It is never too early to look ahead for this Boston Bruins team entering the 2025-26 season. They are done making moves (for now), and the roster is in place for the time being. Now it is time to make a prediction of the best and worst case scenarios for the Bruins and where they could end up falling at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.
Best and Worst Case Scenarios for the Bruins
Best Case: Final Wild Card Spot
There are always pleasant surprises during the hockey season. One team that always manages to put a strong season together you didn’t expect, much like what the Columbus Blue Jackets did last season. The Bruins could end up being that type of team this season.
Related: Predicting the Boston Bruins’ 2025-26 Lineup
Do the Bruins have the most talent when it comes to their roster? No, they do not. Are they good enough to be among the best of the best in their division? No, they are not. What they will rely on is their strong defense and what they hope will be a strong bounce-back season from goaltender Jeremy Swayman. When you look at what the Bruins did this summer with their moves, they weren’t moves that pushed the envelope forward. Instead, it’s depth guys that will try to just outwork the other team.
Looking at the landscape of the Eastern Conference, the Bruins fall into the category of other teams that are fringe playoff contenders and are aiming to get over the hump. The Ottawa Senators are looking to get back to the playoffs after making it during the 2024-25 season. Furthermore, the Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, and even the Buffalo Sabres all fall into that category, and you wonder how much better the Bruins are than those teams.
The one thing the Bruins do have on their side is health. They’ll be getting back their top two defensemen in Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm. A bounce-back year for Elias Lindholm, and as long as David Pastrnak is around, you have a chance. It feels like one of those years where the Bruins sneak into the playoffs on the final day of the season as their best-case scenario.
Worst Case Scenario: Bottom Three in the Conference
The Bruins managed to draft James Hagens with the seventh overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Worst case scenario, they are bottom-three in the Eastern Conference and enter the Gavin McKenna sweepstakes. Being bottom three in the conference is bad, but McKenna would be the golden ticket for being a bad team for two straight seasons. The Penn State University commit is the consensus number one overall pick in the 2026 Draft.
Above was discussed how the Bruins lack the talent, but could persevere and outwork other teams. The worst-case scenario is that this team’s lack of talent catches up to them and they struggle. One thing is for certain, winning low scoring games will be a common theme for this Bruins team this upcoming season.
The Bruins’ biggest weakness is goal scoring, and they did very little to address that weakness in the offseason. Viktor Arvidsson is a nice addition, but he is coming off a down season with the Edmonton Oilers. The remaining signings were bottom-six depth players, so relying on what’s in place and the younger guys will be key. The Bruins sat 27th in goals per game with 2.68, and their finishing ability was lacking. Furthermore, their power play was bottom of the barrel with a 15.2% success rate. Those have to be better than last season, and if not, it could brew trouble this season.
If the lack of talent does catch up to the Bruins, teams like the Sabres, Senators, Red Wings, and Canadiens are better than them. You go to the Metropolitan Division, and the Rangers, Capitals, and Blue Jackets are all teams with more talent. It will be a very key thing to watch for, but worst case scenario is they are in the McKenna sweepstakes.
The Good and the Bad
Expectations may not be the highest, but that doesn’t mean the Bruins can’t shock the hockey world. Winning the division is a tall ask, but there is always a path to sneaking into that wild card spot and being a bubble playoff team. If things really taper off, they are in the running for one of the best prospects to have their name called at the NHL Draft in 2026. This Bruins team should be very interesting to watch this season, and where they fall will be something to monitor.
