By: Jack Studley | Follow me on Twitter/X @jackstudley13
The Boston Bruins have long been a team shaped by its defensive identity. Don Sweeney added that reestablishing the defensive foundation was a factor in the head coaching hire. Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, and Nikita Zadorov are key members of the Bruins’ defense corps; they are all signed until 2030. There is one year remaining on the contract of Andrew Peeke. The Bruins extended Henri Jokiharju, Mason Lohrei, and Michael Callahan this summer. They finished their work on the blue line with defensive depth additions in Jordan Harris and Victor Soderstrom.
Parker Wotherspoon, who recently signed a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins, was a solid depth defenseman for the Bruins throughout his two years here. He filled the seventh defenseman role well, and his two-way style and gritty play made him a reliable option for the Bruins on defense. Injuries riddled the Bruins’ defense this season, leading Wotherspoon to play in 55 games, including all of the 25 that followed the Four Nations Faceoff. With his departure, the seventh defenseman role is open, and the Bruins have a few pieces who will compete for the spot at training camp.
Jordan Harris
On July 1, 2025, the Bruins signed Jordan Harris, a native of Haverhill, MA, to a one-year deal worth $825,000. Harris played 164 NHL games over four seasons with the Montreal Canadiens and the Columbus Blue Jackets, adding nine goals and 37 points in that span. With a new start, the 5’11” defenseman gives the Bruins a solid two-way option as their seventh guy.
After four years at Northeastern University, Harris finished the 2021-22 season with Montreal. He played 131 games over three seasons with the Canadiens, scoring eight times and adding 24 assists. He succeeded on the penalty kill and played on the third defense pair. He is a two-way defenseman who can move the puck well on both ends of the ice, showing off his offensive ability when needed.
In the summer of 2024, the Canadiens traded Harris to the Blue Jackets in the Patrik Laine trade. Last season, after playing in 23 of the first 35 games, Harris only played for ten of the Blue Jackets’ last 47 games. He spent much of this season as a healthy scratch in Columbus, a gamble Don Sweeney has made before. With a fresh start with his home team, Harris is looking to return to form and prove that he is worthy of a longer-term contract next summer.
According to the New England Hockey Journal’s Mark Divver, Jordan Harris has been skating at Warrior Ice Arena for the past few offseasons. Joining Harris on the ice is Bruins’ skills and skating coach John McLean. Harris told The Boston Herald’s Steve Conroy that he has been skating with McLean since he was ten. McLean is entering his fourth year on the Bruins staff, with one of those serving as an assistant on Jim Montgomery’s bench. By working with McLean, Harris can use this summer to familiarize himself with the Bruins’ structure, which can give him an advantage going into training camp.
Michael Callahan
The Franklin, MA native broke onto the Bruins roster this season, playing in 17 games in the black and gold. Michael Callahan made his NHL debut on January 14, 2025, in a 6-2 win over the Lightning. He inked his name on the scoresheet on April 8, with a goal against New Jersey for his first NHL point.
The former Providence College captain stands 6’2” and has a left-handed shot. This season, he pounced on his opportunity to establish himself as a reliable defensive option for the Bruins. Throughout his time in Boston, he consistently held his ground and kept himself in position, and his game was calm. He also moves the puck well, finding forwards to push the play up the ice and generate offense.
Callahan has played in 185 games over the last four seasons for the Providence Bruins, picking up seven goals and 36 points. His play this season earned him a spot at the AHL All-Star Classic, but he did not play as he was with Boston. He returned to the Providence Bruins to end the season, joining them for the Calder Cup run; he picked up three assists in the ten games he played. Although he is not known for his offensive skills, his ability to transition from defense to offense was notable throughout his return to Providence.
Callahan’s play this year earned him a contract extension. On June 29, 2025, he signed a one-year contract worth $775,000. Callahan looked more comfortable at the NHL level throughout his time with the Bruins this season, and in September, he will be competing at training camp for a spot on the NHL roster.
Victor Soderstrom
On June 13, 2025, the Boston Bruins sent Ryan Mast and a seventh-round draft pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Victor Soderstrom. The Swedish defenseman who stands at 6’0” and has a right-handed shot is looking for the opportunity to get a fresh start in the NHL. The day after the trade, the Bruins announced that Soderstrom had signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000.
