Bruins Line Breakdown: First Defensive Pairing Analysis

By: Declan Flavin | Follow me on Twitter / X @FlavinDeclan

The Boston Bruins’ defending will clearly be a high priority in a season that is likely to include scoring lapses. They were uncharacteristically poor in their own zone last season, and that’s the first thing coaches and management want to correct. If the defense improves this season, it could spark the rest of the intangibles the team hopes to establish.

Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, and the rest of the defensive group need to up the physicality, which would complement a forward unit prioritizing a consistent forecheck. Health will always be a concern along the way, but that remains a factor regardless.

Let’s analyze McAvoy’s play following an injury-shortened season in which he finished with a 0 plus-minus in 50 games, for whatever that’s worth. The Four Nations mid-season tournament offered plenty of parallel insight into what McAvoy can bring in a highly competitive setting, as he consistently threw his body around and disrupted opponents’ attacks. Those few games can serve as a reference for what the Bruins should expect from him more consistently moving forward, as McAvoy still appears to have room for further snarl in his game.

Bruins defenders have, at times, struggled to consistently clear opponents from the front of the net, and McAvoy bears a significant share of that responsibility given the exceptional talent he possesses. If McAvoy can lean more on physicality than creativity, it would bode well for the Bruins this season.

For Lindholm, it’s another chance to play a full regular season after fracturing his patella just 17 games into the 2024-25 campaign. Lindholm was playing with a strong mix of playmaking and stoutness before he went down. As someone who leans more on positional soundness than anything else, his all-around capability was a welcome sight for the Bruins.

If Lindholm can set an example by battling opponents at the net front, the top pairing could establish the tone for the rest of the defense. McAvoy and Lindholm bring plenty of versatility once they break out of their own zone, but it starts with cleaning up the nuances before the transition. The National Hockey League’s forechecking role models always seem to give any Bruins defensive pairing trouble, and it’s particularly evident in their reactions to dump-ins and net-front traffic.

McAvoy and Lindholm are as vital to the Bruins’ collective success as they are to their own individual production. With their tone-setting physical play and ability to clear the net front, the entire lineup can replicate that approach and transition quickly from defense to offense. The NHL has produced more skilled talent that are consistently quick to pressure the puck carrier and transition the other way.

The team’s top defensemen must be able to escape these pressure points while also helping their forwards develop the same habits. McAvoy and Lindholm will be tasked with this responsibility, and with good health and a new leader behind the bench, the talent is there to guide it in the right direction.

Look out for my other Bruins Defensive Pairing Breakdowns in this offseason series. Thanks in advance!