The Boston Bruins have reshaped their forward group since this time last year. They traded away mainstays in their top-six, Charlie Coyle and Brad Marchand, and sent off another key contributor in Trent Frederic. In return, they added Casey Mittestadt and several depth pieces at the trade deadline in February.
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As a result of their depleted top six following these moves, many hoped that the Bruins would make a splash by pursuing a big name in free agency. Instead, the biggest name they were able to reel in was Viktor Arvidsson, who they acquired in a trade from the Edmonton Oilers. They will undoubtedly be relying on some of their new faces to make an impact in 2025-26; let’s take a look at two players who may do just that.Â
Viktor Arvidsson
Arvidsson arrived in Boston earlier this month in a trade that sent a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Oilers. Arvidsson is a reliable veteran addition; when healthy, he has 60-point potential, and at 32 years old, he should have plenty of gas left in the tank. He should see more minutes this season in the Bruins’ offense than he did in 2024-25 in Edmonton, a team that has a much deeper and more skilled forward group than the Bruins currently sport.
Viktor Arvidsson, Edmonton Oilers (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
Arvidsson will likely slot into the Bruins’ second line as a winger. In all likelihood, that line will consist of him, Mittelstadt at center, and Pavel Zacha on the opposite wing. If Arvidsson stays healthy and those three mesh well, it would not be unrealistic to expect him to eclipse the 50-point mark. This acquisition seems to be a low-risk, high-reward play for the black and gold, as Arvidsson has just one year remaining on his deal with a modest cap hit of $4 million. He should be viewed as a middle-six, secondary scoring addition with top-six upside.
Matej Blumel
The Bruins signed Matej Blumel to a one-year contract worth $875,000 at the start of free agency. The 25-year-old Czech started his NHL career in the Dallas Stars organization and has quickly become one of the premier goal scorers in the American Hockey League (AHL). The position he is stepping into in Boston may prove to be ideal for him, as he will likely be given a bigger chance to prove himself at the NHL level on the in-transition Bruins than he was in Dallas.Â
Blumel’s biggest strength by far is his shot. He has an elite snapshot that he rode to an AHL-best 39 goals a season ago. His skating ability and puck skills will not blow you away; however, he is able to produce a large quantity of shots night in and night out. He is reliable defensively as well. Look for the rookie to start the season in a bottom-six role and move up if he is able to translate his game to the next level.
New Contributors
The past six months have been marked by change in the Bruins’ forward group, and it certainly feels like the team has more questions than answers up front at the moment. That said, some of the new faces they have added have led to some exciting potential for surprises. Arvidsson and Blumel will both have the opportunity to make a mark in the Bruins’ lineup this season. If Arvidsson can stay healthy and click with his linemates in the top six, and if Blumel can translate his scoring ability from the AHL, the Bruins’ forward group may surprise some people. They will need players like these to step up if they hope to improve on their lackluster offensive output from a season ago.Â
