These Bruins are entering very important seasons.
The Boston Bruins are entering the 2026-27 season with the goal of taking another step in the right direction.
However, for the Bruins to achieve this, they are going to need their players to deliver. Yet, when looking at their current roster, it is clear that some specific players are entering very important seasons.
Due to this, let's look at three Bruins who are in the hot seat and have the most pressure for the 2026-27 season.
Mason Lohrei
Assuming Mason Lohrei does not get traded before the season starts, this feels like a make-or-break year for the 25-year-old defenseman. Questions about his future with the Bruins have come up for a while now, and he has been the subject of trade rumors because of it.
Lohrei has struggled with consistency during his Bruins tenure so far, and it led to him being healthy scratched a handful of times last season. Due to this, the 2020 second-round pick is under a lot of pressure to take a big step forward this campaign. If he improves his all-around game, it would help his chances of sticking around.
Matthew Poitras
Matthew Poitras is another young Bruin who is under a lot of pressure for this upcoming season. The 22-year-old needs to have a big year and prove that he is ready for the NHL. If he does not, it could very well lead to the Bruins moving on from him.
Poitras was once the Bruins' top prospect but has fell down their rankings. Although this is the case, the possibility of him taking that next step and blossoming into a solid NHL player is there. He needs to take a serious leap forward this campaign for the Bruins and show he belongs on the Original Six club's roster.
Lukas Reichel
Lukas Reichel is another young Bruins forward who is facing a lot of pressure this season. The 2020 first-round pick's development has been a bumpy road, and it is clear that he needs to take a step forward this campaign with the Black and Gold.
Reichel desperately needs to have a strong training camp to make the Bruins' roster, as they have a lot of NHL-caliber forwards on their roster. From there, he will need to tap into his offensive potential more. At 24 years old, there is still hope that he can be a solid NHL forward, but the clock is ticking.
