The Calgary Flames have claimed center John Beecher off of waivers from the Boston Bruins, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported today.
More to come…
Bruins Rumors
Boston Bruins Place John Beecher On Waivers
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Boston Bruins have placed depth forward John Beecher on waivers. If he clears by this time tomorrow, the Bruins can safely reassign him to the AHL’s Providence Bruins.
The expectation is that the Bruins were making a transaction with Beecher today. Boston may need another defenseman on the active roster with Charlie McAvoy’s status up in the air. To that end, Steve Conroy of The Boston Herald relayed a note from Bruins head coach Marco Sturm setting the expectation that something would happen with Beecher this afternoon.
Unfortunately, regarding McAvoy, there is some cause for concern. Conor Ryan of The Boston Globe reported earlier that Boston’s medical staff is still evaluating McAvoy, and that surgery hadn’t been ruled out yet.
Potentially falling to six healthy defenseman on the active roster, and coupled with Matej Blumel and Riley Tufte’s recall this morning, Beecher came the odd-man out of the Bruins’ lineup to fill in the hole on defense.
Beecher had become the odd man out, realistically, before today. The former first-round pick has been dealing with an upper-body injury of late, but has only appeared in six of Boston’s games on the season, tallying one goal. Additionally, he’s seen his ATOI drop by an entire minute compared to last season.
His lack of offense has been a consistent theme for some time now. Despite being a later first-round selection, Beecher has never scored more than 11 points in any single NHL season, and 23 in an AHL campaign. He has shown flashes of quality play in the faceoff dot and on the defensive side of the puck, though not enough to overlook his offensive staleness.
Even if he makes it through waivers unscathed, Beecher’s time in the Bruins organization may be coming to a close. The 24-year-old center, who’s earning a $900K salary at the NHL level this year, is set to become a restricted free agent next offseason and may become a non-tender candidate.
Bruins Recall Matej Blumel, Riley Tufte
The Bruins announced they’ve recalled wingers Matěj Blümel and Riley Tufte from AHL Providence. To open the necessary roster space, forwards Casey Mittelstadt and Viktor Arvidsson were placed on injured reserve retroactive to Nov. 6 and Nov. 15, respectively. With under $1MM in cap space, Boston also moved defenseman Jordan Harris from standard IR to LTIR to facilitate the recalls.
It’s Blümel’s first recall to Boston since landing there as a Group VI unrestricted free agent over the summer. He was a semi-surprising omission on the Bruins’ opening night roster. Not only did they sign him to a one-way deal worth $875,000, but there was legitimate concern he wouldn’t clear waivers after an exceptionally strong three-year run of play in the minors in the Stars’ system. A fourth-round pick of the Oilers back in 2019, he never signed with Edmonton and instead landed in Dallas as a free agent out of Czechia in 2022.
While Blümel only scored twice in 13 career appearances with Dallas, he was among the AHL’s top players while with the Texas Stars. He was a two-time All-Star and led the league in goals last season with 39, capping off his first campaign above a point per game with 33 assists and 72 points in 69 outings. For a Bruins roster that looked starved for depth scoring coming into the season, he looked like a logical candidate to get an audition in a middle-six role.
That didn’t happen, and Blümel has actually been off to a sluggish start in Providence with two goals in 13 appearances. He’s still added 11 assists to maintain a point-per-game pace, though. With another top-six name in Arvidsson now out week-to-week with his lower-body injury, Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub confirms, Blümel will likely be the one to replace his spot on the depth chart alongside Pavel Zacha.
While Tufte has been more offensively explosive in the minors this season, the 27-year-old’s play style makes him a more natural fit for a bottom-six/fourth-line job. The 6’6″, 230-lb winger is in his second season with the Bruins organization, but hasn’t suited up for them yet this year. He suited up six times last season, going without a point and logging a -3 rating in 9:12 of ice time per game.
The 2016 first-rounder does have 24 games of NHL experience to his name, though, and has been the centerpiece of a red-hot Providence team thus far. He’s tied for the team lead in scoring with eight goals and 16 points in 13 outings while also carrying a team-leading +10 rating. After back-to-back 20-goal campaigns in the minors, he’s more than on track for a third.
Since Mittelstadt’s already missed more than a week, he’s eligible to come off IR at any time. Like Arvidsson, he carries a week-to-week designation because of a lower-body issue, but he’ll presumably be back in the lineup sooner than his frequent linemate this year because he’s already missed four contests. As for Harris, he underwent ankle surgery in late October and isn’t expected back in the lineup until after Christmas.
Charlie McAvoy, Viktor Arvidsson Hurt In Bruins Win
The Boston Bruins left Montreal with a win on Saturday night, but could pay the price with two veteran injuries. Star defenseman Charlie McAvoy sustained an upper-body injury after being struck in the jaw by a shot from the blue-line. He was helped off the ice by a trainer and did not return tot he contest. Meanwhile, winger Viktor Arvidsson sustained a lower-body injury later in the contest. Arvidsson is expected to miss “some time” while McAvoy will undergo further testing, per head coach Marco Sturm (via WEEI radio).
