theathleticuk
In a five-day span, the Boston Bruins said hello to JJ Peterka, Will Borgen and Connor Clifton.
They said goodbye to Viktor Arvidsson, Andrew Peeke and Joonas Korpisalo.
General manager Don Sweeney projects this degree of turnover is good enough to improve upon a 100-point 2025-26 season.
We stood here a year ago and wondered whether we would score enough goals, Sweeney said.
To the players credit and the coaches credit, they found ways.
Our power play improved.
We have a different look now with a left one-timer on the elbow.
I hope it all comes together.
I hope were right back up there in the upper echelon.
Where do the moves leave the roster? Lets go position by position: | Left wing | Center | Right wing | |---|---|---| JJ Peterka | Pavel Zacha | David Pastrnak | Marat Khusnutdinov | Fraser Minten | Morgan Geekie | Casey Mittelstadt | Elias Lindholm | James Hagens | Tanner Jeannot | Sean Kuraly | Mark Kastelic | Alex Steeves | Peterka was the primary acquisition.
The 24-year-old averaged 15:59 of ice time per game last season for the Utah Mammoth.
Something will have gone horribly wrong if Peterka does not exceed that workload for his new employer.
Advertisement At five-on-five, Peterka projects to be the Bruins fastest wing.
On the power play, the left-shot Peterka gives assistant coach Steve Spott another shooter to complement David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie.
Acquiring Peterka made re-signing Arvidsson less of a priority.
Arvidsson signed a two-year, $10 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings.
We felt comfortable with our position prior to, Sweeney said of talks before the Peterka trade.
JJ changed it around a little bit so we could focus on the back end.
As for the rest of the attack, the Bruins are projecting improvement from Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov.
Both could develop into top-six fixtures because of their hockey sense and competitiveness.
Assuming both youngsters take steps, they could offset the regression possible for Geekie, Pavel Zacha and Casey Mittelstadt, who scored above expected rates in 2025-26.
Minten and Khusnutdinov will be restricted free agents after 2026-27.
As such, they became eligible for extensions on Wednesday.
| Left defense | Right defense | |---|---| Jonathan Aspirot | Charlie McAvoy | Hampus Lindholm | Will Borgen | Nikita Zadorov | Connor Clifton | Mason Lohrei | Henri Jokiharju | Jordan Harris | Projections for the defense are more uncertain.
By adding Borgen and Clifton, the Bruins have nine defensemen on one-way contracts for 2026-27.
From one perspective, it signals depth at the position.
From another, it spells a traffic jam, especially because this nine-defenseman cohort does not include 22-year-old Frederic Brunet.
That may not seem like a big thing.
Brunet was a fifth-round pick in 2022.
He has one career NHL appearance.
He spent all of last season in the AHL.
But Brunet will require waivers to be assigned to the AHL in 2026-27.
The left-shot defenseman scored 12 goals and added 24 assists in 2025-26, leading all Providence defensemen.
Not only is there a chance he would get claimed, but Sweeney also appears intent on keeping Brunet up in the NHL.
Mobility and puck skill he applied in Providence, Sweeney said.
How is that going to translate to the National Hockey League this year? Theres a good chance were going to find out.
Advertisement Brunet will carry an $875,000 average annual value if he makes the varsity.
Mason Lohrei, the defenseman with whom Brunet shares the greatest overlap of skills, is due $3.2 million.
Henri Jokiharju, meanwhile, has a $3 million AAV.
Perhaps Lohrei or Jokiharju will be moved.
This would leave the Bruins with Jonathan Aspirot and Jordan Harris as depth options.
Both of their salaries can be buried in the AHL.
Both require waivers for assignment.
| G | |---| Jeremy Swayman | Michael DiPietro | In goal, Michael DiPietro will get his first full-time NHL crack.
The 27-year-old earned his promotion with two sparkling seasons with Providence.
At the same time, Jeremy Swayman can build upon his 55 appearances from 2025-26 if coach Marco Sturm wants to give him more action.