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Boston Bruins’ most intriguing training camp battle in 2025

Originally posted on NHL on ClutchPoints
By Steve Silverman, ClutchPoints | Last updated Sep 6, 2025 6:26 PM ET

The Boston Bruins are coming off a hugely disappointing season that saw them not only fail to make the playoffs but also finish in last place in the Atlantic Division.

Since the Bruins have been so strong for so many years, it seems likely that a downturn is coming and it may be another year or more before they can fight their way back into the playoffs.

However, that is not the mindset in the Boston lockerroom. They have a dangerous top line that includes the explosive David Pastrnak, surprising Morgan Geekie and center Elias Lindholm.

There’s no reason that can’t be one of the top lines in the league. Much will depend on Geekie’s continued growth and improvement from Lindholm. Pastrnak is one of the league’s dominant scorers. He has netted 40 goals or more in four of the last five seasons, and he has a career-best of 61 goals in the 2022-23 season. He should have every chance to fight for the league’s goal-scoring title in the upcoming season.

The second line seems fairly set as well with Pavel Zacha at left wing, Casey Mittlestadt at center and newly acquired Viktro Arvidsson at right wing.

The most competitive area on the team could be the third line. In particular, the center position looks like it could be a significant battle between Matt Poitras and Fraser Minten.

Third-line is vital for the Bruins

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If the Bruins are going to return to the playoffs, the third line must hold its own. That unit does not need to be dominant, but it must be able to come up with key goals and stop opponents at vital moments in the third period.

Tough guy Tanner Jeannot appears to be a lock at left wing on that line, but the battle between Poitras and Minten at center could be epic.

Poitras has displayed his speed and skill in each of the Bruins last two training camps. He has had a difficult time staying healthy as each of those seasons got underway. There has been a clear need for Poitras to add strength and weight.

That only makes sense because Poitras is just 21 and he has already showed off his talent in the last two training camps. Now that he is getting older, he will be more competitive and should be able to withstand more physical battles.

Minten was acquired by the Bruins in the trade that sent Brandon Carlo to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Minten is also in a similar place to Poitras, as he is also a 21-year-old who is trying to show he belongs in a key position on the Bruins.

The Bruins saw enough competitive fire from Minten to trade for him, but the rest is up to the youngster to show he can contribute on an every-game basis.

Minten has an edge on Poitras in size, as he is 6-2 and 195 pounds. He also needs to get stronger and show he can win physical battles, but he is in a much better starting point than the 5-11, 180-pound Poitras.

Poitras has played 66 games for the Bruins in his two years with the team, and his totals are rather mundane. He has scored 6 goals and 20 assists, and he has a minus-6 rating.

Minten has played parts of three seasons in the NHL, and he has 10 goals and 7 assists in 82 games along with a minus-16 rating.

New head coach Marco Sturm is looking for one of the two to stand out in training camp and demonstrate he belongs as the team’s third-line center. The face off between the two young centers should be Boston’s most competitive training camp battle.

This article first appeared on NHL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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