Sport Bilder des Tages TAMPA, FL - MARCH 03: Boston Bruins left wing Jake DeBrusk 74 celebrates after scoring a goal in the 2nd period of the NHL, Eishockey Herren, USA game between the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning on March 03, 2020 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. Photo by Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire NHL: MAR 03 Bruins at Lightning Icon0303203318
Sport Bilder des Tages TAMPA, FL - MARCH 03: Boston Bruins left wing Jake DeBrusk 74 celebrates after scoring a goal in the 2nd period of the NHL, Eishockey Herren, USA game between the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning on March 03, 2020 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. Photo by Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire NHL: MAR 03 Bruins at Lightning Icon0303203318
The Boston Bruins are excited for the 2026-27 NHL season after making the Stanley Cup Playoffs last year. The team added new players during the offseason, and several young players are ready for bigger roles under head coach Marco Sturm.
However, the Bruins still need to improve in a few key areas. How they perform in those areas could decide if they become a true contender or fall behind other strong teams in the Eastern Conference. Here are the three questions discussed below that could define the Bruins' season.
Can JJ Peterka Return to his best form?
The Boston Bruins made a big move by adding winger JJ Peterka to improve their offense. Peterka is only 24 years old and has four years left on his contract, so the Bruins see him as an important part of their future.
Last season, Peterka scored 47 points (25 goals and 22 assists) in 82 games with the Utah Mammoth. The year before, he scored 68 points with the Buffalo Sabres.
Sport Bilder des Tages BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 04: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman John Marino 6 beats Boston Bruins right defenseman Charlie McAvoy 73 and scores on Boston Bruins goalie Jaroslav Halak 41 during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Pittsburgh Penguins on November 4, 2019, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire NHL, Eishockey Herren, USA NOV 04 Penguins at Bruins PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxRUSxSWExNORxDENxONLY Icon482191104025
Sport Bilder des Tages BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 04: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman John Marino 6 beats Boston Bruins right defenseman Charlie McAvoy 73 and scores on Boston Bruins goalie Jaroslav Halak 41 during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Pittsburgh Penguins on November 4, 2019, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire NHL, Eishockey Herren, USA NOV 04 Penguins at Bruins PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxRUSxSWExNORxDENxONLY Icon482191104025
The Bruins believe head coach Marco Sturm, assistant coach Matt McIlvane, and power-play coach Steve Spott can help Peterka play better again. If he plays as he did in Buffalo, Boston's offense will be much stronger.
Will the young core continue to develop?
As per Amalie Benjamin on NHL Media, the Boston Bruins need their young players to keep getting better. Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov both played well during the 2025-26 season and showed they could handle bigger roles.
Minten finished with 35 points and became a strong two-way center. Khusnutdinov scored 33 points and proved he could play with the team's top forwards.
This season, James Hagens, the seventh overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, is expected to make the team full-time after playing a few NHL games last season.
Defenseman Frederic Brunet also has a good chance to earn a full-time roster spot. If these young players keep improving, the Bruins will have a deeper and stronger lineup.
Can the Bruins build a strong defense again?
Defense has always been one of the Bruins' biggest strengths, but last season the team did not defend as well as usual. Boston had one of the better offenses in the NHL, but its defense was only average.
The Bruins will also miss star defenseman Charlie McAvoy for the first six games because of his playoff suspension for slashing Buffalo's Zach Benson during Game 6 of the teams’ First Round series in Boston on May 1.
To improve the defense, Boston traded for Will Borgen and signed Connor Clifton in free agency. Head coach Marco Sturm must find the best defensive pairings and help the team become strong on defense again.
The Bruins have a good mix of veteran players and young talent. However, they still have a few big questions to answer. JJ Peterka needs to help the offense as the Bruins open the 2026 season against the New York Rangers on September 29. At the same time, the young players need to keep improving, and the defense needs to play better.
These things will decide if Boston only makes the playoffs again or becomes a real Stanley Cup contender.
What do you think? Can the Bruins answer these three questions and become one of the NHL's best teams this season? Let us know in the comments.
Read more at the NHL Fan Central.
Written by
Kapil Manghnani
Kapil Manghnani brings over 4.5 years of experience in sports journalism, covering a wide range of sports, including Soccer, NHL, Tennis, Gymnastics, NASCAR, Swimming, and more. He has written for leading sports platforms, producing everything from breaking news and features to in-depth analysis, opinion pieces, long-form stories, and short-form content. Beyond articles, he has also scripted long-form storytelling videos for YouTube channels. His work focuses on delivering well-researched, engaging, and reader-first sports content across multiple formats.
Know moreEdited by
Soheli Tarafdar