By: Jack Studley | Follow me on Twitter/X @jackstudley13
The first two months of the 2025-26 campaign have come and gone for the Boston Bruins. Through their first 27 games, the black and gold sit at 15-12-0 and rank second in the Atlantic Division, but that is a division where the standings can and will change every day. As the calendar flips to December, not only is the Holiday Season in full swing, but the Bruins are gearing up for 14 games this month. Seven games will be played at the TD Garden, and the other seven are on the road.
The Bruins have had their fair share of ups and downs throughout the first 27 games, with win streaks and losing streaks that have swayed the fanbase back and forth. Still, the injury bug has caught up with the Bruins: David Pastrnak missed the last two games of November, Charlie McAvoy and Jordan Harris are on the IR, Henri Jokiharju and Matej Blumel have no timetable for their returns, and Viktor Arvidsson has missed seven games. The good news is that McAvoy and Arvidsson skated ahead of the Bruins’ practice on Saturday, and Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald reported that Viktor Arvidsson is ready to join practice as a full participant. The bad news is that we do not know when everyone else will return. With standings changing constantly and injuries piling up, December is a pivotal month for the Bruins as they contend for a playoff spot.
For the best NHL futures bets and Stanley Cup odds, there’s no better company than FanDuel Sportsbook for your online sports gambling needs. FanDuel offers competitive odds and futures on sports worldwide and is well-trusted for its secure sites across all devices. New customers who sign up for a new account and first-time deposit will be eligible for incredible sign-up bonuses, so take advantage and get on board today, as the 2025-26 NHL regular season is officially underway. Please gamble responsibly.
Game 28: @ Detroit, Dec 2, 7:00 PM EST – NESN
November ended with the first leg of a home-and-home with an Original Six friend, the Detroit Red Wings. The Bruins found themselves on the winning end of a gritty and gutsy 3-2 game, which needed more than overtime. The first game featured a fight (if the linesmen let them go, Kastelic would have been in two), and 28 penalty minutes. This was a clear example of the Bruins’ “piss and vinegar” mantra, and it helped them pick up the two points on Saturday night. Detroit will be donning its Centennial anniversary jerseys as the Wings look to snap a four-game losing streak against the Bruins.
Game 29: vs. St. Louis, Dec 4, 7:00 PM EST – NESN
Finally, Jim Montgomery comes back to Boston. The man who was behind the bench for the Bruins’ record-setting 65-win season departed after an 8-9-2 start to the 2024-25 campaign, and five days later, Monty landed a five-year contract in St. Louis. However, grass isn’t always greener on the other side. The Blues have struggled out of the gate this season, with a 9-10-7 record through their first 26 games (at game 19, they were 6-9-4; that’s all I’ll say). Their 89 goals allowed is tied with Toronto for the fourth-most in the league; Jordan Binnington has pitched a 6-5-5 record in his 15 starts. The Bruins, led by head coach Marco Sturm, have been a team defined by their aggressive, “tough out” identity, and the black and gold rank second in the league with 683 hits; St. Louis is not too far behind, ranked fifth with 595. With both teams playing a heavy and hard-nosed style, the Bruins’ ability to win the physical battles and dictate the offense should allow them to pick up two points.
Game 30: vs. New Jersey, Dec 6, 7:00 PM EST – NESN
The Bruins host the Devils on the first Saturday of December, giving them a real tough test in the new month. New Jersey, even with injuries, has played to a 16-8-1 record, and have been led by players like Jesper Bratt (5-19–24) and Nico Hischier (9-14–23); and young defensemen Luke Hughes (1-13–14) and Simon Nemec (6-9–15) have emerged into legit NHL talent, stepping up their games to produce on both sides of the puck. Swedish goaltender Jacob Markstrom has struggled this season, posting a 3.60 goals-against average (GAA) and a 3.60 save percentage (SV%). The Devils’ high-powered offense has only been boosted by top-ten special teams units, so controlling this game at five-on-five will be essential to the Bruins as they step up to this challenge.
Game 31: @ St. Louis, Dec 9, 8:00 PM EST – NESN
For the second time in five days (hm, five days… I’m looking too far into this), and the last time this season, the Bruins will take on the new-look St. Louis Blues. Coupled with their slow start has been the Blues’ inability to win a game beyond regulation; St. Louis is a whopping 0-7 when a game goes to overtime (Boston is 6-0). They have found success on the power play, posting a 20.9% rate through November, which positions them in the top half of the league. The Blues’ penalty kill has dragged, sitting in 26th through November at 75.4%; Boston’s power play is fourth in the NHL (25.3%), giving them two early opportunities to shine in December.
Game 32: @ Winnipeg, Dec 11, 8:00 PM EST – NESN
The Bruins will head north of the border for a date with the Winnipeg Jets. The two matchups that these teams had last year ended horribly for the Bruins, specifically the one in Winnipeg. The Jets went on to finish top of the Western Conference, led by a Hart and Vezina Trophy season out of UMass Lowell product Connor Hellebuyck. Hellebuyck, however, recently underwent knee surgery and will be out for multiple weeks. Since the Jets have been without Hellebuyck, they are 2-4-0 and have allowed 19 goals in six games. This game is an excellent opportunity for the Bruins to break out offensively, especially with the Jets down their star goalie; the black and gold are ninth in goals for (81).
Game 33: @ Minnesota, Dec 14, 6:00 PM EST – NESN
A trip to Minnesota will close out the three-game road trip for the Boston Bruins. The Wild have found success all across the board this season, sitting third in the Western Conference with a 14-7-5 record. They went on an 11-game point streak to end November (9-0-2), with their last regulation loss coming on November 6 to Carolina. The Wild have a combined five shutouts from their goaltenders, and Jesper Wallstedt has pitched a 7-0-2 start to this season. They also boast the sixth-best power play in the NHL, converting on 24.2% of power play chances, therefore putting the ninth-ranked Bruins’ penalty kill to the test. This game will also be Marat Khusnutdinov’s first against the team that drafted him; he was traded to the Bruins in March 2025.
