A revamped Boston Bruins roster is getting close to the start of the NHL season next week. Boston opens on the road against the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on Oct. 8.
Although key offseason acquisitions Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov are expected to immediately impact the franchise, several young players in the organization are poised to take the Bruins to the next level with their progression in the 2024-25 season.
Here are four players to keep an eye on this season:
Matthew Poitras
Poitras is healthy and bulked up during the offseason by adding more than 10 pounds of muscle. His playmaking poise and vision should prime him to make a legitimate run at a top-six spot on the roster. His versatility at center and wing would also give Bruins coach Jim Montgomery the luxury of moving Poitras up and down the lineup, allowing the youngster time to build chemistry with his teammates. The 20-year-old forward earned a spot on the NHL roster last season after an outstanding training camp. Poitras suited up in 33 games for Boston, tallied five goals and 10 assists, and averaged 13:24 minutes of ice time before shoulder surgery cut short his campaign.
Mason Lohrei
Lohrei brings a special blend of offense and skating ability to the Bruins' blue line. The 23-year-old tallied four goals and nine assists in 41 games for Boston last season, and his emergence in the postseason should only give the young defenseman more confidence heading into what should be his first full NHL season. He is a good puck-moving defenseman, which should allow him to see more time on the power play this season.
John Beecher
Like Poitras, Beecher made the Bruins roster out of training camp last season and proved to be a valuable member of Boston's fourth line. He amassed seven goals and three assists in 52 games for the Black and Gold, but his greatest asset was his size and speed. With the addition of Mark Kastelic in the offseason, Beecher will most likely move from center to wing, which should actually help the 6-foot-3, 216-pound forward's game. A physical, imposing fourth line has been a staple for the Bruins since Shawn Thornton, Daniel Paille and Gregory Campbell formed the Merlot Line. Beecher, Kastelic and Max Jones should give the Bruins that hard-nosed, physical checking line they've become accustomed to.
Brandon Bussi
With the ongoing Jeremy Swayman contract negotiations saga still hanging over the Bruins as the regular season opener]draws closer and Joonas Korpisalo being named the Game 1 starter, Bussi is in line to become the backup goaltender to begin the season. In three preseason games, Bussi has stopped 51 of 58 shots. One of the concerns surrounding the 26-year-old goaltender is his rebound control. However, as Bruins fans have learned throughout the years, goaltending coach Bob Essensa has a clear track record of mentoring Bruins' backstops to successful tenures in Boston for two decades, and rebound control generally comes with experience. Bussi posted a 23-10-5-1 record with the Providence Bruins last season with a 2.67 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage.
