The Boston Bruins are more competitive this season than in 2024-25 and rank near the top of the Atlantic Division. But they have their flaws, and the biggest need on the roster right now is a top-four right-handed defenseman.
Bruins Need to Shore Up the Backend
Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm have done well anchoring the top two pairings this season, while Nikita Zadorov has been a pleasant surprise. Zadorov looks more comfortable in the new system implemented by head coach Marco Sturm.
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The numbers back it up. Zadorov has a Corsi for percentage of 49.23 and an expected goals for percentage of 46.22. He isn’t above 50%, but the Bruins’ team defense at even strength hasn’t been strong, and these stats are just behind McAvoy.
The problem is the lack of depth behind McAvoy. Fraser Minten has been a bright spot in the lineup, and while trading Brandon Carlo had its perks, with the Toronto Maple Leafs’ first-round pick coming their way at this year’s Draft, finding someone to fill his role has been a challenge.
Bruins’ Lack of Depth on the Right Side
It’s been a revolving door behind McAvoy, and the team’s depth was exposed after he was injured against the Montreal Canadiens on Nov. 15. The next three players are Henri Jokiharju, Andrew Peeke, and Jonathan Aspirot, who project to be third-pairing defensemen, yet have found themselves playing on the second pair some nights.
Jokiharju has the third-best CF% on the team with 48.72, but his xGF% of 44.80 is low. Peeke gets pummeled in the high-danger areas of the ice, and opponents are out attempting the Bruins 125-95 from those areas. Both Peeke and Aspirot have a CF% and xGF% below 45%. The Bruins have found themselves in a good spot in the standings, but this is a hole they need to address.
Possible Bruins Trade Targets
There’s no need for the Bruins to push all their chips in for a pending unrestricted agent this season. However, they could aim to acquire a rental who’s inclined to sign an extension. Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson is one big name expected to hit the market. He is in the final year of his contract and would slot in perfectly alongside Lindholm. That would immediately boost the Bruins’ top four from bleak to elite.
Andersson provides production from the back end, with 30+ points over the last four seasons. He is a good skater, precise passer, and great defender. He would be the perfect addition for Boston and could even help on the power play.
Another avenue would be to target a team’s surplus of riches. The Anaheim Ducks have a promising young blue line. The Bruins could trade for one of their young defenseman, like pending restricted free agent (RFA) Pavel Mintyukov.
Olen Zellweger is also a pending RFA, so one could be available. Mintyukov would fit like a glove on the right side. He’s been a mainstay on the Ducks’ back end and has notched 20+ points in his first two seasons. He has clear offensive upside, but needs some work on his defensive game, and maybe a new system would help.
Bruins Need a Defenseman
The Bruins are in a good spot, but they need to shore up the right side now. It was clear how much the team missed McAvoy while he was out. They might be able to get by this season without adding depth, but they can’t expect to go far, and going into 2026-27, that right-shot defenseman must be the priority.
