Jeremy Swayman (© Natalie Reid-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/ec4c6935-5928-484c-bfa5-7af5818dae5d.jpeg] Jeremy Swayman (© Natalie Reid-Imagn Images) The Boston Bruins [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/boston-bruins] kick off their 2025-26 regular season on Oct. 8 against the Washington Capitals [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals]. With this, the Bruins are only a little over a week away from their new season. With the regular season almost here, let's take a look at 10 big questions that the Bruins have heading into the 2025-26 season. QUESTION 1: WILL JEREMY SWAYMAN HAVE BOUNCE-BACK SEASON? It is not a secret that the 2025-26 season was a rough one for Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman. He undoubtedly struggled during his first year as the Bruins' true starter, and many are naturally wondering if he can bounce back. If he does, it would be huge for the Bruins. However, if he has another tough year, it would be detrimental for the Original Six club. QUESTION 2: WHICH BRUINS WILL HIT WAIVERS BEFORE OPENING NIGHT? At the time of this writing, the Bruins have yet to place anyone on waivers. When noting that they have a ton of players fighting for NHL roster spots, it makes sense that they are taking their time before waiving anyone. However, that will change shortly, and it will be interesting to see who ends up hitting the wire. QUESTION 3: HOW MUCH WILL BRUINS BENEFIT WITH HAMPUS LINDHOLM BACK? The Bruins missed Hampus Lindholm tremendously this past season after a knee injury took away his season in November. Yet, now that he is healthy, it is going to be interesting to see how much of an impact his return makes to Boston's blueline. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RECENT BRUINS NEWS NHL News: 2 Former Bruins Hit Waivers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/boston-bruins/latest-news/nhl-news-2-former-bruins-hit-waivers] Bruins: 4 Interesting Prospects Who Deserve More Attention [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/boston-bruins/latest-news/bruins-4-interesting-prospects-who-deserve-more-attention] Boston Bruins Announce Several Roster Cuts [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/boston-bruins/latest-news/boston-bruins-announce-several-roster-cuts] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- QUESTION 4: WILL FABIAN LYSELL BREAK OUT FOR BRUINS? The clock is certainly ticking for Fabian Lysell with the Bruins. The 2021 first-round pick is still looking to break out and prove he can be an NHL player. Thus, seeing if he does hit that next level this season is a clear storyline to watch. QUESTION 5: WHICH BRUINS COULD GET TRADED IF TEAM SELLS AGAIN? The Bruins' hope is to be far better during the 2025-26 season. Yet, if they are once again among the worst teams in the NHL, it would not be surprising if they ended up selling at the deadline. A few players to watch in that scenario would be Casey Mittelstadt, Pavel Zacha, Andrew Peeke, and Viktor Arvidsson. QUESTION 6: CAN ELIAS LINDHOLM BECOME ANSWER FOR BRUINS' FIRST-LINE CENTER SPOT? Elias Lindholm's first season with the Bruins did not go as planned, but he did show clear signs of improvement during the final stages of it. Now, the veteran forward will be looking to build off his strong finish to the 2024-25 season this campaign. If he does show that he can be a true first-line center for the Bruins, it would be massive for them. QUESTION 7: WILL MORGAN GEEKIE REPLICATE HIS BREAKOUT 2024-25 SEASON? As bad as this past season was for the Bruins, Morgan Geekie was easily one of their biggest bright spots. The 27-year-old had a fantastic 2024-25 season, as he set new career highs with 33 goals, 24 assists, and 57 points in 77 games. This strong play helped him land a six-year, $33 million contract with the Bruins this off-season, and he will now look to once again be a 30-goal scorer for Boston in 2025-26. QUESTION 8: CAN MATEJ BLUMEL HIT NEW LEVEL FOR BRUINS? After multiple big years in the AHL with the Texas Stars, Matej Blumel will be looking to prove that he can be a full-time NHL forward with the Bruins. The young winger has skated in the Bruins' top six at times this training camp, and it certainly looks possible that he will make Boston's roster out of training camp. But can he translate some of his AHL offense to the NHL level with the Bruins? Time will tell. QUESTION 9: WILL TANNER JEANNOT PROVE HIS CRITICS WRONG? The Bruins made a surprising move this summer when they signed forward Tanner Jeannot to a five-year, $17 million contract in free agency. This is certainly a big contract for a bottom-six forward like Jeannot, and it has come with some criticism. Yet, it will now be interesting to see if Jeannot can prove his critics wrong and provide the Bruins with not only plenty of toughness but also some much-needed secondary scoring. QUESTION 10: WILL THE BRUINS BE A PLAYOFF TEAM? Now, here's the big one. With all of the moves the Bruins made this off-season, will it be enough for them to get back into the playoffs? While they did not add any big-name talent this summer, they did improve their depth by bringing in multiple players. They are also healthier on the blueline, so that should help them. Yet, time will tell if all of this can get them back to being a playoff club.
