By: Ellie Man | Follow me on Twitter/X @ellieyym
The Bruins’ power play is struggling. The team has enjoyed an impressive start to the 2026-27 season with 13 wins behind them, but their inability to capitalize on the man advantage stands out as a point of concern.
The Bruins currently rank 27th in the league for their power play, with a percentage of only 18.0. This puts them in the bottom six of the National Hockey League’s standings, followed by the New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, and Chicago Blackhawks.
But despite the Habs being one of the few teams with a lower percentage, the Bruins were no better in their most recent game. Both teams left scoring chances on the table during their match-up, with the Bruins failing to use their one opportunity and the Canadiens’ missing out on their four. At the end of the night, it was Montreal that took the win with a 5-2 score.
Before that, the Bruins scored on only one of their nine power play opportunities when taking on the Florida Panthers – though, at least in that divisional battle, they did manage a 4-1 victory. As such, their power play efficiency remains a significant issue, having had 61 chances so far this season and only making the most of a handful.
The first unit currently consists of Morgan Geekie, Elias Lindholm, Pavel Zacha, David Pastrňák and Charlie McAvoy, and the second unit is made up of Matthew Poitras, Fraser Minten, Casey Mittelstadt, Mason Lohrei and JJ Peterka. With these combinations clearly not able to deliver consistently, it’s worth changing the existing formations in an attempt to revive the Bruins’ power play.
Alternate captain Charlie McAvoy has previously been relied upon as a defensive anchor and playmaker in the first unit. But notably, he’s been quieter this year with just one power play point. Boston could benefit from giving him a breather and providing a chance to the team’s younger defensemen to contribute to the man advantage. This would allow for greater development alongside less predictable passing and shooting for opponents. Notably, 23-year-old Frederic Brunet has not been added to either unit since being scratched several games ago and could offer a fresh option for the team.
Another possible adjustment would be the shift of Peterka up to the first unit, giving him more responsibility in the attacking zone. He forms part of the Bruins’ first line with Pastrňák and Zacha, meaning that the three are already familiar with each other’s playing styles and have formed a solid chemistry. This could give the first unit an alternative yet reliable shooting option, making it harder for opposing penalty kills to concentrate on one primary threat, which they often do with Pastrňák.
Ultimately, the Bruins need to find a way to make their power play more productive. Their current roster has proved that they have the ability to contribute offensively, but that attacking potential needs to translate into goals when the team has the numbers advantage.
On the other hand, the Bruins place 14th in the National Hockey League for their penalty kill, with a percentage of 78.5. These special teams present contrasting performances and highlight an area where Boston needs to improve. While their penalty kill has been more steady, if the Bruins are to remain consistent and stretch out their winning streaks for longer runs, they’ll need to make better use of their power-play opportunities to prevent missing valuable scoring opportunities.
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