Boston Bruins Final Roster Breakdown: Grit Over Skill AGAIN? Bold Strategy.

Boston Bruins Final Roster Breakdown: Grit Over Skill AGAIN? Bold Strategy.

The final roster cuts for the Boston Bruins show us that this team is going to be built around grit and grind, but probably not enough goals to actually compete. You’re Locked On Bruins, your daily podcast on the Boston Bruins, part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. What is up, Bruins fans? and welcome back to the Locked On Boston Bruins podcast. I’m your host Ian McLaren and this is a daily show where we discuss all things spoke beat. Today is Monday, October 6th. Thank you so much for making Locked on Boston Bruins your first listen every day. And on today’s episode, we are going to start by talking about some surprise roster cuts yesterday. Jeffrey Vel making the team over Mate Lumel and Matt Potra. what the decision says about Marco Sturm’s early influence and Don Sweeny’s team philosophy. We’ll also break down the preseason finale and Jeremy Swayman’s 30 save performance in there and take a look at the big picture heading into opening night. Are the Bruins ready to bounce back or is this just another reset year? Also a big congratulations to Zado Charara who this morning it was announced the Bruins will retire his 33 later on this season. That’s going to be a big story line and we’re going to touch on that uh of course moving forward. Thank you again for making Lockdown Bruins part of your day. We’re part of the Lockdown podcast network, your team every day. And today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Download the FanDuel app now by visiting FanDuel.com and win $300 in bonus bets if your first $ five bet wins. Before we get started, a quick reminder. You can find the podcast on social media, locked NHL Bruins. And you can find me, my hockey thoughts, Dad Jokes, Ian C McLaren. I’ve been covering this team and the NHL for nearly two decades. Every day we dig deep into the storylines, stats, and significance around the spoked beat. Apologies for being a little horsearo this morning. I’ve been fighting a cold all weekend and also kind of lost my voice while cheering for the Toronto Blue Jays in their big wins over the New York Yankees over the weekend. Also, New England Patriots beating the Buffalo Bills. Unbelievable. Anyways, topics for the Locked On Patriots podcast, which you should check out. So, yesterday some very surprising roster cuts were made. Jeffrey VL seemingly has beat out Matte Bluml Matt Potra Alex Steves for Boston’s final roster spot which reinforces the Bruins continued preference for size, sandpaper, defensive reliability, even if it means losing offensive upside or risking a skilled player or two on waiverss. Matt Patra waiver exempt still only 21 could use a bit more seasoning in the AHL although he was NHL already a couple years ago. Mate Bluml and Alex Steves however do have to go through waiverss in order to be assigned to Providence and very real possibility that Blue Mel could be scooped as well as goalender Michael Dpietro who was placed on waiverss for the purpose of assignment as well. The Athletic posted nine players on waiverss who could very well be scooped up. two of them from the Bruins in Blumel and D’Pietro. So, potra waiver exempt sent down to Providence. Blumel sits in limbo until 2 p.m. on Monday afternoon. Real chance the Bruins could lose a skill forward for nothing. And yet, Jeffrey Vel, 27y old grinder with very limited NHL game experience, stays put. But he brings exactly what Marco Sturm has been asking for throughout training camp. Energy, physicality, a willingness to play the body every shift. He’s a north south player, dependable on the forche, doesn’t float, can kill penalties if needed, and he fits the mold of what this coaching staff wants the fourth line and really the bottom six to be. hard to play against, sandpaper, guys, heavy, and also predictable. You know exactly what you’re going to get with a Jeffrey Vl. 54 games in the NHL, three goals, two assists. He did have 13 goals and 24 assists for 37 points to go along with 148 penalty minutes in 68 games for Providence last season. He’s our Bruin of the day actually because hey, he grabbed the opportunity and he impressed the coaching staff enough to get a spot. Sturm has emphasized over and over again. We want to be hard to play against and VL personifies that. He’s not flashy, but it’s consistent. And this decision also suggests that players like John Beecher who’s seemingly