McAvoy’s importance to the Bruins can’t go understated. He had averaged more than 25 minutes of ice time across his last six games entering Saturday night, and rewarded the heavy usage with six assists. The Bruins set a 5-1-0 record in that span. McAvoy has worked his way up to 14 points, all assists, in 19 games on the year. That mark leads all Bruins defenders in scoring, with Mason Lohrei (10 points) the only other with double-digit scoring. McAvoy also leads the Bruins’ blue-line in shots on goal (25), average ice time (23:46), and ice time on both the power-play and penalty-kill. He would leave massive shoes to be filled. The Bruins would need to lean on a committee approach in his absence, likely looking to Lohrei stepping up as a vital piece of the offense and Nikita Zadorov growing into an even bigger defensive role.
Arvidsson may not carry the same lineup role, but his role will be just as tough to replace. The 33-year-old has scored three points across his last four games, including the game-winning goal on Saturday prior to his injury. He now has 10 points in 20 games this season. Arvidsson also ranks second on the Bruins in shots on goal (52) behind star scorer David Pastrňák. He has provided shrewd depth scoring to a Bruins team that sorely lacked that last season. With his help, the Bruins have leaped from the fifth-fewest goals-for last season, to the second-most so far this season.
Boston is already facing a littany of injuries. Elias Lindholm was placed on injured reserve in early November, and both Casey Mittelstadt and John Beecher are nursing injuries from the press box. That will force the team to call someone up form the AHL to fill Arvidsson’s bottom-six role. Former first-round pick, and 6-foot-6 winger, Riley Tufte co-leads the Providence Bruins in scoring with 16 points, split evenly, in 13 games. He’s tied with 10-year pro Patrick Brown, who has six goals and 10 assists. Both players would be strong options to bring up, though Boston may want to reward top prospect Fabian Lysell, who has 12 points in 12 games while working through a shifting lineup role.
Casey Mittelstadt Out Week-To-Week
Bruins center Casey Mittelstadt is nursing an apparent knee issue and has already missed one game, but head coach Marco Sturm said this morning he’s been downgraded to week-to-week (via Steve Conroy of The Boston Herald). They’re hoping he can get some light skates in later this week, but he’ll need something of a lengthy ramp-up period before he’s ready for game action again.
Mittelstadt, who turns 27 later this month, was acquired from the Avalanche last season and has had pedestrian output in a middle-six role since. He’s made 33 appearances since the surprise deadline deal, posting an 8-7–15 line with a -17 rating. In 2025-26, he’s already been a healthy scratch once and has seen his ice time drop to 14:32 per game. It’s his first time below 15 minutes since the 2019-20 campaign.
The eighth overall pick of the 2017 draft, Mittelstadt is now with his third club. The 6’1″ pivot spent parts of seven seasons with the Sabres before being included in a pair of notable change-of-scenery moves – first to the Avalanche for Bowen Byram at the 2024 deadline and again to the Bruins for Charlie Coyle last year. He flashed legitimate second-line ceiling with Buffalo, rattling off back-to-back 50-point seasons in his final two seasons there, but his offensive production since hasn’t warranted that type of deployment.
In fact, Boston has shifted Mittelstadt to the wing. That’s where the good news lies: he’s spent most of the year as a wingman for Viktor Arvidsson and Pavel Zacha, and that trio has churned out the best two-way play of the B’s’ frequently-used line combos. Of their three to log 50 minutes together, the Arvidsson-Zacha-Mittelstadt unit’s 50.0 xGF% is the best, per MoneyPuck. He’s got an even rating for the year as a result.
The Bruins now find themselves down two top-six pieces long-term in Mittelstadt and Elias Lindholm, who’s out week-to-week with a lower-body issue. The team has performed better than expected offensively this year, ranking 12th in the league with 3.29 goals per game, but that figure is down to regress thanks to those absences and a 12.2% shooting rate that’s bound to cool off.
Call-up Alex Steeves found himself in Mittelstadt’s slot on the second line when he made his Boston debut against his former team, the Maple Leafs, on Saturday. He didn’t record a point but could get a second look there in Boston’s rematch with Toronto tomorrow.
Summer Synopsis: Boston Bruins
With the regular season now upon us, the bulk of the heavy lifting has been done from a roster perspective. Most unrestricted free agents have found new homes, the arbitration period has come and gone, and the trade market has cooled. Accordingly, it’s a good time to take a look at what each team accomplished over the offseason. Next up is a look at the Boston Bruins.
The Bruins took a massive step back last season after being a powerhouse regular team in recent seasons. They moved on from several tenured veterans at the NHL Trade Deadline, and it showed as they fell down the Eastern Conference standings. This season, the team entered the regular season with their lowest expectations they’ve had in at least a decade. That being said, they do still have plenty of capable veterans on the team and should be able to compete on most nights, but likely don’t have the roster to make a significant push in the Eastern Conference.
