. And then you have a very strong fourth line. I’m not going to get into the Tanner Jano contract anymore cuz it’s beating a dead horse. But him as a fourthline left winger is not a bad thing. He’s a very strong forch checker. Um he can add some bite to that fourth line and then you have him and Castellic. They could be almost like the Bash Bros. And then you have Carali who is extremely responsible on both ends of the ice. He’s good at the draws. We know what he brings to the game. And then you can move him in and out as with his age and have Johnny Beecher fill in that role because Beecher is extremely good on the PK and can win a lot of draws. But Corali is a little bit better. He’s just an older version of Beecher with a little bit more speed. But I think that kind of like levels out your lines. I’m not saying the bottom six is great. It’s a very grindy bottom six. And that’s why I kind of hope Patra makes this hockey club and he’s up there. And if you’ve noticed, I haven’t said Fabian Lysel. And the reason is I don’t think he fits in in this hockey club right now. Unfortunately, he needs to play in the top six. He’s not a box bottom six player. I think the uh Providence Bruins using him for their schedule um pitcher the other day. They were announcing that they’re bringing out their new schedule for the preseason and uh next year and or for season tickets I think it was. I can’t remember. I saw the ad, but Fabian Lysel was the face of this. I think Lysel will start the year in Providence. A lot like what they did with Matthew Potra last year where they he did make the team and then they were like, you know what, he needs a full year in Providence. I think the plan with Lysel, unless he makes that top six, I think he starts the year in Providence. Him and Matthew Potch will fight it out for that second line rightwing. And I just think Potro wins in the end. It leaves guys like Georgie Murcul who I don’t think he’s making this hockey club anytime soon. So if you’re collecting hockey cards or anything like that, I think the Bruins just didn’t want to lose the asset. He will start in Providence and they’ll maybe use him for a trade down the road. I just don’t see how he fits. Some of these guys like Lysel, Potra, and Merculov, they’re top six players. And if you look, your top line is set in stone. Your second line, unless you move Middleer, Zaka, it’s hard to move these guys in and out. It just where are you going to put them in the lineup unless injuries happen, right? So starting Lysel and Providence is not going to be a bad thing. Merculov down in Providence as well. I know not everybody’s going to agree with my lines. That’s just where I’m at right now with my brain on what I look at the Boston Ruins and what they have, but I would love to hear from you. So, you know, drop your comments down below. You let me know what you think the lines are going to be. Uh, it’s anybody’s guess at this point. That’s a wrap on today’s video. To stay up to date on all the news surrounding the Boston Bruins, please subscribe and drop me a like. If news breaks around the Boston Bruins, be sure to check out the channel. If you’ve already subscribed to the channel, thank you and I’ll see you next time.

The Boston Bruins continue to say it’s a new era in Boston, but will we see a much different lineup next season from the end of the year?

I take a look at their current roster and give my best guess on what the Boston Bruins’ 2025 lineup will look like.

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