
Why the Bruins might stand pat at center, even if it's a position of need
Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci have been gone for two years. Charlie Coyle plays for the Colorado Avalanche. Matt Poitras (21 years old) and Fraser Minten (20) are far from assured spots on the 2025-26 Boston Bruins roster.
The Bruins need help at center in a big way.
But they know firsthand how pricey it is to hire in the middle. On July 1, 2024, they spent $54.25 million to guarantee seven years of service from Elias Lindholm. They did so with the belief that Lindholm would be a No. 1 center at the start of his contract.
Advertisement
In 2021-22, Lindholm set a career high of 3.01 points per 60 minutes of all-situations play, per Natural Stat Trick. As a first-year Bruin, Lindholm averaged 1.9 per 60. Leon Draisaitl, in comparison, led all regular centers in 2024-25 with 4.16.
The trade market is just as expensive. Consider that the Vegas Golden Knights gave up Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs, a 2022 first-round pick and a 2023 second-rounder for Jack Eichel. They did so without any certainty that Eichel would be 100 percent following neck surgery.
You can see, then, why upgrading the position would be a high-priced project. If Sam Bennett, for example, reaches unrestricted free agency, the Bruins would be competing with multiple bidders for the hard-nosed 28-year-old center. If the New York Rangers put Mika Zibanejad up for sale, the Bruins would have to determine how much in futures they'd be willing to spend for him and whether Zibanejad would waive his no-movement protection, not to mention if the 32-year-old who's gone from 91 to 72 to 62 points the past three seasons is even worth pursuing.
The more conservative alternative would be to invest in wings, either in free agency or on the trade market. As much as the Bruins would welcome reinforcements up the middle, they have internal workarounds for the position.
Lindholm, to start, can run with David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie on the No. 1 unit, even if he is no longer a first-line, play-driving pivot. Pastrnak can fill the role of playmaker (63 assists) as well as most centers. He is such a threat to score (43 goals) and clever enough with the puck that he can draw defenders his way and dish to open teammates. Geekie (33 goals) was the beneficiary in 2024-25. This could happen again in 2025-26.
Lindholm, in other words, does not have to be a typical playmaker if he rides with Pastrnak and Geekie. If he defends, wins faceoffs and goes to the net to open up east-west seams for his wings, Lindholm could be a first-line fixture.
'It gives those guys an opportunity to tilt a little more that way, knowing they still have security defensively,' interim coach Joe Sacco said of how Lindholm could optimize his wings for offense. 'Somebody who's going to play underneath pucks, somebody who's going to be reliable defensively for them. He got more confidence down the stretch there.'
Advertisement
Offensively, Casey Mittelstadt would be the leading candidate to center the No. 2 line. He is the Bruins' top pure playmaker. He excels at extending puck control until the last moment to give his linemates maximum time to get open.
But Mittelstadt's role as a setup presence comes with a cost. The 26-year-old is not hard on pucks. He doesn't win enough battles. His passing touch is muted when he cannot possess the puck. Unless Mittelstadt broadens his shoulders, he may not fit a second-line profile.
'When he gets caught standing still in the offensive zone, making plays not on the move, sometimes things shut down for him,' Sacco said. 'I find him very effective when he's skating, when he's moving his feet and being hard on the puck. We talk about hard skill all the time in this organization. We have a lot of that. That's something he continues to grow into his game.'
This leaves Pavel Zacha as a second-line alternative. It's not an ideal solution. Zacha's value is as an all-around center, ideally slotted on the third line. He is not as skilled with the puck as Mittelstadt.
But Zacha's hockey sense, skating and strength on the puck make him a better transporter. Like Mittelstadt, Zacha is a pass-first center. He would have to incorporate more of a shooter's selfishness to optimize a second line.
So if Zacha locks down the second line and Mittelstadt works the third line, Mark Kastelic would be the most likely candidate to be the No. 4 center. Kastelic projects to be fully recovered from his concussion. The Bruins would not expect much offense from him. The 26-year-old is on the roster to skate, check and provide energy.
The Bruins also have Johnny Beecher under team control as a fourth-line option. He will be a restricted free agent this offseason. They need more from Beecher if they qualify the 24-year-old and give him a raise.
Advertisement
If Poitras and Minten perform well in the AHL playoffs and get stronger in the summer, they could put themselves in position to nudge out an incumbent in camp.
By standing pat at center, the Bruins could keep their powder dry for help on the wing. Mitch Marner, Brock Boeser and Nikolaj Ehlers could have their pens ready to sign contracts on July 1. Matthew Knies and Will Cuylle, pending restricted free agents, would be offer-sheet targets if their clubs approach the salary cap.