made the team, John Carali, Mark Castelick, may rotate in and out depending on matchups. The Bruins want to roll four lines that grind down opponents. And by not keeping Michael Dpietro and carrying only seven defenseman, they now have 14 forwards that they can rotate in and out here with Morgan Geeki, Elias Lindhol, David Pashnak on the top line, Pavazaka, Casey Middlestat, Victor Arvitzen that was projected for the second line. Tener Jano with Fraser Mintton and Mikey Acimont on the third line. Morat Hus Nudinov Shankarelli Mark Castle on the fourth line with Beecher MVL rotating in and out. The Bruins had some young guys who were looking to claim some spots like Mate Lumel, like Matt Potra, like Alex Steves, like Fabian Lysel. Even the one guy that they went with or two guys I guess Nudinov still fairly young Fraser Minton 21year-old really impressed and stood out. And look, the ripple effect here is that Potchra’s demotion makes sense developmentally. They don’t want to rush him again after last season’s struggles at the NHL level. He did average over a point per game in the AHL and should be equally as dominant this season. Blumel’s loss though is the price of the Bruins identity first approach likely loss. We don’t know exactly if he’s going to be scooped up on waiverss, but there’s a very good chance. He led the AHL in scoring last season. It’s a microcosm of the grit versus skill debate that has defined Don Sweeny’s tenure. We’ve seen it before. from David Bakis to Matt Belliski. And continuing on, AJ Greer, Garnet Hathaway, Boston often protects grinders at the expect expense of creative forwards and is a pattern that tells us this coaching staff values system adherence over individual flare. You can’t tell me that a Blumel or a Lysel have less offensive upside than VL Castelic Beecher. This was a team that was preaching offensive evolution over the offseason. They wanted to evolve and add some more scoring. a team that really struggled in that area last year. Apart from Morgan Geeki and David Posternok, yet they’re doubling down on culture and consistency, not raw talent. Blumel, Lysel, they have high-end offensive talent. Blumel, it translated in the AHL last season. Lysel, you know, he needs to pop in a similar way to really get uh consideration at the NHL level, but the decision shows complete alignment between Marco Sturm’s on ice philosophy and Don Sweeny’s roster construction. They’re doubling down on that culture, consistency, and it’s a gamble. Can this roster score enough? Posturdock, Geeky, Victor Arvitson to a certain degree, proven finishers, but beyond that, they’ll need buy in and secondary scoring by committee. And perhaps it’s just a signal that this is another retool season where they are going to do everything they can to finish with the best chances of getting Gavin McKenna. I could very much see down the road a situation where Casey Middlestat, Pavle Zaka are moved out and they do a similar approach to the trade deadline as they did last year. That’s a conversation for further down in the season. In the more immediate future, we will now be watching the waiver wire to see here 2 pm Monday afternoon whether Blumel DPro make it through. DPro is a big gamble. He was the best goalie in the AHL last season. you’re putting the reigning goalie of the year in the AHL and the reigning AHL’s leading goal scorer both on waiverss. The possibility of either or both of them being claimed is very high. And so instead of sending VL down or even John Beecher who are less likely to be scooped, you risk losing these two guys for nothing. Uh it will really hinder the goalending depth if DPro is gone. Goalc scoring depth as well. Uh I suggested maybe they put a claim in on Nico Daw goalender from New Jersey who is on waiverss as kind of insurance for DPRO. We’ll see if the Bruins yeah put a claim in on anybody here as they put some guys of their own on waivers. Anyways, that’s the story with the roster. Uh I didn’t mention the defenseman very much what we expected. Mason Lauri, Charlie Makavoy, Hampus Lindholm, Andrew Peak, Nikita Zidorov, Henry Yoki Haru with Jordan Harris as the extra forward. The Bruins had their final preseason tuneup on Saturday and Jeremy Swayman stepped up big with 30 shots in their 4-1 win while Nikita Zidorov led the charge offensively. We’ll break it all down here as locked on Boston Bruins continues. Most people can’t name all their financial accounts or even what they’re worth, whether it’s 401ks, properties, or investments. And when you don’t have the full picture, you can end up leaving money on the table. That’s why there’s Monarch Money, an all-in-one personal finance tool that brings your entire financial life together in one clean, easy to use interface on your laptop or your phone. 