Game 34: vs. Utah, Dec 16, 7:00 PM EST – NESN
The Bruins will open a five-game homestand against the Utah Mammoth, which will close out the season series. Boston dropped the first contest 3-2 on the road in Salt Lake City, the fourth of a six-game losing streak that haunted the Bruins in October. The Mammoth have really struggled on the man-advantage this season, clicking at 13.7% on the power play, good for 30th in the league. As of December 1, the Mammoth sit right outside of the playoffs with 27 points; however, for what it’s worth, they were in the playoff bubble as of American Thanksgiving. Also, it is worth noting that in the Bruins’ last two meetings with Utah, Mark Kastelic has dropped the gloves with both Robert Bortuzzo and Liam O’Brien.
Game 35: vs. Edmonton, Dec 18, 7:00 PM EST – NESN
The Oilers come to town in the first of two meetings this month. It has been a very intriguing season for the back-to-back Western Conference Champions. They have posted an 11-10-5 record, but they are still getting productive seasons from Connor McDavid (11-25–36) and Leon Draisaitl (15-16–31), and the power play is scoring at 30.2%. Trent Frederic (2-0–2) will make his return to the TD Garden after being traded in March. He has not had the season that he anticipated after signing an eight-year extension worth $30,800,000 this summer.
Game 36: vs. Vancouver, Dec 20, 7:00 PM EST – NESN
I mentioned the Oilers having an intriguing season; the Canucks are having even more of one. They are sitting 30th in the league with a 10-13-3 record, they have allowed a league-leading 95 goals, and their penalty kill is hurting them; like the team, it is also ranked 30th. They are open to changing things up, saying that they were open to listening to offers on their unrestricted free agents, per Elliotte Friedman. He followed it up by saying, “There’s nothing imminent in Vancouver.” The Canucks could look a little different by the time we see them. Jim Rutherford has a track record of making an in-season splash, but the Canucks are positioned to sell rather than bring in a big name.
Game 37: vs. Ottawa, Dec 21, 7:00 PM EST – NESN
The Senators come back to Boston for the fourth and final meeting between these two Atlantic Division foes, but this one will look different than the first three. Brady Tkachuk suffered a thumb injury in October, sidelining him for the first three meetings. That time is up; Tkachuk returned to the lineup on November 28 after missing 20 games. In this season series, the home team has won all three meetings; Ottawa picked up 7-2 and 5-3 wins in Ontario, and the Bruins won 3-2 in Boston. We have yet to see Jeremy Swayman vs. Linus Ullmark; this season series has featured every other goalie matchup it could provide.
Game 38: vs. Montreal, Dec 23, 7:00 PM EST – NESN
The second matchup of the season against the Bruins’ longtime rival comes right before the team takes a few days off for the holiday break. The first meeting between these two teams provided pandemonium and an old-school feel to the Boston-Montreal rivalry, and the Bruins scraped out of Montreal with a 3-2 win. Montreal, which sits third in the Atlantic, has continued to find success this season, with a top-10 power play and better-than-point-per-game seasons from Nick Suzuki (7-21–28) and Cole Caufield (14-12–26). Jakub Dobes has also continued his stellar season, with an 8-3-2 record in his 13 games.
Game 39: @ Buffalo, Dec 27, 7:00 PM EST – NESN
The Bruins will return from the holiday break on the road for a five-game road trip. The black and gold will start in Buffalo, kicking things off with the third of four meetings with the Sabres, and the first of two on the road. The Bruins are up two on the season series, picking up 3-1 and 4-3 wins earlier in the season. The Sabres sit at the bottom of the East as the calendar flips to December. They have posted a 10-11-4 record and are the only team in the conference below .500. Buffalo has found a real strength: its penalty kill, which ranks second in the NHL at 88.6%.
Game 40: @ Calgary, Dec 29, 9:00 PM EST – NESN
This road trip includes four games out west, and the first one will be at the Scotiabank Saddledome against Johnny Beecher and the Calgary Flames. Since the acquisition, the Flames have moved out of the 32nd spot in the league, but they have not gone far; their 9-14-4 record is good for 31st. The Flames are firing with the league’s worst power play (13.3%), and rank last in goals scored per game (2.33). Adam Klapka (49) is one of five players with more PIMs than former-Flame Nikita Zadorov (48). Klapka has three fighting majors and one misconduct, but immediately emerges as a candidate if this game gets chippy. This game should be a good opportunity for the Bruins to start their long road trip on the right note. The Bruins ended November with a 6-7-0 road record, while Calgary is 4-4-2 at home.
Game 41: @ Edmonton, Dec 31, 9:30 PM EST – NESN
The Bruins will close out the calendar year in Edmonton, with this game bringing Bruins fans (on the East Coast) right into 2026. With all the firepower they have, the Oilers sit 11-10-5 through 26 games, and have allowed 93 goals, the second-most in the league. Stuart Skinner ended November with a 3.00 GAA and an .885 SV%; Calvin Pickard has a 4.04 GAA and an .847 SV%. Fun fact: the last seven meetings between these two teams in Edmonton have been decided by one goal, dating back to February 20, 2018.
The Bruins are gearing up for fourteen games in December, and seven of them are right on Causeway at the TD Garden. If you are interested in watching the Bruins live, or need a great gift idea for the upcoming holiday season, please check out our StubHub Ticket-affiliated link HERE for the most competitive concert and sporting event tickets in the North American region.
Leave a Reply