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[Boston Bruins]

Bruins release new sweaters for 2025/26 season

Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images

The Bruins revive a classic(ish) look with some new additions here and there

Hope you’re ready for some fresh new old threads!

The Boston Bruins announced today a major refresh of their identity...that happens to be taking a lot of cues from an old one.

The B’s new home and away sweaters will be taking heavily from the 70’s-80’s design, using the classic black with gold and white stripes without a shoulder yoke, and the Spoked-B will have two variants that will adorn the B’s sweaters like they did in the olden days. This change was first leaked some time ago, but it was made official today through a truly...bizarre announcement.

Like thanks to Michael J Fox for taking time away from his advocacy and acting time but what the hell is this:

A look Back. With an eye to the Future. pic.twitter.com/fxzNsReoPX

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) June 25, 2025​

Did they change anything in specific about this look? A little bit. The Meth Bear, a beloved example of stitchwork making a logo look far more bizarre than it should, won’t be making a return, instead, the Bruins have promoted the little bear on the shoulder logo to main star of the shoulder, and given him a helluva body tattoo. The word “BOSTON” or “BRUINS” will change depending on whether he's on the home or away sweater. It’ll also only adorn one side of the shoulder, a la the Preds and their guitar pick logo.

The Spoked-B’s “B” is still the same serif’d shape that it was in the refreshed mid-2000’s logo, only now with the simpler lines of the 70’s/80’s spokes. They’re also keeping the gold from the current era, so by comparison, vintage sweaters and reproduction sweaters will be slightly lighter than that of the new look.

It’s been about that time for the organization; the one that’s been the most dramatic of any original six squad about changing their look throughout the ages; attempting to be contemporary with their times and never quite sitting all the way still when it comes to their sweater designs. Given the nostalgia involved with this particular uniform and it’s greats, I can only imagine it will be an instant favorite of a great many fans.

Hopefully after the draft, we see a bunch new, interesting, high impact faces playing in this sweater to properly christen it!

Source: https://www.stanleycupofchowder.com...ruins-release-new-sweaters-for-2025-26-season

 

[Boston Bruins]

Zdeno Chara changed everything for the Bruins

Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

A worthy Hall of Fame nod.

In the summer of 2006, the Boston Bruins organization was a mess.

The early part of the 2000s was filled with playoff flops at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens. The B’s made a mess of the post-lockout world, then traded their captain, Joe Thornton, during the 2005-2006 season.

It was a bleak time to be a Bruins fan, though we did get to see Wayne Primeau score a sick goal that season.

It wouldn't shock you to hear that a team that traded its captain, got a new GM, and fired its coach would undergo some changes in the offseason, but the summer of 2006 ended up being among the most consequential summers in Bruins history.

Between May and July 2006, the Bruins would:

• Hire Peter Chiarelli as their general manager
• Draft Phil Kessel, Milan Lucic, and Brad Marchand
• Acquire Tuukka Rask from the Toronto Maple Leafs (sorry, Andrew Raycroft)

Oh, and they signed both Marc Savard and Zdeno Chara as free agents.

(If you’re feeling mopey about the current state of the Bruins, it’s worth remembering just how much can change in one summer.)

The draft picks and Rask trade wouldn’t pay immediate dividends (with the exception of Kessel), so the free agent signings got the most press — and deservedly so.

The signings of Chara and Savard were shocking for a number of reasons, not least of which being the Bruins had developed a reputation for being extremely cheap.

Yet there they were, somehow landing two of the biggest fish in the free agent pond.

And while Savard would be a treat to watch for years, Chara would go down as one of the most important free agent signings in team history.

On Tuesday, Chara was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, adding “first-ballot Hall of Fame” to an already-impressive list of accomplishments.

There was some snickering when Chara (allegedly) made being named captain of the B’s a condition of his signing with the team; those snickers faded into the background as Chara successfully captained the team for the next decade and a half.

