By: Jake Ferraro | Follow me on Twitter/X @18Jxxx18
Tonight at 7 p.m. ET, the Boston Bruins will play their final preseason game against the Washington Capitals before the 2026-27 National Hockey League regular season begins. The Bruins will host the New York Rangers at TD Garden in four days to kick off the new season. Excitement is back in Boston for another Bruins season. The Bruins returned to the playoffs in 2026 after missing out in 2025, but the Buffalo Sabres knocked them out in round one.
Even with the playoff defeat, the Bruins’ trio of forward David Pastrnak, defenseman Charlie McAvoy, and goaltender Jeremy Swayman will compete in 2027. However, Bleacher Report’s Adam Gretz says otherwise. Gretz wrote an article earlier today titled “Final Grades for every NHL Team’s 2026 Offseason.” For the Bruins, Gretz gave them a C grade and criticized their offseason, despite noting that forward JJ Peterka will provide goal-scoring and that young forwards Fraser Minten and James Hagens could be long-term pieces.
“The concern is that the Bruins were a little too dependent on goalie Jeremy Swayman to bail out a poor defensive performance in 2025-26, and I’m not sure the additions of Will Borgen and Connor Clifton will remedy those issues,” Gretz said.
There’s no denying that the Bruins’ defense was a huge issue last season. One defenseman who struggled last season and isn’t returning this season is Andrew Peeke. The Bruins saw good stretches from Hampus Lindholm, Mason Lohrei, Nikita Zadorov, and Henri Jokiharju last season, and all are back for this season. Borgen is a defensive defenseman who can deliver hits, block shots, and clear pucks out. Last season, Borgen blocked 99 shots, the third-most among Rangers defensemen, and recorded 111 hits, the second-most among defensemen on the roster. Borgen’s career-high in hits in a season was 203 with the Seattle Kraken in 2022-23, so his hitting is a huge presence the Bruins are getting.
For Clifton, it’s understandable why there’s concern. Last season, Clifton played in 50 games and recorded six points for the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, Clifton is familiar with the Bruins and their fan base, as he was a solid player during his tenure before leaving after the 2022-23 season. Clifton recorded 43 points with a +37 rating in 232 games. Like Borgen, Clifton blocks shots, can hit at a high level, and sticks up for teammates. In his career, Clifton has recorded three 200-hit seasons and three 100-hit seasons, as well as three seasons with over 115 blocked shots. Clifton led the Penguins with 180 hits last season and will be a defensive depth piece for the Bruins.
The Bruins needed a reliable backup for Swayman. For the past two seasons, Joonas Korpisalo had consistency issues. The Bruins traded Korpisalo to the Rangers and now have the perfect replacement. Michael DiPietro was named the American Hockey League’s top goaltender for the past two seasons and the league’s MVP in 2026. So far in the 2026 preseason, DiPietro has looked solid, giving Boston fans reason to be excited to watch him play this season.
Losing Viktor Arvidsson may be a concern, considering his 54 points were the fifth-most on the Bruins’ roster last season. However, trading for Peterka, who has proven himself before, was an upgrade. Peterka is also under contract for four more years at an AAV of $7.7 million. Peterka has scored at least 25 goals over the past three seasons and is expected to grow at 24.
“Swayman will have to put together another monster year to continue masking those defensive flaws,” Gretz said. “He is capable of doing that. His play and Pastrnak’s presence at the top of the lineup might be enough to get them back into the playoffs. But the ceiling is very low here beyond that.”
Swayman finished third in Vezina Trophy voting in 2026. Swayman’s 31 wins set a new career-high, and he also finished with a .907 save percentage and a 2.71 GAA. Swayman showed why he’s one of the NHL’s top goaltenders and a key piece of the Bruins’ roster. If Swayman plays like he did last year or better, the Bruins can exceed expectations for 2027. Having a proven AHL goaltender in DiPietro should give the Bruins more confidence, knowing Swayman won’t have to start often.
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