Don Sweeney thinks the 2025-26 Bruins will be competitive for a playoff spot, one year after bottoming out.

“If we stay healthy, I think we’re going to be really competitive,” Sweeney said.

His prediction defies the consensus. After David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie, there’s concern they won’t be able to generate enough offense. For the Boston general manager to be right, players who struggled last year and those who were injured last year need to contribute more under new coach Marco Sturm.

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Maybe nobody more than his two Lindholms, who are both coming off years they’d rather forget.

Hampus Lindholm was off to a terrific start last year when he suffered a fractured kneecap on Nov. 12 and never returned.

If he can return to being a minutes-eating defenseman who contributes at both ends of the ice along with Charlie McAvoy, who was injured in February too, the Bruins will get a huge boost.

He’s been back on the ice since June and is expected to be full-go when camp starts next week.

“I’m very excited. Full of energy to come back. Excited to see the guys. Ready to get going,” he said on Tuesday at the Bruins Foundation golf tournament in Fenway. “I’ve been injured before, I know how to come back from injury. I feel good. I put in a lot of work this summer. … That gives me confidence going into the season.”

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Elias Lindholm played all 82 games last year, but fell well short of expectations. After missing most of training camp with a back injury, he spent most of the year in an elusive quest to find his form after the Bruins made signing him the centerpiece of their offseason last year.

He finished the year strong with nine points (four goals, five assists) in April, most of which came playing with David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie. He followed that with strong play for Sweden in the World Championships and hoped to keep momentum going in camp.

“I had a good summer at home. The body feels pretty good. Better this year for sure,” said Lindholm, who hoped his April success was a sign of things to come. “It was a good way to finish for me. Got put in position to play with those guys. Had pretty good chemistry. It was good for me, a little boost and it carried over a little bit to the worlds.

“Coming in here with some pretty good confidence. Hopefully, we can do something good this year,” he continued. “Last year didn’t go like we hoped. Everyone starts fresh. I feel way more comfortable this year. Hopefully, it can carry over.”

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Hampus Lindholm shared Sweeney’s optimism.

“It’s going to be a fun year. I think people are going to underestimate us. We can use that to our favor, being the underdog and get back to Bruins hockey that we all know we can play.”

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