3 burning Bruins questions entering 2026-27 NHL season

As mentioned, the Bruins swung one major trade to upgrade offensively. Boston acquired JJ Peterka from the Utah Mammoth before the 2026 NHL Draft. The price was steep, as the Bruins parted with two first-round picks to acquire the 24-year-old.

On one hand, this feels like a fantastic move. Peterka was an effective top-six producer in his lone season with Utah. He scored 25 goals and helped the Mammoth make the playoffs for the first time.

However, it’s also fair to say the fit wasn’t perfect. He still scored goals at an impressive clip. But his playmaking fell off, as he went from 41 assists in 2024-25 to just 22 in 2025-26.

The Bruins are getting a good player in this trade. At the same time, it’s fair to wonder how he’ll perform with Boston this upcoming season. The fit seems right on paper, but it also felt right when he joined the Mammoth last summer.

Did Bruins do enough to upgrade defense?

A lot of the focus for Boston this offseason came on defense. The Bruins wanted to deepen its blueline to help Swayman. Boston allowed a ton of shots last season, and that put their goaltender in a bad spot a lot of the time.

Boston swung a trade with the New York Rangers for veteran defenseman Will Borgen. In NHL free agency, they reunited with another veteran rearguard in Connor Clifton. Both figure to compete for starting jobs once training camp opens this fall.

Both of these players can be effective in the right role. However, it’s fair to question whether these two are enough to fix the issues. Clifton and Borgen can block shots, but that’s just one aspect of defensive play. How they help aid Boston in the other areas of the defensive zone is something to watch in 2026-27.

Can Jeremy Swayman maintain his high-level play?

Make no mistake. For as good as players such as David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie were last season, it is Swayman who deserves the most credit for Boston making the playoffs. He faced one of the highest shot volumes in the NHL in 2025-26. And he stood on his head multiple times.

The Bruins recognized this and sought to ease his burden a bit this year. In terms of his starts, he will likely see plenty of action in 2026-27. There is a chance he once again flirts with 50-55 starts this coming campaign. But the on-ice burden, in Boston’s view, should be more manageable.

Regardless of how the defense performs, they can’t stop every shot. Swayman has to make saves when the puck comes to him. His performance is going to be crucial in determining how far the Bruins can go in 2026-27.