It has been a quiet offseason so far for the Boston Bruins. Too quiet, actually. General manager Don Sweeney has made just one big addition to fill a need, adding right-wing JJ Peterka from the Utah Mammoth for a pair of draft picks. Unless you call adding Connor Clifton a big move, well then, that's two, but we're not.
However, a quick look across the rest of the Atlantic Division shows that nearly everyone has made progress to say that they are better than when their 2025-26 season ended. Some teams, like the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres, are still good with some minor tweaks. How good? Well, they're better than the Black and Gold.
Sara Civian of Bleacher Report ranked 10 teams as Stanley Cup contenders, and, well, four of them are from the Atlantic Division. Boston was nowhere to be found. Shocking, I know.
Bruins missing from list that should concern fans
For starters, the Tampa Bay Lightning were an honorable mention, but the other three teams listed were the Sabres (No. 10) and the Canadiens (No. 9). At the top of the list, to nobody's surprise, is the Florida Panthers.
Read More: Don Sweeney receives high grade for Bruins 2025-26 season amid key decisions
What's concerning is that Sweeney and the front office have not shown a real path this summer. They have an overload of defensemen that needs to be addressed with a trade or two. That hasn't happened, and right now, they have way too many blueliners. If it stays status quo going into the season, well, there is going to be a lot of money either sitting in the press box each night or in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Providence Bruins.
Last season, Boston recorded 100 points and secured the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot, which surprised many. They were bounced in six games by the Sabres in the first round, and Buffalo exposed some of the Bruins' flaws, which haven't been addressed. Unless some of those flaws are addressed before the season starts, the Black and Gold are a regression candidate for 2026-27.