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Nikia Zidorov posting a twogoal performance which capped a preseason that finally looked like a structured confident Marco Sturmled hockey team. 30 saves for Jeremy Swayman. He was the first star. He showed that poise and control that we all know and love from Swayman. A vintage performance. He said it was nice to see some rubber get some high quality chances against. And he added, “The group is in a good spot.” And that’s exactly what you want to hear heading into opening night. A sense of rhythm, confidence, leadership. He did have a sort of bumpy preseason debut and this performance confirmed that the number one job belongs to him without question. Probably won’t be a even split between Swayman and Unis Basalo 6040 perhaps. But it was great to see Jeremy Swayman looking like the Jeremy Swayman of old because if the Bruins have any chance of success this season, he’s going to have to be that guy. There was also two goals from Nikita Zadorov, including the opener on a gorgeous feed from Fraser Minton that pretty much sealed his fate as uh being the third line center for this team. Zidorov also had the empty netter to seal the win. First goal really highlighted both puck movement and physical drive. Minton attacked the net, flipped it backand to Zidorov, and boom, it was one- nothing Bruins at that point. Now, Zidorov is unlikely to score like that every night, but his confidence, his two-way aggression fit the Bruins identity perfectly, and he and Henry Yoki Haru look like a sneaky, effective pairing. Bruising, but mobile as well. They were very good together towards the end of last season. That was one of the reasons why the Bruins prioritized resigning Yoki Haru. We all know the ups and downs that Zidorov faced last season and having a stable partner back there will really help. And Yoki Haru, he’s not flashy by any means, but he can move the puck with great efficacy. And those two guys together as a third pairing uh could be really effective for this team. You have His Lindol playing with Andrew Peak who’s kind of a Brandon Carlo late and then the top pairing of Makavoy Lurai. Again, just as Jeremy Swayman is going to be key to this team getting back to relevance, those defensive pairings have to be a lot sharper, tighter, and mobile puck. Moving the puck up the ice and out of trouble. And those three pairings along with the seventh defenseman uh and Jordan Harris could be a real asset to this team. I forgot to mention when it comes to waiver drops, Victor Sodstrom, who was signed on a kind of low-risk, potentially high reward deal, he was placed on waiverss as well, former high draft pick. He very well could be plucked as well. Uh, who knows how that is going to go. The Bruins could lose, yeah, three, four players on waiverss this afternoon, which would be not great for the depth in the organization. I mentioned Fraser Minton earned every bit of his roster spot. Marco Sturm says he really likes this kid. Came in ready to go and played like a man. Minton’s maturity really stood out. He was responsible, smart, hard on pucks and showed more of the kind of game the Bruins want from younger guys than did Blue Mel or um Lysel, even Motra. He centered Tener Jado and Mikey Acimont, a crash line that plays the kind of vertical game Sturm demands. And Minton’s quote summed it up. He said entry- level guy. You can go up and down pretty easily. Just take it day by day. For today, it’s clear he’s earned the coach’s trust and he’s going to be a big part of the depth for this Bruins team. It was nice to see some second line chemistry as well. Zaka Middlestat Arbitson connected for a beautiful tic-tac goal. Zaka finishing in the slot off a feed from Middlestat behind the net. They’ve had a couple practices together now only going to get better. That trio being in sync is crucial for this team because secondary scoring will make or break this season. They also succeeded on the power play. Makavoy to Lindome in front. Elias that is who tipped home the puck for a three nothing lead at that point. Posture grabbing the secondary assist. Appears as though assistant coach Steve Spots tweaks are paying off. Better puck movement, more traffic in front. And Pavzaka said it best, we have