The 2025-26 season is over for the Boston Bruins after a first-round exit from the Stanley Cup Playoffs in six games at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres. While it was a disappointing first-round loss, it was a season overall that nobody saw coming.
When the season began, not many people had the Bruins making the postseason, never mind collecting 100 points in the standings to secure the first wild-card slot. As there is with every offseason, there is going to be some roster turnover. Here are five Bruins who won't be back for the 2026-27 season.
Andrew Peeke
This one goes without saying. Defenseman Andrew Peeke was someone who was rumored to be traded at the deadline back in March, but it never happened. General manager Don Sweeney kept him and never upgraded the defense. That turned out to be a bad move.
Boston's defense was exposed by Buffalo in the first round, and Peeke has played his last game in Boston. He had an up-and-down tenure after being acquired a couple of seasons ago in a trade deadline deal from the Columbus Blue Jackets. The defense is one area that needs major upgrades next season, and Peeke is all but assured to be gone.
Matthew Poitras
This one is tricky. Prospect Matthew Poitras never got a shot in Boston this season, but the writing is on the wall if you're a prospect in the organization, good luck making it to the NHL. A restricted free agent, it wouldn't be surprising to see him come back, but he might be one of the top trade chips Sweeney has to make a big deal.
Trading him would end a frustrating time in Boston with the organization, but you have to wonder if bridges have been burned between the player and the club. Again, this just points to Poitras being Sweeney's top trade chip to strike a big deal over the summer.
Viktor Arvidsson
Like Peeke, forward Viktor Arvidsson was someone who it wouldn't have been surprising to see Sweeney move at the trade deadline. It never materialized, and along with Pavel Zacha and Casey Mittlestadt, they formed one of the top second lines in the NHL.
The problem is, Arvidsson is in a contract season and raised his value from the $4 million he made this season. He is going to get a bump, but Sweeney can't overspend to keep him, as he doesn't solve a huge need. He's a nice depth piece, but if he is someone you're counting on for production, well then you're not a true contender. The cap is going up, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him get a major bump. That can't be in Boston.
Casey Mittlestadt
The second of three parts of the second line with Zacha and Arvidsson, Mittlestadt had a good season, coming up with some big goals, but his $5.75 million AAV next season is not something that Sweeny can justify if he is truly going to make some upgrades to address needs.
All the cap space Sweeney can free up this offseason will be key before free agency begins on July 1, but Mittlestadt's contract is a large one for someone who doesn't produce as much as the Bruins need him to. The same can be said about Elias Lindholm, but with a back injury and $7.75 million AAV, no team is taking that off Sweeney's plate.
Lukas Reichel
Acquired from the Vancouver Canucks at the trade deadline, Lukas Reichel provided a little spark with his speed, but there is a reason why the Chicago Blackhawks and Canucks both traded him this past season. He has never been able to fully put everything together for a full-time NHL role.
He is a depth piece, and Boston already has a lot of those types of players under contract. It wouldn't be surprising to see him brought back and get stashed in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Providence Bruins, but a role in Boston is unlikely.
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