Boston Bruins fans, the wait is finally over. The Bruins play their first game in 176 days, as they travel down to the US Capital to take on Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.

Following the last months of change, the Bruins are finally settled in. The team named Hampus Lindholm as their third alternate captain for this season, a distinct honor for the veteran defenseman. He'll don the 'A' on his jersey tonight for the first time.

Puck drop is just a few short hours away, but we, your two Bruins writers here at The Hockey News Boston, have put together our bold predictions for the upcoming season.

Macias' Bold Predictions:

#1: David Pastrnak Scores 60+ Goals, Wins Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy:

David Pastrnak will be the most exciting player on the ice at any given moment when the Bruins are playing. The Czech superstar will be highly motivated not only to bring the Bruins back to the playoffs, but also for the Olympics this year, where he will potentially serve as captain.

Pastrnak scored the fewest number of goals in an 82-game campaign since the 2021-22 season where he only played 72 games and scored 40, a pace that would've seen him eclipse that plateau.

He also fired his fewest amount of shots on goal in a season since that same 2021-22 season, totalling just 319 on goal. His attempts also nosedived last year, down to 624 attempts, down from 718 and 727 in the two previous years.

Pastrnak followed his disappointing 21-22 season by scoring 61 goals and 113 points, registering career highs in shots, shot attempts, goals, and points. 

I think he'll do the same this year. He knows the team needs goals, and he's motivated to reverse the trends and get back to his career norms in terms of shooting percentage, where prior to the last two "down" years for Pastrnak, he was a 15% shooter.

Pastrnak scores 60 and wins The Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy, likely also finishing as a Hart Trophy Finalist.

#2: Tanner Jeannot & Fraser Minten Combine for 30+ Goals:

One of the biggest narratives surrounding the Bruins so far is a perceived lack of ability to score from their depth. 

Enter Fraser Minten and Tanner Jeannot. 

First, Minten will be a rookie for the Bruins this year after playing six games at the end of last season, scoring once in his six games. He's looked like a potentially dominant third-line center for the Bruins, one who could ostensibly change the outlook of the season for Boston.

Throughout his WHL career, he had a good knack for scoring and playmaking, scoring 53 goals and 62 assists in his final 100 WHL games.

Jeannot, meanwhile, broke into the NHL with a dominant 24-goal rookie season in 2021-22, but then shot just 5% the following year. 

Since, Jeannot's shooting percentage has held steady around 12%, but he's received fourth-line minutes during this time.

With Boston, he's going to play closer to 14 minutes a game, giving him more opportunity to show that scoring touch he still possesses.

Between the third-line duo, they're going to combine for 30 or more goals, with one flirting with the 20-goal barrier.

#3: Bruins Make A Notable Trade By December 1

The Bruins have a tight roster. They also have a mandate from President Cam Neely and General Manager Don Sweeney to go out and play "very hard" every single night.

Neely spoke of the added "piss and vinegar," and expects his team to be a very tough out. If they're playing well but struggling to score, they will go out and get a scorer.

Neely and Sweeney said they tried over the summer and will look to get one during the season. With such a compact schedule, Sweeney can't wait too long to make an impact add if the team needs one. 

Similarly, if things go haywire, it would not be a shock to see a player from the roster get moved out to make room for Matthew Poitras or another AHL call-up to give a jolt to the room after a slow start.

By December 1, Boston will have made an important trade.

DeRosa's Bold Predictions:

#1: Bruins' Morgan Geekie Hits 40-Goal Mark 

Morgan Geekie broke out in a big way for the Bruins this past season, setting new career highs with 33 goals, 24 assists, and 57 points in 77 games. It's what helped him land his six-year, $33 million contract this summer. 

Now, after his breakout year, I am predicting that Geekie will make an even bigger impact for the Bruins in 2025-26 and hit the 40-goal mark. He is in a great position to succeed playing on the first line with David Pastrnak, and their chemistry at the end of the season was excellent. Geekie also ended this past season with 10 goals in his final 13 games.

With all of this, I think a 40-goal season is on the way for Geekie. He showed this past season that can be an impactful sniper, but I think he has the potential to get even better.

#2: Bruins' Mason Lohrei Breaks Out & Hits 50-Point Mark

Mason Lohrei just completed his second season with the Bruins in 2024-25. In 77 games with the Original Six club, he scored five goals and led all Bruins defensemen with 28 assists and 33 points. While he had a team-worst minus-43 rating, there is no question that he still demonstrated his offensive upside this past season.

Now, after gaining another year of experience, I expect Lohrei to have a big breakout season for the Bruins. With Lohrei expected to play with Charlie McAvoy and get power-play time, I think the 2020 second-round pick will hit a new level offensively and reach at least 50 points this campaign. 

If Lohrei takes a step forward offensively while being more reliable defensively, it would be huge for a Bruins club looking to be a playoff team again. Given his skill and potential, I think he very well could have a big year in 2025-26, and it will be intriguing to see if he can do just that from here. 

#3: Bruins' Jeremy Swayman Not Only Bounces Back But Is NHL All-Star

It is not a secret that Jeremy Swayman had a tough year in 2024-25. The 26-year-old struggled as the Bruins' true No. 1 goalie this past season, as he posted a 22-29-7 record, a .892 save percentage, and a 3.11 goals-against average. This was not the season that he hoped to have after signing his big eight-year, $66 million contract with the Bruins right at the beginning of the 2024-25 campaign.

While this past season was rough for Swayman, I am predicting that he will not only bounce back but also be an All-Star. The Anchorage, Alaska native is motivated to prove his doubters wrong in 2025-26, and I believe this help him play at his highest level again. 

Swayman previously played in the All-Star Game in 2023-24 and also won the William M. Jennings Trophy back in 2022-23 with Linus Ullmark. Also, before the 2024-25 campaign, Swayman had a .914 save percentage or better in each of his four previous seasons. With all of this, I think Swayman will get back to being an All-Star again in 2025-26.