The Boston Bruins are just beyond the quarter point of the 2025-26 season, and it has been a very eventful first quarter of the season under first-year coach Marco Sturm. It has felt like just about anything that could go wrong has at one point, and anything could go right has at another point. If you've followed the Black and Gold, you understand that.
The Bruins endured a six-game losing streak and then went on a seven-game winning streak. Talk about as many ups and downs as a team could go through a whole season has happened in the first quarter of the season. The Bruins are currently in the middle of a four-game road trip that includes three stops in California and one on Long Island against the New York Islanders the night before Thanksgiving. With that said, here is a quarter-season check-in with the Bruins after a 2-1 overtime win over the Los Angeles Kings that has Boston13-10-0 on the season.
Bruins 2025-26 season is still a question mark at the quarter point
Rarely is there a rollercoaster in a quarter of a season like what the Bruins have been through. Part of it can be attributed to Sturm's system and players still figuring things out, part of it because of injuries, and part of the inability to close out games late and secure at least one point.
The Bruins are currently down center Elias Lindholm and forwards Casey Mittlestadt and Viktor Arvidsson, who are on injured reserve. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy is going to be out a while after undergoing surgery after taking a puck to the face last Saturday night in Montreal against the Canadiens.
Boston's goaltending hasn't been as bad as one may think. Jeremy Swayman is on his way to having a bounce-back season, while Joonas Korpisalo has been earning more playing time. Both have stolen some games for Boston, and both could have used an extra save or two in a game. You really can't complain about the goaltending to date.
Of course, during their losing streak, there were trade rumors already swirling about Mittlstadt and Pavel Zacha. Not surprising.
What does the next quarter look like for the Bruins?
This next quarter of the season is going to be a big one. Are the Bruins a Stanley Cup Playoff team? Sometimes they look like and sometimes they don't. They have been at the bottom of the standings during their losing streak, and they have vaulted to the top of the division after beating Montreal.
For the Bruins to be in the mix for a postseason berth, they need to figure out a way to string together wins on the road and finish games out. There have been five or six times where just getting to overtime instead of allowing a late goal is five or six more points, and how big would those look right now?
The Bruins' special teams have been better and will need to be. If they can find a way to bank regulation points, even if they lose in overtime or a shootout, which they have been very good at, it could mean the difference between sneaking into the playoffs as a wild card team or a team that just misses and enters the NHL Draft Lottery for a second straight season. Buckle up.