Special Teams Will Make or Break the Bruins’ Season

Boston’s special teams were a disaster last season — ranking near the bottom of the NHL on both the power play and penalty kill — and it cost them any shot at competing. On today’s Locked On Boston Bruins, Ian McLaren breaks down just how badly those struggles hurt the team’s goal differential and standings, and why improvement is non-negotiable in 2025-26. He also examines how new head coach Marco Sturm and assistant coach Steve Spott plan to overhaul the offense and special teams, highlighting how players like David Pastrnak, Elias Lindholm, and Mason Lohrei could be deployed in new roles. Plus, with the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo around the corner, McLaren spotlights Fraser Minten as Boston’s most intriguing young player to watch. It’s a deep dive into what went wrong, what needs to change, and why fixing special teams is the key to a true redemption season for the Bruins. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNHL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply. Monarch Money Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNHL at monarchmoney.com/lockedonnhl for 50% off your first year. FanDuel Download the FanDuel app now by visiting FanDuel.com and win $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.