By: Ryan Jainchill | Follow me on Twitter / X @Jainchill_Ryan
With a month and a half separating us from the return of hockey, many are speculating what the 2025-26 Boston Bruins lineup will look like out of training camp. But today, I wanted to flip the script on that and look at what a former lineup of active players who played at least one game for the Bruins in their career would be.
I wanted to preface this exercise with two items. These lines are just my opinion and are based on career performance, not just with the Bruins. I also chose not to value longevity with the Bruins, as to me, it was more entertaining to think of what could have been compared to what we’ve seen. Let’s begin.
First Line: Brad Marchand – Tyler Seguin – Frank Vatrano
It is certainly weird to have Marchand headlining a roster like this. But after the 2025 NHL trade deadline, that seemingly impossible move became a reality. Marchand, who is easily the longest tenured former Bruin on this list, spent 16 years with the Bruins, recording 976 points in 1090 games. He ranks fourth all-time for the franchise in games played and in the top five for goals, points and penalty minutes. Marchand is second all-time in franchise history in postseason points with 138 and was a member of the 2011 Stanley Cup team.
Marchand will be centered by his former linemate, Seguin. The second overall selection in the 2010 NHL Draft spent three seasons with the team from 2010 to 2013. In that stretch, Seguin appeared in 203 regular-season games and racked up 121 points. Like Marchand, he was a member of the 2011 Stanley Cup team, as well as the 2013 team that lost to Chicago in the finals. While the end for Seguin in Boston is still discussed today, having a player like Seguin, who has become a consistent 20-goal scorer for Dallas, would have aided the Bruins for the foreseeable future.
Their linemate is one of the biggest “what ifs” in recent memory for the Bruins. Vatrano, the East Longmeadow native, spent the first three seasons of his career with the Bruins from 2015 to 2018. While he struggled in those three seasons, his first full season with the Florida Panthers saw him score 24-15-39 in 81 games. Recently, Vatrano has become a star for the Anaheim Ducks, notching a 37-goal season in 2023-24 and receiving an All-Star nod. Vatrano would have solved many of the Bruins’ secondary scoring issues in the late 2010s, but some players just need a change of scenery to blossom.
Second Line: Tyler Bertuzzi – Ryan Donato – Jake DeBrusk
Bertuzzi, one of the most popular trade deadline acquisitions in recent years, became a fan-favorite in only 21 regular-season games with the Bruins in 2023. He notched 16 points in that stretch, but turned his game up a notch in the postseason. In the Bruins’ seven-game upset loss to Florida, Bertuzzi had 5-5-10, including the tying goal in game seven. With the Bruins in a cap crunch after the 2023 season, it was tough to see Bertuzzi go, as his hard-nosed style was perfect for the Bruins.
Like Vatrano, Donato was another “what if” in Boston. In his two seasons with the team after playing at Harvard, Donato scored 18 points in 46 games. With his potential, he was sent to Minnesota at the 2019 trade deadline for the player we will get to shortly. Donato had his moments in Minnesota, but didn’t become a consistent scorer until the 2021-22 season with the expansion Seattle Kraken. After leaving for Chicago, Donato finally hit that potential, scoring 31 goals this season for the Blackhawks and earning himself a four-year extension.
Bertuzzi and Donato, who are teammates in Chicago, are flanked by another fan favorite, but a divisive one at that. When many think of DeBrusk, they think of his hot streaks and clutch playoff moments. But to others, his inconsistency made him maddening at times. From 2018 to 2024, DeBrusk scored 15 goals in all but one season, playing all over the lineup. In the 2022-23 season, he set a career-high in points with 50 while playing top-six minutes. As often as people like to question the consistency of DeBrusk, he certainly knew how to score big goals and earned a payday in Vancouver.
Third Line: Taylor Hall – Charlie Coyle – Marcus Johansson
The third line consists of General Manager Don Sweeney’s finest trade deadline acquisitions. Hall, who was acquired at the 2021 deadline from Buffalo, immediately became a fan favorite in Boston. With 111 points in 158 games with Boston over two and a half seasons, the 2018 Hart Trophy winner possessed a combination of speed and scoring ability and meshed incredibly well in the Bruins’ middle-six. When added at the deadline, Hall stabilized a second line that was trying to find consistency and in the following seasons, became a strong option on any line. Hall was a cap casualty after the 2023 season and recently signed an extension in Carolina.
Hall’s center in this exercise is a former linemate of his. Coyle, who was acquired from Minnesota in the aforementioned swap for Donato, played seven seasons for his hometown club, recording 230 points in 452 games. The Weymouth native was a key piece of the 2019 finals run, scoring 16 points in 24 games. After the departure of many players ahead of the 2023-24 season, Coyle stepped up in a big way, recording career-highs in goals and points. But with the writing on the wall for the 2024-25 Bruins, he was dealt at the trade deadline to Colorado and is now in Columbus.
Like Coyle, Johansson was a piece added by Sweeney at the 2019 deadline. A one-year Bruin, the 15-year veteran had 11 points on the Bruins’ 2019 finals run before signing with Buffalo after the season. Johansson was a great addition to the team’s bottom six and showed some clutch playmaking ability. Since Boston, Johansson has bounced around and is now in his second tour of duty with Minnesota.
