It is one of the Bruins’ most important games of the 2025-26 season.
Tied in the standings with Detroit and only having a tougher schedule from here on out, the room for error is shrinking in Boston. The Bruins have the league’s hardest remaining schedule, and the mentality inside the room is that they are playing playoff hockey, and that “every game is the most important.”
The game is at 8:00 PM on ABC.
College conference tournaments were last night, and with a BC loss, James Hagens watch is on. UConn and Merrimack will meet at the TD Garden tonight for the Hockey East championship.
Around the league, the Maple Leafs lost, the Panthers lost, and both of those have an impact on Bruins’ first-round picks. This season’s Panthers’ pick is top-10 protected, which moves the Bruins’ first to 2028. The Maple Leafs’ pick is not in the top-five protected range.
Also, AJ Greer got the boot from the Panthers game last night after a dirty hit on Connor Zary.
Happy Saturday, catch up on Bruins and league news in today’s Daily Bean:
Boston Bruins
BRUINS GAMEDAY: The Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings are both 38-23-8. That changes tonight. It is essentially a four-point game for the Bruins, who could separate themselves from the Wings with a win.
TOUGHEST SCHEDULE: The Bruins’ strength of schedule is at .613, according to Tankathon. They have the most difficult schedule with 13 games remaining, and they sit in the first wild card spot in the East.
Prospects Update
The Boston College Eagles lost to UConn last night, ending the 2025-26 NCAA season for six Bruins prospects.
Hagens watch is officially a go, but he is not the only player the Bruins will make a decision on. Andre Gasseau and Oskar Jellvik are seniors, and the Bruins have until August 15, 2026, to sign both.
Ryan Walsh scored for Cornell, but they fell to Princeton in overtime.
Today’s prospect schedule:
QMJHL: Shawinigan (1) vs. Victoriaville – 4:00 PM, Centre Gervais Auto, Shawinigan, QC
ECHL: Maine vs. Worcester – 6:00 PM, Cross Insurance Arena, Portland, ME
AHL: Providence vs. Utica – 7:05 PM, Amica Mutual Pavilion, Providence, RI
USHL: Youngstown (1) vs. Chicago – 7:05 PM, Fox Valley Ice Arena, Geneva, IL
NHL News & National Hockey Now
USCHO: A double-header and another game tonight for the Hockey East tournament kept the TD Garden busy while the Bruins are away from home. Merrimack picked up a 2-0 win over UMass, then UConn beat BC in overtime.
UConn and Merrimack will play for the title at 7:00 PM tonight.
Carolina Hockey Now: The Hurricanes picked up a 4-3 overtime win over Toronto, and for the second straight game, have been lifted by a goal from a defenseman. Rachel Barkley has more on the recap from the Hurricanes’ win.
The Maple Leafs’ draft pick sits with the seventh-best odds.
Florida Hockey Now: The Panthers dropped a 4-1 contest in Calgary last night. They now sit with the ninth overall pick in the draft, which would move Chicago’s pick to 2027 and Boston’s to 2028.
Gino Hard (video via 𝕏): AJ Greer was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for this hit.
AJ Greer was assessed a 5-minute major and a game misconduct for this hit on Connor Zary in the 3rd period tonight 🤕
Should Greer face a suspension? 😬 pic.twitter.com/KOHO5XALcG
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) March 21, 2026
I wonder what the Department of Player Safety will do here.
Detroit Hockey Now: The Red Wings are right behind the B’s, and rank as the second wild card in the East. How did they get here, though? Kevin Allen has more on how the Red Wings have been able to find a higher level of success.
Sportsnet: Here are the top 12 UFAs on the board for this summer. Rasmus Andersson, whom the Bruins were reportedly close to trading for, and Charlie Coyle, the former Bruin, are on the list.
Sportsnet: Here are the top 12 RFAs on the board for this summer.
PuckPedia: Try out the PuckPedia Draft Lottery Simulator.
Today’s NHL Schedule
Jets @ Penguins, 1:00 PM (US: NHLN)
Golden Knights @ Predators, 2:00 PM (CA: SN1)
Stars @ Wild, 4:00 PM
Sabres @ Kings, 4:00 PM
Flyers @ Sharks, 4:00 PM
Kraken @ Blue Jackets, 5:00 PM
Islanders @ Canadiens, 7:00 PM
Maple Leafs @ Senators, 7:00 PM (CA: HNIC)
Blues @ Canucks, 7:00 PM
Bruins @ Red Wings, 8:00 PM (US: ABC)
Lightning @ Oilers, 10:00 PM (CA: HNIC)
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