The Arizona Coyotes drafted Victor Soderstrom with the 11th overall pick in the 2019 NHL draft. On draft night, the Coyotes traded the 14th and 45th overall picks to Philadelphia to move up and select Soderstrom. However, Soderstrom only played 53 games for the Coyotes, picking up one goal and ten assists. When the Coyotes moved to Utah, Soderstrom told the team that he would not sign there, noting that his development path would not differ.
Last season, Soderstrom returned home to play for Brynäs IF in Sweden. He had a great season with the Swedish club, scoring nine goals and 37 points in 49 regular-season games and adding a goal and eight points in 17 playoff games. He had the highest plus/minus in the SHL with a +28 and won the Börje Salming Trophy as the league’s best defenseman. During the Swedish season, his NHL rights were traded from Utah to Chicago along with Aku Raty and Shea Weber’s contract.
Soderstrom comes to Boston as a two-way defenseman with high offensive upside. He was successful throughout his time with the Tucson Roadrunners and found even more success with Brynäs IF last season. Soderstrom was hopeful about returning to the NHL, and the Bruins did not have to give up too much to acquire him, making it a low-risk, high-reward situation. He will compete for a role on the team when training camp comes around, and he is shaping up to be a viable option as the seventh defenseman for the Bruins.
Frederic Brunet
This is the wildcard candidate, if you will, for the seventh defenseman spot. Frederic Brunet was a fifth round draft choice by the Bruins in 2022, and made his NHL debut last season in game #82 in an overtime loss to New Jersey. Brunet stood out during his debut, taking advantage of the opportunity he earned by leading all skaters on the ice with five blocked shots. He added two shots in 14 minutes of NHL ice time.
Brunet had a solid breakout season with the Providence Bruins this year, winning the team’s award for best defenseman, as well as putting five goals and 25 points on the board over 69 games played. He played well on the Providence power play this season, scoring two and adding five assists. Brunet spent some time on the second powerplay unit during his callup to Boston. His two-way game was also on display this season, finishing with a +15, the third highest plus/minus on the Providence Bruins.
Brunet is a left-handed shot that stands at 6’3”, and he turns 22 at the end of August. This will be his third full season with the organization, and after an impressive season in Providence, Brunet should have some eyes on him at training camp. He is a two-way defenseman, with an offensive-mind but also improved his defensive game this season; his calmness with and ability to move the puck has been consistent and makes him attractive for the Bruins down the line.
The Bruins development staff know that Brunet is doing well in regards to his progression. In his second year, he doubled his point production from his first season, was wearing an ‘A’ for Providence, and earned himself a callup to Boston at 21 years old. If Brunet impresses at camp, he could put the pressure on management to keep him in Boston. Ideally, Brunet takes this season and continues to develop in Providence, but it does not seem like long before we could see another Frederic playing for the Bruins.
Final Thoughts
The Boston Bruins management and coaching staff will have some decisions to make in September, and these defensemen are all going to bring their best game in an attempt to end up on the NHL roster. Each guy brings a different style of game. Jordan Harris comes with the most NHL experience, he has never played in an AHL game throughout his career. He seems like the favorite on the first day of August, but it would be a disservice to consider this complete. Michael Callahan has the most experience with the Boston Bruins, and took the opportunity he was given this season to adjust and feel more comfortable at the NHL level.
Victor Soderstrom notably stands out amongst the crowd as a right-handed shot and a high draft pick. He is a really exciting addition for the Bruins, if he pans out. Before the draft, Anthony Donati (@TheProspectDon) joined the Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast, and spoke highly about Victor Soderstrom; bringing us back to draft day where the Coyotes boasted about their selection. Frederic Brunet, to me, is the most exciting, but there is no need to rush his development and another season in Providence seems like the smart move for him.
Although Harris has a legitimate case as the current favorite, this race could go in any direction. Callahan and Soderstrom present very strong cases, and it is likely we will see more than just one of these guys in Boston this season. If Brunet performs well at camp, he could force management’s hand to keep him in the NHL. Training camp is shaping up to be competitive come September, a welcome problem for the Bruins staff, but it won’t be until then that we have an idea as to who the seventh defenseman is going to be.
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