The 2024-25 season was definitely one to forget for the Boston Bruins. It really marked a big drop for a franchise that used to be all about consistency and making it to the playoffs. After eight years of making the playoffs, the Bruins really took a dive this season, ending up at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. This year was all about injuries, underperformance, and a shaky defense for the team. Plus, the trade deadline saw longtime captain Brad Marchand leave, which really affected them for a while.

There were also a bunch of injuries to important players like Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy, which really left the Bruins feeling lost and vulnerable. In the midst of the chaos, NHL Network’s X post featured analyst Thomas Hickey highlighting McAvoy as the key player for any possible comeback.

“I think there’s more for McAvoy, but you look talk about importance to a hockey team. There’s one guy we’ll get into later, but outside of that, McAvoy, the Bruins go as he does. He’s got some snarl. He’s got a bit of edge. He’s a big guy. He’s strong, but what stands out the most to me when I watch him play is the confidence,” Hickey pointed out.

The 27-year-old defenseman has made an impact that goes beyond just numbers. His 2024-25 season, where he scored 7 goals and racked up 23 points in 50 games, was cut short due to a nasty shoulder injury and an infection he picked up at the 4 Nations Face-Off, which landed him in the hospital and ended his season early.

Hickey also pointed out McAvoy’s unique influence, saying, “See, he exudes it all over the ice whether you’re watching up from the press box or you’re down at ice level. You understand that that sort of permeates through his group. When the puck’s on his stick, it seems like he’s passing that confidence off to someone else, but the big thing that I want to talk about, the one thing I want to see, you can’t even quantify it outside of that ledger on the left. It’s games played. He’s a guy that’s been hurt so much, and look, so many times there’s freak injuries, bad things happen, strange injuries can pop up.”

The Bruins really need this quality, especially since they seemed a bit out of sync defensively. McAvoy not being there has really shown some big gaps in their blue line. Yet Hickey’s praise came with a caveat, as he said, “The biggest thing that I want from him when we talk about the health of all the players, I want to see him be healthy. Play a full 82 games. We haven’t seen that from Charlie McAvoy and that’s a shame just because I think we all deserve 82 games and maybe playoffs out of Charlie McAvoy because he’s so much fun to watch.”

The Bruins are definitely counting on McAvoy being able to stay on the ice for the 2025-26 season. But the captain they traded to rebuild the team is really enjoying himself over at the Panthers.

Brad Marchand is totally committed to his new NHL team

Brad Marchand really stepped up for the Florida Panthers during their second consecutive Stanley Cup run, scoring 20 playoff points with 10 goals and 10 assists. So, what started as a short-term partnership for Marchand has actually turned into a long-term deal. In June, he signed a six-year, $31.5 million extension with the Panthers. The contract really highlighted the trust between both sides. The Panthers were focused on keeping their core after winning those two championships in a row, while Marchand was set to embrace a new chapter away from the city he once called home.

“This contract solidifies that I’m going to play for a long time here, and I have every intention of playing it out. Hopefully, I can keep up with the young guys here in the next number of years here. It’s something I want to hold on to as long as I can. My family loves it,” Marchand said, being honest about his long-term contract with Florida.

The decision was influenced by the tight-knit connection in Florida—having teammates like Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad, who also committed long-term, really made the transition easier. But, you know, it was sort of a two-way street. Joining the Panthers and settling in was a bit tricky at first, but now those teammates who used to be rivals and would joke around on the ice are all set to team up and defend the Stanley Cup together for the Panthers again.