After running out the same lineup for the first three games of the 2026-27 season, Boston Bruins coach Marco Sturm will be making some tweaks to his lineup beginning on Monday night when the Ottawa Senators visit the TD Garden.
His club hasn't played badly through the first three games and is 2-1-0 after wins over the New York Rangers and Winnipeg Jets in overtime and then suffering a 4-1 setback to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night on a very difficult back-to-back.
However, the Black and Gold are going to play their second home game of the season on Monday night when the Ottawa Senators, led by former Boston goalie Linus Ullmark, visit. Sturm is making two notable changes to his lineup, slotting center Matthew Poitras as the center on the fourth line and also inserting Frederic Brunet on defense with Mason Lohrei. The latter is going to make his season debut, and when asked about it on Monday morning after the pregame skate at TD Garden, he didn't mince words.
Frederic Brunet drops an honest quote about making his Bruins season debut against Senators
Brunet and Poitras both entered camp with a lot of questions surrounding them. If both were going to be sent to the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League (AHL), they would require waivers. If either was placed on waivers, they wouldn't have cleared. Brunet sat the first three games after a good preseason, but he'll replace Jonathan Aspirot in Monday night's lineup.
“I couldn’t wait to get in, and I think starting at home is going to be a good experience for me,” Brunet said, per Belle Fraser of BostonBruins.com. “I think it’s awesome. For me, being a little bit nervous for my first game of the year, playing with Mase, one of my good friends. I think he’s going to be great to calm me down and show me the way a little bit. Mase is awesome; it’s good to start with him.”
Some players would like to make their debut on the road, and some at home. Making it at home with familiar surroundings is easy for a lot of players, however. Playing with Lohrei makes for an interesting pairing on the back end in front of Jeremy Swayman. Bruent made his NHL debut late in the lost 2024-25 season that saw Boston miss the playoffs. This season, he is aiming to make an impression and stay in the lineup for more than one game.
“It’s so much different. I feel like I am part of the team now, and I think it’s just a different approach. I want to stay in the lineup,” Brunet said, per Fraser. “This year is just to prove that I can stick in the lineup.”
Three games remain in Charlie McAvoy's suspension, and Brunet should get another shot, as two more home games remain before he comes back after Monday night. When he does come back, there will be more decisions to make, but Brunet is hoping to make those decisions difficult for the Bruins.
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