It might not get the Boston Bruins any closer to Stanley Cup contention or at least getting out of the rebuild, but Jeffrey Viel making the opening night roster is undoubtedly a good story. He has been toiling away in the minors for eight years, picking up for his teammates and chipping in the odd goal. However, the narrative that Viel getting the place on the roster is some charity case doesn't make any sense.
Viel played in 54 NHL games in his career, recording just three points and 153 penalty minutes. While not many people expected Viel to make the opening night roster, he has been in this position before with the San Jose Sharks. He also played five games for the Bruins last season.
Marco Sturm on Jeffrey Viel:
— Belle Fraser (@bellefraser1) October 6, 2025
"These guys work so hard and they all have dreams. It kind of becomes real a little bit. It was him who did it. That’s why for us, it was an easy decision."
"I really liked what I saw. Not just on the ice, but also he’s a tremendous guy"
Sturm's comments make it seem like Viel is some 35-year-old journeyman who has never been in an NHL game before. He was one of the top players on the Acadie-Bathurst Titan when they won the Memorial Cup in 2018, signed in San Jose's system the following year, and built himself into an NHL player in his third season of pro hockey.
""These guys work so hard and they all have dreams. It kind of becomes real a little bit. It was him who did it. That’s why for us, it was an easy decision.""Marco Sturm
Sturm justified Viel making the team by acting like they were doing him a favor. The Sharks had already done him this favor for 49 games before, and those San Jose teams and the Boston team this year have one thing in common: they are bad teams.
""I really liked what I saw. Not just on the ice, but also he’s a tremendous guy""Marco Sturm
No fans are debating that Viel is a good guy. He was one of the most well-liked teammates in Providence last season due to his willingness to pick up for his teammates. He also put forth an incredible effort in the preseason to get his name into contention for this opening night roster.
There is no doubting that Viel deserved the opportunity, and in reality, it isn't a bad thing for some of the Bruins' younger players to get top-line minutes in Providence as Viel sits in the press box. However, Sturm might want to reconsider his strategy of the "feel-good" story about Viel to cover up for some of the roster decisions.
It isn't all Sturm's fault, as the front office put themselves in this position with the roster construction this summer. But let's not pretend that Viel making the Bruins' roster is a great thing. It's just more evidence that the team is heading in the opposite direction from where they want to be.