For the last 22 years (13 with The Hockey News) Dobber has reviewed each team from a fantasy-hockey standpoint and graded them.

The 23rd annual review will appear here on DobberHockey throughout the summer. This is not a review of the likely performance on the ice or in the standings, but in the realm of fantasy hockey both for the season ahead as well as the foreseeable future. Offensively, will the team perform? Are there plenty of depth options worthy of owning in keeper leagues? What about over the next two or three years? These questions are what I take into consideration when looking at the depth chart and the player potential on that depth chart.

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Gone – Cole Koepke, Vinni Lettieri, Jakub Lauko, Ian Mitchell, Oliver Wahlstrom, Brandon Bussi, Joe Sacco (coach)

Incoming – Viktor Arvidsson, Tanner Jeannot, Mikey Eyssimont, Sean Kuraly, Jordan Harris, Victor Soderstrom, Matej Blumel, Marco Sturm (coach)

Impact of changes

The offseason changes in Boston don't upgrade the Bruins significantly from a talent level or move the needle much fantasy-wise for anyone. These changes, however, could make the Bruins a more aggressive team to play against. In his prime, Arvidsson had a non-stop work ethic and shot the puck with regularity. Jeannot has been a hits machine throughout his career, but like Arvidsson has also had his share of injuries. Scoring has declined for both players in recent seasons, so a rebound campaign from both would go a long way.

The return from injury of two top-4 defensemen in Charlie McAvoy (32 games missed) and Hampus Lindholm (65 games missed) might be more impactful than any of the offseason moves. McAvoy did not return to the lineup after a shoulder injury and infection from the 4 Nations, but he is expected to be ready for training camp. Lindholm's season ended in November because of a fractured kneecap, but he should be ready as well. Having the puck-moving McAvoy and two-way defender Lindholm in the lineup more often could help Jeremy Swayman post better numbers in 2025-26.

Ready for Full Time

Matej Blumel – A Group 6 UFA who was not re-signed by Dallas this offseason, the 25-year-old Blumel signed a one-year, one-way contract with the Bruins on July 1. Although he has limited NHL experience (13 games), Blumel has had success at the AHL level. His 39 goals with the Texas Stars led the AHL in 2024-25, but the Stars were already deep with accomplished NHL scorers. Blumel may have better luck in Boston, although he will first have to battle for a roster spot in training camp.

Fabian Lysell – A first-round pick of the Bruins (21^st overall) in 2021, Lysell regressed from 50 points in 2023-24 to just 34 points in 2024-25 over a similar number of games each season. He did get into 12 NHL games in 2024-25, scoring his first NHL goal. Lysell is still waivers-exempt, so he will really need to impress in training camp to make the team. On top of that, he doesn't profile as a bottom-6 forward, so more time in the AHL may be necessary.

Georgii Merkulov – Leading the AHL Providence Bruins in 2024-25 with 54 points in 59 games, Merkulov will be another player to watch in training camp because is no longer waivers-exempt. He has piled up 174 career AHL points in 193 AHL games, so perhaps he is ready for the challenge of the NHL. If he doesn't seem familiar, it may be because he was never drafted. He's not a big forward (5-11, 181 lbs.) and Boston wants to get more physical in the bottom 6, so making the team won't be easy.

Fantasy Outlook

The below grade for the Bruins is propped up by David Pastrnak, who is the team's best fantasy option by a mile. We know Pasta is a 100-point producer, having reached that total over the past three seasons. However, very few Bruins aside from him are projected to crack 50 points. The days of Pastrnak skating alongside star forwards Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand are over. Instead, now it's Pavel Zacha and Morgan Geekie – clearly a step down. Without Pasta, the Bruins' C grade below is more like a D! A lack of proven scoring options could even cut into Pastrnak's value a little bit.

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Geekie benefitted from playing on Pastrnak's line, registering career highs in goals (33) and points (57). Although his shot total increased to 2.0 SOG/GP, he was riding the high of a 21.9 SH%. Staying on that line will be key for continued success. One positive is that he finished the season much better (24 PTS in 19 GP) than he started (5 PTS in 19 GP) while watching his icetime increase over four minutes per game from the first quarter to the fourth quarter.

At this point, the Bruins' backbone consists of Pastrnak, McAvoy, and Swayman. The Bruins don't have the kind of roster that will pile up wins for Swayman, and his numbers were far superior when he paired up with Linus Ullmark and wasn't the clear lead goalie. If the Bruins are to make the playoffs, Swayman will need to steal games. Swayman might be one of the better starting goalies in the league skill-wise, but the Bruins' new standing as a projected non-playoff team will probably keep him from the elite ranking he was drafted at a year ago.

Fantasy Grade: C (Last year: B-)

Check out the rest of the Dobber team previews here.