Fourth Line: Reilly Smith – Trent Frederic – Nick Foligno
This was the toughest line to make due to the sheer volume of options. Smith was acquired from Dallas in the Seguin trade and spent two seasons with the Bruins from 2013 to 2015. In those two years, Smith emerged as a quality young scorer before being dealt to Florida. Smith has remained consistent and was a key member of the expansion Vegas Golden Knights, where he won the 2022-23 Stanley Cup. He has bounced around the last few seasons, finding himself in Pittsburgh and then the New York Rangers before starting his second stint with Vegas.
Frederic, another piece moved by Boston at the 2025 deadline, spent parts of seven years with the Bruins. As a hard-nosed forward, Frederic emerged as a great bottom-six option for the Bruins in 2022-23 and set career-highs in goals, assists and points in 2024. While the consistency fluctuated over the years, his ability to set the tone physically was crucial for the Bruins. He was sent to Edmonton at the deadline ahead of their finals run and recently signed an eight-year extension.
The final forward in the starting lineup is Foligno, who spent two seasons with the Bruins. While he had his struggles in the black and gold, including a 12-point 2021-22 season, Foligno’s veteran leadership guided the team to success over his time. His role in the bottom-six for the Bruins was important, even if his physicality was diminishing over those seasons. Now, he is the captain of the Blackhawks, where he is vital for the development of the team’s young stars.
Some other options for those spots include Erik Haula, Curtis Lazar, Danton Heinen and Garnet Hathaway, among many others.
First Pair: Matt Grzelcyk – Dougie Hamilton
Grzelcyk, who played at Boston University and is a native of Charlestown, spent the first eight seasons of his career with his hometown Bruins, scoring 135 points in 445 games. Grzelcyk had his moments in Boston, but the latter years of his tenure saw him fall out of favor with both the fans and management. After the 2023-24 season, in which he had 2-9-11 in 63 games, Grzelcyk departed for Pittsburgh, where he recorded 1-39-40, which are career highs in the latter two stats.
Hamilton, like Seguin, was another player moved after three seasons in Boston. The ninth overall selection in the 2011 NHL Draft appeared in 178 games for the Bruins from 2013 to 2015. After the 2015 season, he was dealt to Calgary for the 16th overall selection along with two second-round picks. Hamilton became a great top-pair option in Calgary before being dealt to Carolina in 2018 and is now a member of the New Jersey Devils.
Second Pair: Dmitri Orlov – Brandon Carlo
Orlov was added at the 2023 deadline ahead of the playoffs. Brought in to solidify the top six, he had a stellar first week in Boston, earning the league’s First Star award with nine points in his first five games. While the numbers trailed off towards the end of the year, Orlov’s physicality and talent were evident. Commanding a big payday in the 2023 offseason, he signed a two-year deal in Carolina and is now in San Jose.
Another casualty of the 2025 trade deadline, Carlo was perhaps the most coveted Bruin available. While never having the point totals of some of his former teammates, Carlo’s value came on the defensive side of the position. Blocking over 100 shots a year for the majority of his nine seasons in Boston, having a sturdy top-four right-shot defenseman was a luxury the team had for years. Carlo was dealt to Toronto at the trade deadline ahead of their playoff run.
Third Pair: Jeremy Lauzon – Connor Clifton
Lauzon, 52nd overall selection in the 2015 NHL Draft, spent part of the first three seasons of his NHL career with the team. As a physical left-shot defenseman, Lauzon stepped into a significant role in the shortened 2020-21 season, appearing in 41 regular-season games and seven playoff games. After that season, Lauzon was picked in the expansion draft by Seattle and was traded to Nashville. Ahead of this season, Lauzon is reunited with former coach Bruce Cassidy in Vegas.
Lauzon’s pairing is someone he appeared alongside in the 2020-21 season. Clifton, who was known as “Cliffy Hockey” throughout his time in Boston, spent the first five seasons of his career with the club. In 232 regular-season games, Clifton had 43 points. After a 23-point campaign in 2022-23, he signed a deal with Buffalo, where, after two seasons, he was dealt to Pittsburgh ahead of this upcoming season.
I wanted to highlight Torey Krug, as he has had his recent injuries and is expected to miss extended periods, which may lead him to consider retirement. A beloved Bruin, his playmaking ability and skill stood out in his time with the club. Some other names to highlight are Derek Forbort, Mike Reilly, Colin Miller and Urho Vaakanainen.
Goaltenders: Linus Ullmark and Dan Vladar
With only two former Bruin netminders to appear in a game last season, the tandem of Ullmark and Vladar will tend the crease for this team. Ullmark, the 2023 Vezina Trophy winner, was a fan-favorite in his three seasons with the club. His 40-win season in 2022-23 is tied for the most all-time in a single season by a Bruin and his .938 save percentage is tied for first with 2010-11 Tim Thomas. Ullmark is now a member of the Ottawa Senators. Vladar, who only appeared in six total games for the Bruins, is now a Philadelphia Flyer after spending the last four seasons in Calgary.
This team wins like 82 games. great job Don!!!