Every single point matters in the NHL. While an argument can be made that not all games are created equal, the same cannot be said about points. By season’s end, the standings reflect points and not necessarily when teams earned them. That’s why the Boston Bruins should be thrilled with how the 2025-26 season has begun, especially after the way last season unfolded.
For the better part of a decade, the Bruins were legitimate Stanley Cup contenders under Don Sweeney’s management. Included in his tenure was one trip to the Stanley Cup Final, as well as another season that saw the team earn the most points and most wins by any NHL team in history. Last season didn’t go quite as well, though, with the Bruins looking listless and unmotivated on the ice most nights. It’s unclear why the season went the way it did, but ultimately, the team couldn’t get out of its own way and Sweeney opted to hit the reset button and effectively held a fire sale.
From the ashes and rubble came a team with many more young assets in their cupboard, some desperately needed draft capital, and a team that had something to prove. A big part of this reset included a change behind the bench. With Marco Sturm as the team’s new head coach, the approach and results have both felt different. While there will undoubtedly be ebbs and flows to the season, the early points count as much as the later ones do.
Though only three games in, the difference in this Bruins team is hard to ignore. The 3-0-0 start is impressive, but it’s the way they’re winning, with grit, speed, and buy-in, that feels worlds apart from last year’s uninspired squad. For anyone just watching the box score, it may not be as evident, but this team is undeniably harder to play against than its 2024-25 counterpart.
Win or lose, having this identity makes it easier as a fan base to get behind a team. When a team looks like playing the game is a chore, it’s harder to be invested in the product. When the team treats each game like it’s the most important thing in the world, however, the narrative shifts.
It’s a symbiotic relationship between fans and the team; when the team plays hard, the fans care and cheer. When the fans cheer, the team wants to play hard and reward them. It sounds simple, but it really doesn’t need to be any more complicated than this. At the end of the day, the Bruins are working to prove a point to themselves, their fans, as well as to pundits who said this roster doesn’t have the talent to compete this season.
Production All Around
It goes without saying that the top of the roster needs to perform to the best of their ability every night. On top of this production, though, the best teams also have a strong supporting cast. It’s encouraging, then, that the Bruins’ new third line has looked so effective through three games.
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While David Pastrnak puts together another masterclass start to the season, the rest of the team also needs to step up and take some of the pressure off of his shoulders. With the depth looking good early on, as well as goaltender Jeremy Swayman looking like the Swayman of old, things seem to be trending in the right direction.
Even from an early standpoint, the next-player-up mentality has been in full effect with Hampus Lindholm being listed as day-to-day. In his place, Jordan Harris has stepped up and impressed early. A steadying presence on the backend, Lindholm cannot be replaced with any one player on the team, but Harris stepping in and the rest of the team stepping up is a good sign for how this team will respond to adversity as the season goes on.
The Bruins may not have the same level of top-end talent they did a year ago, but they’re playing with urgency, structure, and purpose. For a team in transition, that’s a solid foundation. Whether or not it lasts over 82 games remains to be seen, but if the opening stretch is any indication, this group isn’t interested in rebuilding quietly or for any extended period of time.
