Don Sweeny recently announced the Bruins would be without a captain for the start of the 2025-26 season. This news comes as a surprise, as most fans expected either David Pastrnak or Charlie McAvoy to be named the next captain. However, according to Don Sweeney, the Bruins are in no rush to name a captain,
"Everything’s on the table right now. We’ve been forward and honest with everybody that we’re going to start without it. We’ve got a leadership group that’s been meeting among themselves, and I think eventually somebody will emerge as the guy who should be the next captain. It comes with a lot of responsibility, so I’d like to see more of an organic, natural progression of it."Bruins GM Don Sweeny
This slow approach probably makes sense for this team as they are still trying to find their identity under new coach Marco Sturm. The Bruins hope that a clear choice for captain will arise naturally. However, with the New York Rangers recently naming JT Miller as their next captain, that leaves just the San Jose Sharks and the Boston Bruins without a captain for the start of this season.
Does this put extra pressure on Pastrnak and McAvoy?
Yes, it does. Not so much that it will affect either of their play on the ice, but the thought of being the next captain of the Boston Bruins must be at the back of both players’ minds. There is a strong case for either player to be captain and this is the most likely reason the Bruins are waiting. Both are currently the team’s alternate captains and are the longest tenured players on the team. If there were a decision to be made now, it would be one of them.
The captaincy being vacant for the start of the season could create healthy competition between them. The player who rises as a natural and more vocal leader will most likely be the next captain. With both feeling the pressure to step up, both could become better leaders as a result.
Even if there is no “C” on either jersey, Pastrnak and McAvoy are both captains of this team. This leadership by committee approach echoes Bergeron and Chara. Having multiple leaders in the locker room strengthens the leadership core and is great for developing the younger roster the Bruins now have. Bergeron and Chara always considered themselves co-captains, and for now, Pastrnak and McAvoy should do the same. Even if there is only one “C” to give out, both players will share the responsibility of captain to start the season.
Could the Bruins trade for a captain?
This may seem unlikely, but it has just happened with the New York Rangers, who recently named JT Miller the 29th captain in team history. Miller was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks on January 31st and will play his first full season as captain this year.
Acquiring a captain would not be uncommon for the Bruins, as they were in the same situation when they signed Zdeno Chara in July 2006 and were named captain just three months later on October 3rd. Chara was the captain for 14 seasons, the second longest behind Ray Bourque.
Interestingly, looking at next year’s free agent class puts the Bruins in a position to make a historic signing similar to Zdeno Chara in 2006. Just a few of the names who, as of writing this, are on the last year of their contracts to start this season include: Connor McDavid, Kirill Kaprizov, Jack Eichel, Kyle Connor, Artemi Panarin, Adrian Kempe, Alex Tuch, Martin Necas, John Carlson, Mike Matheson, Rasmus Andersson, and Nick Schmaltz. Could the Bruins be holding out for a “big fish” in free agency next offseason? Could one of these players be the next captain of the Boston Bruins, or will either David Pastrnak or Charlie McAvoy step up and accept a bigger leadership role?
The choice of starting the year with no captain for now seems like the right move for a team trying to find a new identity. With many new faces and a new head coach, there will be some growing pains as to how this team decides to move forward. A natural leader may arises from this group will be an obvious choice for captain moving forward. Or the Bruins may decide that they need more help and try to sign a "big fish" free agent and change the direction of the team in that way. As long as the Bruins don't wait too long and leave the team directionless, this seems like the right choice for this season.