Chara signing with the Bruins as he entered the prime of his career shifted the perception of the B’s as a destination for big-name players.

His work ethic, which at times approached “tall tale” status as I heard he did 3,939 pull ups while wearing an army tank as a backpack, forced other B’s to up their game to match.

His on-ice performance was about as flawless as a defenseman’s can be for years, with Chara winning one Norris Trophy with the B’s and finishing in the top five of Norris voting five additional times.

And, of course, he helped lead the Bruins to the 2011 Stanley Cup, memorably lifting the Cup as high as its ever been held on the ice on that memorable June night in Vancouver.

If you think back to memorable Bruins players of the past 20 years, Chara wouldn’t be the first on your list.

He didn’t have the chaotic, “how did he do that?” energy of Tim Thomas, nor the highlight reel talent of David Pastrnak.

In fact, Chara spent a lot of his time firmly below the radar on the ice, which is exactly where you want a stay-at-home defenseman to be.

Chara’s leadership, in particular his “lead by example” style, continued to impact the Bruins through this past season, as he served as a mentor to future captains Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, shaping the team’s culture for decades.

The Chara Era wasn’t perfect. There will always be the sore spots of the missed opportunities in 2013 and 2019, even though the latter featured his remarkable return from a fractured jaw.

There were some seasons (2009, 2010, 2014) where the B’s didn't hold up their end of the bargain in the postseason, and some of the blame for those flops falls at the feet of their captain.

There will always be the sports radio callers who insist Chara wasn't tough enough, didn't fight enough, and whatever else your uncle might have shared at the table at Thanksgiving.

However, when you look at the total picture, it’s hard to think of a more impactful free agent signing in recent NHL history.

“We already knew all of this,” you say to yourself, forgetting that it’s June, there’s not much else going on, and it’s 129 degrees.

Yes, we did — but Chara’s election to the Hockey Hall of Fame at the first time of asking makes now a good time to fire up the nostalgia machine and appreciate some of the good times for what they were.

A Stanley Cup, a Norris Trophy, countless highlights, a Boston Marathon, summiting Mount Kilimanjaro, a real estate license, six languages spoken...not bad for a free agent signing.

Chara was elected alongside Jennifer Botterill, Brianna Decker, Duncan Keith, Alexander Mogilny (finally), Joe Thornton (interesting timing), Jack Parker, and Danielle, Sauvageau.

Chara was previously inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in January.

Source: https://www.stanleycupofchowder.com...-fame-bruins-career-first-ballot-hall-of-fame

 

[Boston Bruins]

Bruins release 2025-26 Preseason Schedule

Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images

The next season of Bruins hockey is fast approaching!

This week is chock full of team announcements! On Tuesday, the Boston Bruins announced their preseason slate for the upcoming season:

The preseason slate ️

: https://t.co/NCECcPG11C pic.twitter.com/z1lj1g0WL3

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) June 24, 2025​

They start off with a home game against the Capitals before heading down to Manhattan, then initiate a home-and-home with Philadelphia (and their re-named arena). They take one more trip down the Northeast Corridor to Washington DC before hoisting the Rangers back at MSG.

In summation: Capitals, Rangers, Flyers; one home, one away.

Who do you think breaks camp this season? What surprises will the preseason hold? It’s coming up quickly!

Source: https://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/2025/6/24/24454881/bruins-release-2025-26-preseason-schedule

 

[Boston Bruins]

Who did the Bruins choose in the 2025 NHL Draft?

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Meet the new youths!

The 2025 NHL Entry Draft is officially in the books, with 224 players selected across the league over two days.

Per the NHL, players from 17 different countries and 27 different leagues were selected, so maybe it’s not a surprise it felt like the whole thing dragged on forever.

The Bruins made seven selections over the two days, and executed a few small trades as well.

Sky had you covered with individual picks, but get a full rundown on what happened below.

