By: Declan Flavin | Follow me on Twitter / X @FlavinDeclan
The Boston Bruins held a captain’s practice Tuesday, making the 2025-26 season feel closer and closer. As preseason work progresses, the leadership dynamic will be one of the biggest talking points before the first puck drop of the 82-game schedule.
New head coach Marco Sturm is setting the culture, but the veterans must carry out his message effectively for real change to take hold in the organization. The Bruins no longer have a single player or two they can lean on to set the standard. So far, the key veterans in the room seem to recognize this and are making points of their own about the situation.
“Yeah, it’s different … but at the same time, if you look at the big picture, it’s the same. The leadership in this organization is not one guy; it’s always been a group decision, a group of leaders.” — David Pastrnak, via NHL.com
Right away, Pastrnak is aligning himself with the theme of collective effort. For a player who leads more by showing than telling, this setup is tailor-made for him. Having spent time around players like Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron, he seems to believe those locker rooms also leaned on a group effort to establish culture.
It is a noteworthy stance, considering those legends consistently spoke up, whether they needed to or not. Time will tell whether Pastrnak feels the need to vocally follow their example or if he continues with a show-don’t-tell mindset.
“Absolutely it will be by committee, certainly to start, and I wouldn’t be surprised though if we continue to bring people into the fold.” — Charlie McAvoy, via NHL.com
McAvoy’s comment again points toward a culture built on collective effort, and it will be worth watching how additional voices emerge as culture setters. If the culture is built on every player contributing what they have, the suggestion that more voices will be needed raises an interesting point. Perhaps the veterans know they will eventually have to rely on a more polarizing presence in the future.
Every player in the National Hockey League has worked at an elite level with what they have, and not everyone tends to be in their teammates’ ears. Whether this influence comes from outside or inside will be a storyline to watch as the season develops.
“So, I think being underdogs this year, being a team that nobody is putting anywhere even close to where we should be, so it’s putting an extra chip on our shoulders for sure.” — Nikita Zadorov, via NHL.com
Zadorov, known for his brutal honesty, is taking more of an edge in the locker room, hoping it cultivates motivation throughout the group. For a team that felt flat last season, this could be an encouraging sign both on and off the ice.
The hope is that his message translates into high-energy preparation and proper physicality for an aspiring forecheck system. If Zadorov channels this attitude effectively, he could emerge as a respected vocal leader.
All in all, the key veterans seem ready to tackle the locker room culture collectively, each bringing an interesting perspective. Whether Sturm’s philosophies rise or fall will depend on how the group handles in-season situations. The veteran voices will need to keep everyone mentally and physically engaged.
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