As critical as centers are, the Bruins don't have many paths toward improving the position.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Capitals' Carlson & Chychrun Earn Norris Votes As NHL's Best Defenseman, Ovechkin Finishes 4th In Masterton Voting
The Washington Capitals are earning attention as the NHL Awards continue to be unveiled over the course of the offseason. Defensemen John Carlson and Jakob Chychrun earned national attention for their performance in 2024-25, earning votes for the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top blueliner, while captain Alex Ovechkin finished fourth in Masteron voting. Advertisement Colorado Avalanche blueliner Cale Makar won the award for the second time in his career. The award, which goes 'to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-around ability in the position,' is voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. Carlson finished 16th in voting, receiving one fourth-place vote, and Jakob Chychrun finished tied for 17th, earning one fifth-place vote. The Boston Herald's Stephen Conroy voted for Carlson, and Viasat Finland's Antti Makinen voted for Chychrun. In 79 games this past season, Carlson picked up five goals and 46 assists for 51 points, while improving from a minus-7 in 2023-24 to a plus-17. He averaged 23:34 minutes a night, ranking in the top-20 of NHL defensemen in average time on ice this past season. This is the seventh time in his career he's finished in th etop-20 in the Norris race. Chychrun, meanwhile, had a breakout first year with the Capitals. Acquired in the offseason, the 26-year-old put up a career-high 20 goals and 27 assists for 47 points in 74 games, and was a plus-17 after finishing as a minus-30 the season before with the Ottawa Senators. Chychrun skated 21:04 minutes per night and was one of just three defensemen league-wide to score at least 20 goals in a season. His performance earned him an eight-year contract extension in D.C. Advertisement Meanwhile, Ovechkin finished fourth in Masteron voting, earning 16 first-place votes. The Masterton goes to the player who 'best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.' Ovechkin missed 16 games with a broken leg but still came back to score 44 goals, the third-most in the NHL, to overtake Wayne Gretzky as the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer.


NBC Sports
7 hours ago
- NBC Sports
Colorado's Cale Makar wins Norris Trophy as league's top defenseman for second time in four seasons
DENVER — Cale Makar captured the Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman for a second time in four seasons. The Colorado Avalanche standout finished the regular season with 30 goals to become to first NHL blueliner to reach that mark since Mike Green scored 31 for Washington in 2008-09. Makar also led all defensemen this season with 62 assists and 92 points. He received first-place votes on 176 of the 191 ballots cast by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The 26-year-old from Calgary, Alberta, has been a Norris finalist in each of the last five seasons. Makar finds himself in elite company as he joins Bobby Orr (eight times), Denis Potvin (three), Paul Coffey, Rod Langway and Erik Karlsson as the only players to take home two or more Norris Trophies before turning 27. Makar was surprised with the award by his family and friends. He was golfing with his buddies in a video posted on the NHL's social media account when they stopped midround. A big group was waiting in the yard for him and clapped as he received the trophy. 'My first thought was, honestly, that one of the boys that I was playing with won some golf trophy and it was a surprise thing,' Makar said in the video. 'It definitely was not on my radar.' His mom added: 'Even though he doesn't like surprises, his reaction today was awesome.' Makar's regular season included such milestone moments as scoring his 100th career NHL goal (Jan. 18 against Dallas) and becoming the third-fastest defenseman in history to reach 400 career points (Feb. 23 at St. Louis). He began the season by matching a career high with a 13-game point streak. He was in a tie with Mark Stone for the scoring lead at the end of October. That was the first time a blueliner led or shared the league lead in points at the end of October since Orr was in a four-way tie on Nov. 1, 1974. In addition, Makar helped Canada take home the title in the midseason 4 Nations Face-Off. He led the tournament in ice time. Makar had a goal and four assists in a first-round playoff loss to Dallas during a series that went seven games. His 1.08 points per game average in the postseason is the third-best among defensemen with at least 60 playoff games. He also won the Norris in 2022, a season in which the Avalanche hoisted the Stanley Cup. Makar earned the Conn Smythe Trophy that year as the MVP of the playoffs.

Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Where Lightning's Victor Hedman Finished In Norris Trophy Voting
The final voting results for the Norris Trophy were released on June 11, and without much surprise, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar won the award. The 26-year-old had an incredible season with the Avs, scoring a career-high 30 goals and recording 90 points in 80 games. The voting results also revealed that Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman finished fifth for the award. The Lightning captain received one second-place vote, 11 third-place votes, 55 fourth-place votes, and 38 fifth-place votes. He did not, however, receive one first-place vote for the award. Hedman finishing fifth in the Norris Trophy voting is certainly fair, as he had a strong 2024-25 campaign. In 79 games this season for the Bolts, the 6-foot-7 blueliner recorded 15 goals, 66 points, and a plus-18 rating. Advertisement Hedman previously won the Norris Trophy for the 2017-18 season, when he posted 17 goals, 63 points, and a plus-32 rating in 77 games for the Lightning. Photo Credit: © Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images