Bruins trades at the 2025 NHL Draft​

• The Bruins traded the 69th pick to Montreal in exchange for the 79th and 108th picks.
• The B’s then traded that 108th pick to Tampa Bay in exchange for a fourth-round selection in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Bruins picks in the 2025 NHL Draft​

As mentioned above, the B’s made seven selections over six rounds.

1st round, 7th overall: James Hagens, C, Boston College​

This was the big pick, and the B’s managed to land a player many around these parts hoped would still be available at #7.

Hagens will be playing his sophomore season at Boston College in the fall.

Read more about the pick >>

2nd round, 51st overall: William Moore, C, U.S. National Team Development Program​

The 18-year-old Moore checks in at 6’ 3”, 181 lbs. He recorded 59 points (27G-32A) for the USNTDP in 64 games last season.

Moore, an Ontario native, will be heading to Boston College in the fall.

Read more about the pick >>

2nd round, 61st overall: Liam Pettersson, D, Växjö Lakers HC​

Peterson spent most of last season in Sweden’s U20 league, recording 6G-15A-21PTS totals in 39 games.

He also appeared in five games for Växjö in the Swedish Hockey League, Sweden’s top-flight division.

Read more about the pick >>

3rd round, 79th overall: Cooper Simpson, F, Tri-City Storm​

Simpson, 18, split last season between high school hockey in Minnesota and the USHL.

He’ll be heading to the University of North Dakota to begin his NCAA career in the fall.

Read more about the pick >>

4th round, 100th overall: Vashek Blanar, D, IF Troja-Ljungby​

Blanar, 18, split last season between Sweden’s U20 and U18 leagues.

He was born in Colorado, but moved to Czechia. He’s a big kid, checking in at 6’ 4”, 183 pounds...as a reminder, he’s 18.

Read more about the pick >>

5th round, 133rd overall: Cole Chandler, F, Shawinigan Cataractes​

Chandler recorded 32 points (13G, 19A) in 64 games for the QMJHL’s Cataractes last season.

The Nova Scotia native won gold with Team Canada at the 2025 U17 Hockey Challenge.

Read more about the pick >>

6th round, 165th overall: Kirill Yemelyanov, C, Loko Yaroslavl​

Yemelyanov is an 18-year-old who spent last season with Loko Yaroslavl, a team that plays in Russia’s U20 league (not to be confused with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL or Loko-76 Yaroslavl of U20 league).

He recored 13G-10A-23PTS in 35 games with Loko last season.

As Sky notes in the piece below, Yemelyanov was rated as the 31st international skater in the final pre-draft rankings, so...there’s some hope for this one.

Read more about the pick >>

What’s next for the prospects?​

The B’s will kick off their 2025 Development Camp on Monday, with a bit more buzz than prior to the draft after the Hagens pick.

Per Conor Ryan of Boston.com, the B’s anticipate all seven of this year’s selections being available for camp.

Source: https://www.stanleycupofchowder.com...ruins-draft-picks-by-round-bruins-draft-trade

 

[Boston Bruins]

Bruins select Kirill Yemelyanov 165th overall!

The Bruins finish their draft by going Loko!...to get a center.

The Bruins finished up their draft by going back to the Rooskies, this time by using the 165th overall pick to pick center Kirill Yemelyanov from the Lokomotiv system!

With pick 165 in the sixth round, the Bruins take Russian center Kirill Yemelyanov. 6-feet, 170 pounds, left shot. 13-10-23 in 35 games for Yaroslavl in the MHL.

That is the Bruins' final scheduled pick in the 2025 draft.

