The Boston Bruins blue line should be among the most entertaining to watch in the 2024-25 season, just as they were last year. But the biggest question is: Who are the best players in the defensive unit on the team, and who will be fighting for ice time?
Boston’s deep at the position, much like they are at forward, so these rankings weren’t the easiest to concoct. That said, the more challenging, the better, so after a few combos, I finally decided on what the top seven who should be with the big club this season will look like if everything remains as-is.
7 - Parker Wotherspoon
Unless the Bruins bring someone else in before the season, Parker Wotherspoon is likely the front-runner to be the extra. He’ll be heading into his age-27 season, and he’s proving to be nothing more than a part-time player who can make the most of his chances - which isn’t a bad thing.
Wotherspoon is someone you’ll expect to be a hitter, and one who will deny potential shots on goal, but his possession metrics at even strength impressed me the most. Nearly two-thirds of his starts came in the defensive zone, yet his Corsi crept near the 50 percent mark, he was on the ice for 26 goals, and he boasted an on-ice save percentage of 93.0.
6 - Andrew Peeke
Andrew Peeke is the one youngster I’m interested to see suit up for the Bruins blue line this season following some promising performances in 15 games. Boston trusted him with nearly two minutes more ice time than he had gotten in Columbus, and he immediately filled what the Bruins were looking for - a hard-hitting blueliner capable of landing up to three (or more) checks per game.
It was a continuation of what Peeke gave the Columbus Blue Jackets during his time in Ohio’s capital. But now that he’s with a better team, Peeke has a better chance to showcase his talents, and it’s going to be more than just his hard-hitting nature. His 46.2 Corsi For was rather encouraging in those 15 regular season games, especially when less than 40 percent of his starts came in the offensive zone.
5 - Mason Lohrei
Fans should be excited to see Mason Lohrei, as he kicked off his career with the Bruins with 13 points and four goals in 41 games, and a sound 9.3 shooting percentage. He proved to be a fearless player while logging third-pairing minutes, and Lohrei was decent on the power play when given the opportunity - four on-ice goals in about 21.5 minutes at 5-on-4.
He still needs to improve in several areas, though, and I’d like to see him help create more opportunities for the Bruins - just a 46.3 Corsi despite being in the offensive zone for nearly 60 percent of his starts. But let’s remember that he’s 23 and has 41 games of experience in the regular season, so I’m not going too hard on areas he needs to improve just yet.
4 - Brandon Carlo
Brandon Carlo may never put up over 20 points in a single season, but he’ll guarantee you overall solid play when the Bruins don’t have puck possession. Nearly 80 percent of his starts came when the Bruins were in the defensive zone, and he rewarded them with 140 blocked shots (in all situations) and an on-ice save percentage of 93.0.
That said, he’s also been doing something right when the Bruins have the puck, too, judging from his 11.9 on-ice shooting percentage and 64 goals he found himself on the ice during the regular season. He didn’t show it last year, but Carlo also has a career Corsi For of over 50 percent, and if he finds that groove again, he’ll be one of the team’s hottest blueliners.
3 - Nikita Zadorov
I’m interested to see how the Bruins best utilize Nikita Zadorov, who did a phenomenal job helping to drive the puck up the ice and create chances for the ailing Calgary Flames in 2023-24 before he ended up spending 54 games with the Vancouver Canucks.
But how good was Zadorov in Calgary when it came to keeping possession in the offensive zone? His overall Corsi For in 177 games with the Flames was 59.1, and with Boston’s group of forwards figuring to be a rather enticing bunch, we just might see Zadorov impact plenty of scoring sequences.
2 - Hampus Lindholm
In 2022-23, Hampus Lindholm received Second Team NHL-All-Star Honors, and he took fourth in the Norris Trophy voting following a 10-goal, 53-point season that saw him lead the league with a plus-minus of 49. He made a living creating opportunities in the offensive zone, he quarterbacked power plays, and his on-ice shooting percentage sat at 11.1 at even strength.
His impact wasn’t as great last season, but Lindholm still enjoyed a solid year, and I wouldn’t be too worried about what was a regression at even strength. Lindholm also had a Relative Corsi Percentage at even strength of 4.5, and it was his best mark since the 2017-18 season.
1 - Charlie McAvoy
Another Norris candidate in recent years, Charlie McAvoy has finished each of the previous three seasons with 47 or more points, including at least seven goals scored in those campaigns. Arguably the Bruins best overall defenseman, McAvoy is one of those players who will contribute to the team’s points productivity at will, and he’ll do his due diligence in the defensive zone, with 159 body checks and blocks apiece in 2023-24.
If I’m going to give him any criticism, it’s that he was on the ice for 70 goals against at even strength, by far the highest of his career. But he also played in 1,434 minutes in that situation, so that would explain some of it. Also, his Corsi For dipped under 50 percent for the first time in his career despite an offensive zone starting percentage of 57.1. Still, McAvoy more than made the most of his opportunities last season, and it’s why he’s No. 1 on the list.
(Statistics powered by Hockey-Reference)