When it comes to the 2026-27 Boston Bruins, there are a lot of questions surrounding the fit with the forward lines for second-year head coach Marco Sturm. There are more questions down the middle and just where the pieces will fit for a second year in a row.
That's right, for a second year in a row. That's because general manager Don Sweeney didn't address his No. 1 need, which was a top-line center. Instead, he seems to be comfortable running it back with the same collection of pivots that played well last season and helped the Black and Gold get to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
However, it appears that the Bruins and Sturm are going to begin the season on Tuesday night at TD Garden against the New York Rangers with Elias Lindholm as his top center between JJ Peterka and David Pastrnak. At least that's how they practiced on Monday morning at TD Garden. Sweeney and president Cam Neely met with the media on Monday morning, and Boston's GM defended Lindholm with an interesting quote.
Don Sweeeny defends Elias Lindholm with a curious quote
Scott McLaughlin of WEEI asked Sweeney if Lindholm can still be a No. 1 center and his answer was, well, defending his $7.75 million center.
“I'm not as caught up in the 1C, 2C versions of things,'' said Sweeeny, per Scott McLahughlin of WEEI. "I think our depth overall in the middle of the ice is improving. … He's a good complementary player to the guys we have. The question is how much offense will he drive?”
Sweeney might not be caught up in the 1C or 2C version of things, but he should be. He has a nearly $8 million player locked up for the foreseeable future who is looking more and more like a 3C sooner rather than later. Who knows, maybe Lindholm is healthy and will surprise this season, but in the short samples of the preseason, it didn't really look like he's going to be the center that drives Peterka Pastrnak to the next level.
The Eastern Conference and Atlantic Division are getting better, and it feels that despite acquiring Peterka from the Utah Mammoth for a pair of first-round draft picks, the biggest hole on the roster wasn't filled down the middle. Sooner or later, it wouldn't be surprising to see Pavel Zacha or Fraser Minten up there with Peterka and Pastrnak.
Sweeney defending Lindholm the way he did is him not admitting he failed to address one of his bigger needs. We'll see how it plays out, but if history has told us anything, it might not end well.
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