— Scott McLaughlin (@smclaughlin9) June 28, 2025

EliteProspects sure loved this guy:

A playoff performance can push a prospect significantly up our board. This is what happened with Kirill Yemelyanov, whowent from a fringe board player to landing at 116th overall. That he would perform even better in a tighter setting wasn’t surprising, however, considering the way he developed his game.Yemelyanov plays the game like a true centre, having the supportive, physical, and playmaking elements needed to shine in that role. He roams the defensive zone, stopping in the right spots, and providing assistance to his defencemen, before launching the attack with short passes. Attacking through the neutral zone, he stays connected with teammates, skating over and underplayers and east-west, filling available gaps and entering the offensive zone with control. There, he continues to show the same distribution and ability to move away from the puck...Although he lacks strength right now, his physical abilities project as above average. He already knows how to leverage his frame to win battles and routinely makes plays off the wall to teammates in space. That part of his skill set shined even morein the postseason, where he became his team’s best play-driver. If Yemelyanov can continue to develop physicality and further refine his two-way habits, he could rise to a bottom-six NHL spot.

I mean, if a guy in the 6th round even makes it to the NHL, that’s considered a win, but it seems like they liked him a lot more than a lot of the other GMs; ranking him 116th. So who knows? Maybe he’ll find a groove and make his way stateside!

Here are his stats:

---

Let’s all welcome Kirill to the Black and Gold!

Source: https://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/2025/6/28/24457948/bruins-select-kirill-yemelyanov-165th-overall

 

[Boston Bruins]

Bruins re-sign Morgan Geekie to a six year contract, avoiding free agency

Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

The Geek Squad stays in Boston!

Don Sweeney is as it before Free Agent Frenzy on Tuesday. It’s being reported that the Boston Bruins have re-signed top RFA Morgan Geekie.

The #bruins are finalizing a contract extension with RFA Morgan Geekie, per sources.

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 30, 2025​

This was certainly a big priority for the Bruins, as Geekie really came into his own despite a tough season for the team. If last year is what we can expect from Geekie consistently, it’s a contract well worth making. We’ll update as more details come out.

UPDATE:

Morgan Geekie signs a six-year extension with #bruins carrying a $5.5M AAV.

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 30, 2025​

Geekie’s contract looks like it’s six years and at 5.5M a year. He earned a payday!

UPDATE 2:

SIX MORE YEARS OF THE GEEK SQUAD

: https://t.co/cltYUKUjNl pic.twitter.com/Ak6lJOkQyQ

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) June 30, 2025​

The contract is now team official!

Source: https://www.stanleycupofchowder.com...geekie-to-a-six-year-contract-nhl-free-agency

 

[Boston Bruins]

Bruins make another trio of signings in DiPietro, Jokiharji, Beecher

Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images

Sweenius taking care of business internally before free agency tomorrow!

The Boston Bruins announced three more signings in advance of the opening of Free Agent Frenzy tomorrow.

A trio of signings ️

: https://t.co/IWS7vpOzGY pic.twitter.com/m4BR9Aq5OR

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) June 30, 2025​

Henri Jokiharju returns on a 3Y/$3MAAV deal, Johnny Beecher is back at 1Y/$900K and Michael DiPietro stays at 2Y/$815K. Jokiharju makes a lot of sense to keep depth on the right side of the defense. I’d love to see him play more with Lindholm or Lohrei and let Peeke be the defensive stopgap alongside Zadorov, but he ends up being a solid bottom pairing option. Johnny Beecher stays mainly because his free agent value wasn’t high and he was the most baseline of the fourth liners last season. NOTE I didn’t say best. I think Beecher was meh, and his game didn’t fluctuate terribly. This just ends up being a prove-it deal.

The DiPietro deal intrigues me the most by far. DiPietro looked incredible in Providence last season and seems primed to be the backup in Boston? Why do I say that? Joonas Korpisalo’s camp came out and basically said how frustrated he was in the back half of the season with the difference in starts he got with Jeremy Swayman struggling. He’s a good candidate to be on the outs in a trade to free up cap space if an impact signing needs to be made. If not, it at least keeps a really well regarded goalie in Boston and not out in the open market.

What do you think of Don’s moves so far?

Source: https://www.stanleycupofchowder.com...rio-of-signings-in-dipietro-jokiharji-beecher