to be better than last year. A revitalized Elias Lynhome netfront presence bumper guy. That will really go a long way as well. After that game, Marco Sturm said the first 20 minutes was probably the best he’s seen from this group. And that’s more like the Bruins that he wants to see. structured, playing with pace, identity, consistency, grit, grind, all working in sync, as well as some goals. So now the stage is set, the roster is built, the lines are rolling, the system looks intact, and the big question for this team, is it a new chapter or just a rebrand of the same issues? We’ll break down whether the Bruins are truly ready for a bounceback or if they’re set for a repeat of last season here as the podcast continues. The NFL season is here and FanDuel has an offer you do not want to miss. Right now, new customers can bet just $5 and get 300 bonus bucks in betting options if you win. That’s right. Pick a bet, put down five bucks, and if it hits, you’ll unlock $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. Think about if you had put five bucks down on the Patriots last night, you’d now have $300 because of that upset over the Buffalo Bills. People love how FanDuel gives so many ways to play. You can build parlays, try player props, even follow live lines during games. Makes watching football even more exciting when you’ve got a little something riding on the action. Whether you’re a casual fan or love diving into the stats, FanDuel makes the game day experience so much better. So, what exactly are you waiting for? Visit fanuel.com to download the FanDuel app today to get started. Let’s talk big picture here for the 202526 Boston Bruins. They’re entering with a new coach, a renewed structure, increased accountability, but their success is really going to depend on whether Marco Stern’s physical defensive identity can coexist with creativity and scoring that they’ve lost over the last two years and even over the last couple of days by cutting Matt Potra, Fabian Lysel, Mate Bluml, Alex Steves, the two leading goal scores in the AHL last season. The lineup as it currently stands is built around balance and identity, not elite scoring depth or even high-end or above average scoring depth. They believe structure will lead to offense aggressive forchecking, capitalizing on turnovers. Um it’s a gamble, but it’s one they are clearly committed to. The first two lines are starting to look pretty nice. Uh you have Fraser Minton as your third line center and then there’s like seven forwards who all could be fourth line guys and Tanner Jano Acimont Hudinov Carali Castellic Beecher and V. It would be nice to see some more scoring on the third line there. Maybe who’s Nudinov moves up to give that group a bit more speed. But I mean at the end of the day the Bruins signed Carali AC. They resigned Castellic and Beecher. They signed Tanner Jano. And all these guys have taken spots from guys with more offensive upside. The Bruins don’t want to be overexposed, I guess, with those guys out on the ice who may try to do too much, but they’re also sacrificing potential goals. You can point out that Jeffrey Viel outscored those guys in the preseason. That doesn’t really mean anything when you get into the regular season. and VL as the 14th forward. Why not keep Blue Mel up r not risk losing him a waiverss and just get him into some practices, ease him into the lineup to see if he can look more like he did at the beginning of training camp or find his footing at the NHL level. There’s really no risk carrying him as the 14th forward. Now you have seven, eight guys like who could play bottom six minutes all kind of interchangeable and none of them really have even 10 plus goal upside. It’s a gamble, but they’re clearly committed to it. Swayman’s preseason finale confirmed though that this is his crease and he’s the foundation of any sort of rebound season. If he plays like he did against the Rangers, this team will stay competitive in every game. Eek out some 2-1 3-2 wins. The blue line is heavier and meaner than last season. Healthy, far more structured. Lurai Makavoy gives Boston a top pair that can move the puck, control play in both zones. Lindhol Peak, reliability, stability. Zidorovi Haru a blend of muscle puck moving support while Harris adds depth, versatility. It’s all a clear statement. The Bruins want to be hard to play against. The trade-off is less offensive instinct from maybe the bottom four pairing. Makavoy and Lurai will need to drive the attack. The finale for the preseason