This year has been one of tumult for the Boston Bruins. Just two years after finishing with a record 65 wins, the organizational tear-down began in March. So far at least, that turnover has not translated into the doom cycle that many had expected as the B’s have somehow remained competitive while waiting for some of their higher end prospects to arrive.
What 2026 holds is anyone’s guess. Can the B’s hang on to a playoff spot? If they fall out of contention, will have another, more modified sell-off? Will James Hagens be in a Bruin uniform by the end of the season?
But before we get those answers, let’s look back at how we got here. Here are the 10 most significant dates of the calendar year.
January 9
The Bruins lose to the Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-1. It is the team’s sixth straight loss and seventh L in eight games since the Christmas break. They had gone into the Christmas break having won four of five (4-0-1) and were feeling good about their playoff chances. But with this losing streak, a major course correction was looking possible.
February 15
The United States beats Canada in Montreal. For most hockey fans, the game will be remembered for its intensity, highlighted by three straight fights right off the opening puck drop. But for Bruins’ fans, it was the last game Charlie McAvoy would play in the season. He had suffered a shoulder injury in the previous game against Finland, one that would become infected and require surgery. McAvoy played a dominant game against the Canadians, but we would soon find out that that was his swan song for the season. The B’s playoff hopes also were, for all intents and purposes, extinguished.
March 8
Trade deadline day. Hints of a major dismantling had already happened. Trent Frederic was dealt to Edmonton a couple of days before. Justin Brazeau was traded to Minnesota for Marat Khusnutdinov the night before the draft. But deadline day marked the end of an era, and perhaps the birth of new one in the future. Brandon Carlo was dealt to Toronto for prospect Fraser Minten, a 2025 fourth rounder (Vashek Blanar) and a 2026 first pick (top-5 protected). Charlie Coyle was dealt to Colorado for Casey Mittelstadt, prospect William Zellers and a 2025 second round pick (Liam Petterson). Finally, captain and icon of the franchise, Brad Marchand, was traded to Florida for a 2027 first rounder. The rebuild, retool or whatever you want to call it, was on.
May 24
Team USA beats Switzerland, 1-0, for World Championship gold medal. Normally, this tournament is but an afterthought for most North Americans because it occurs during the Stanley Cup playoffs, but it was a pivotal moment for Jeremy Swayman. The Bruins’ netminder had experienced a subpar season after he had signed a mammoth eight-year, $66 million contract. But in this tournament, he went 7-0, including a 1-0 overtime win over Switzerland in the final to give the US it’s first gold medal in the tournament in 92 years. It was also a get-right performance from Swayman, who has used it as a springboard for what has thus far been a much better season for the Alaska native.
The Boston Bruins named Marco Sturm head coach prior to the start of the 2025-26 season. (Mark Stockwell/Boston Herald)
June 10
The Bruins introduce Marco Sturm as their new coach. Deciding to go in a different direction from long-time assistant and interim head coach Joe Sacco, GM Don Sweeney brought home a player who willed himself popular in Boston after being one of the pieces coming back in the controversial Joe Thornton trade. Sturm brought with him German national team experience as well as seven seasons in the Kings’ organization — four as an NHL assistant and the last three as AHL head coach of the Ontario Reign. He also brought with him a departure from the B’s zone defensive system, going with a more hybrid man/zone system. There were, and occasionally still are, issues in the implementation of it, but it’s gotten better since the first few chaotic weeks.
June 28
The Bruins draft James Hagens. Having a lousy year does have its benefits. The B’s finished as the fifth worst team but the lottery bumped them down two spots. But in a mild surprise, Hagens was there for them with the seventh pick. The Boston College star had entered the season as the No. 1 prospect but he was supplanted by defenseman Matthew Schaefer, who is already an impact player with the New York Islanders. Hagens slipped down the board, but the B’s jumped at the chance to nab the smallish, but highly-skilled centerman. After a slow start this season at the Heights, Hagens has begun to light it up and will represent the Team USA at the World Junior Championships.
June 29
The Bruins sign Morgan Geekie to a six-year deal worth $5.5 million per season. After exploding for 33 goals in 2024-25 — the lone bright spot in a miserable season — the B’s inked the winger to a long-term deal that was good for both sides. So far, Geekie has shown he is not a one-hit wonder. Signed in the summer of 2023 after the Seattle Kraken inexplicably chose not to qualify him, Geekie immediately set a personal best with 17 goals that season and then nearly doubled it in ‘24-25. This season he’s been up among the league leaders in goals scored.
Bruins forward Michael Eyssimont (81) has added depth to the team this season. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald).
July 1
Bottom six bolstering. Instead of sinking all their money into one player with a prolific scoring resume, Sweeney began the rebuild from the bottom up, signing bottom-six forwards Sean Kuraly, Tanner Jeannot and Mikey Eyssimont and trading for oft-injured veteran Viktor Arvidsson to help with some scoring. He also added defensemen Jordan Harris and Jonathan Aspirot and forwards Alex Steeves and Matej Blumel. Both Aspirot and Steeves have helped the B’s survive injuries and have earned longer-term stays in the NHL.
October 8
The Bruins beat Capitals in Sturm’s debut. The B’s played the kind of defensive game that a coach loves, knocking off one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference in the season opener. They would go through periods of streakiness. They lost six in a row and then won seven consecutive games. The B’s survived injuries to McAvoy and David Pastrnak and remain one of 16 teams in the tightly-packed Eastern Conference with a shot at the postseason.
October 21
Brad Marchand faces the Bruins for first time. As he often did in his decade and half with the Bruins, the former captain rose to the moment, picking up two assists in a 4-3 Florida victory that started a trend of the Bruins’ squandering points with a late goal against, one that lasted through the first month and a half. But the night will be more remembered for the emotional tribute that had Marchand bawling by the end of it.