showed complete buyin and players are echoing Sturm’s language. Structure, predictability, pace. That’s more like us, he said. Us being the key word. It’s not a superstarled team anymore. It’s a system first team built on collective effort. David Posra obviously is going to do his thing, but Sterm has to prove that identity hockey can produce enough goals to win consistently. These guys are like the Chanty Bilips Ben Wallace le Detroit Pistons, not Michael Jordan’s Bulls by any stretch of the imagination. Vl’s inclusion and Blumel’s exclusion. So Sweeney and Sturm are aligned. Grit over flash. Clear continuation of Sweeny’s long-standing philosophy. I don’t know what we expected, why we would expect anything to be different. If the Bruins rebound, he’ll be somewhat vindicated. If they struggle to score, the decision will be heavily scrutinized. But if they have another last place finish, the upside is Gavin McKenna is on the table. So perhaps it’s win-win either way. The Bruins open in Washington on Wednesday. A physical test against one of the better teams last year. Home opener versus Chicago on Thursday. Well, they’ll face a young, fast team. They need a strong October to reestablish credibility after last season’s last place finish. There’s no longer the Bers Berseron Marshon powerhouse combo to build around. Sadena Shar is long gone. It’s a bubble team here with purpose. The culture shift is visible. Swayman’s calm, Sidorov’s confidence, Minton’s maturity, Makavoy’s leadership, Pasta’s elite scoring. There’s reason to believe this team can surprise people. Whether it’s redemption or repetition depends entirely on whether they can maintain that identity. When the first little bit of adversity hits, we know it won’t result in a coaching change. The preseason’s done. Lines are set. Pairings are set. The real story begins. They open the season Wednesday in Washington. We’ll have full preview, postgame coverage, instant reaction, player quot right here on Locked on Boston Bruins. If they buy into Marco Sturm system and get the goalending they expect from Swayman, this could be a redemption arc. If not, it could be another year of hard lessons about roster balance and philosophy. You’re going to want to make sure you’re subscribed to Locked on Boston Bruins on YouTube, wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along, locked NHL Bruins for in-game updates, analysis. I’m Ian McLaren and thank you for making Locked On Boston Bruins your first listen of the day. It’s part of the Locked On podcast network your team every day. Tomorrow we will discuss all of the fallout from the waiver uh claims that are made or not. The Bruins are hosting a pre-season press conference this afternoon. So we’ll discuss everything we learned from Don Sweeney, Cam Neely, Marcos Sturm, and of course bring you all the latest on the black and gold. Uh for your second listen today, check out NHL game night. every game, every night until a Stanley Cup champion is crowned. Get local analysis, previews on a national scale this week. Find NHL game night on Locked on NHL on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please do take care of yourselves, friends. Happy Monday. Again, thank you for making Locked On Bruins your first listen of the day. Please do subscribe if you have not already. It’s part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day.

The Boston Bruins have made their final roster decisions — and they’re choosing grit over skill once again.
Jeffrey Viel beats out Matej Blümel and Matthew Poitras for the last forward spot, signaling Marco Sturm and Don Sweeney’s commitment to a heavy, hard-to-play-against identity heading into the 2025-26 NHL season.

Host Ian McLaren breaks down what Viel’s inclusion means for Boston’s lineup philosophy, the ripple effects for Poitras and Blümel, and whether the Bruins risk losing scoring depth for free.

Then, Jeremy Swayman’s 30-save performance in a 4-1 preseason win over the New York Rangers proves he’s ready to anchor the team’s redemption campaign. We also highlight Nikita Zadorov’s two goals, Fraser Minten’s breakout play, and the new Bruins defensive pairings featuring Mason Lohrei, Charlie McAvoy, and Hampus Lindholm.

Finally, we zoom out to the big question: Is this a redemption story or a repeat of last year’s struggles?
Can Marco Sturm’s structured system and Don Sweeney’s roster philosophy coexist with the offensive creativity Boston needs to compete in 2025-26?

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