Draft
1-7 – C James Hagens, Boston College (NCAA)
2-51 – C William Moore, U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
2-61 – D Liam Pettersson, Växjö Lakers J20 (J20 Nationell)
3-79 – F Cooper Simpson, Shakopee High (USHS-MN)
4-100 – D Vashek Blanár, Troja-Ljungby J18 (J18 Region)
5-133 – F Cole Chandler, Shawinigan (QMJHL)
6-165 – C Kirill Yemelyanov, Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)
With the seventh overall pick, the Bruins chose Hagens from Boston College. The Hauppauge, New York native is a highly elusive center who uses his agility to vary speeds, change directions, create space, evade defenders, and generate scoring chances for himself and his teammates. Hagens will contribute offensively and should be able to use his dynamic skating to lead a line and operate on the power play.
Physically, Hagens is undersized, and concerns have been raised about his size and strength. Some people wonder if his lack of size could limit his potential, but given his skating ability and game sense, he should be able to compensate for any skill deficiencies.
Moore is another center who will come up through Boston College and is more of an in-your-face type of player than Hagens. Moore prefers a straight-line game and will crash the net, acting as both a shooter and a setup man. Unlike Hagens, concerns exist about Moore’s skating and his ability to play the north-south game due to his lack of acceleration. Moore has a long way to go to reach his potential and will likely spend at least a few seasons at Boston College, but he represents a gamble—a draft pick with a very high ceiling given his size and offensive skills. His path to the NHL depends on his improving his skating and speed.
Later in the second round, the Bruins selected Pettersson, a puck-moving defenseman out of Sweden. Pettersson transitions the puck well and can skate or pass it out of the defensive zone to create a switchover from defense to offense. There are concerns about his defensive work and his ability to handle the physicality of the NHL game. Pettersson is 6’2” but just 170 lbs, which means he will likely need to fill out quite a bit to handle the rigours of the NHL forecheck.
The Bruins rolled the dice with their third-round pick, picking a risky prospect with a high ceiling in Simpson. The Shakopee, Minnesota, native has all the tools of a raw goalscorer, using his puck-handling in traffic to create deception, along with a quick release that can give goaltenders fits. His production at the high school level has been off the charts (49 goals and 34 assists in 31 games), but there are question marks about whether it will translate to higher levels of hockey. Simpson will need to improve his play away from the puck if he hopes to ascend to the NHL, as well as his overall conditioning. However, he represents a pick that could develop into a top-nine winger, and as a third-round pick, it would be a win for the Bruins.
Trade Acquisitions
F Viktor Arvidsson (from Edmonton)
D Victor Soderstrom (from Chicago)
The Bruins grabbed Arvidsson at a low cost after his struggles last season in Edmonton. The 32-year-old has a strong history as a productive offensive player, but he struggled last year after his usage decreased. Arvidsson is only two seasons removed from scoring 26 goals and 33 assists in 77 games, which would be excellent production at his current price of $4MM for this season. However, if he repeats last year’s pace, it won’t be a good deal, but since he’s only signed for this year, it’s not the end of the world. At worst, Arvidsson can be a trade asset at the deadline for the Bruins, or if he really struggles, they can let him go at the end of the season after only having invested a fifth-round pick. But if Arvidsson regains his form, he could help them push for a playoff spot or recover some assets if the team isn’t in contention.
UFA Signings
D Jonathan Aspirot (one year, $775K)*
RW Matej Blumel (one year, $875K)
C Patrick Brown (one year, $775K)*^
D Michael Callahan (one year, $775K)*^
G Michael Dipietro (two years, $1.625MM)^
F Michael Eyssimont (two years, $2.9MM)
D Jordan Harris (one year, $825K)
LW Tanner Jeannot (five years, $17MM)
D Henri Jokiharju (three years, $9MM)^
F Sean Kuraly (two years, $3.7MM)
C Alex Steeves (one year, $850K)
LW Riley Tufte (one year, $775K)*
*-denotes two-way contract
^-denotes re-signing
The Bruins spent heavily in free agency during the summer of 2024, signing forward Elias Lindholm and defenseman Nikita Zadorov to costly long-term deals. Both of these contracts are now over a year old, and it’s fair to say they haven’t panned out as hoped. This offseason, Boston opted for a more cautious approach, adding a few bottom-six forwards and a couple of defensemen.
The Bruins’ significant addition was Jeannot, who has garnered a lot of mileage out of one decent season, signing a lucrative long-term deal worth $3.4MM per year. The 28-year-old had 24 goals and 41 points in 2021-22 but hasn’t topped seven goals or 18 points in any season since. Jeannot plays a fairly simple game, doesn’t do much with the puck, and hits a lot. His forechecking is solid, as is his work in front of the net, battling for position to create deflections, but beyond that, he doesn’t do much and probably won’t live up to his five-year deal.
Kuraly was a low-profile signing in Boston who plays a similar game to Jeannot but with much less physicality. Kuraly takes a low-event approach and doesn’t generate much offense or lead the play, but he is a reliable fourth-line defensive center who can contribute 20-30 points. Boston may actually be a good fit for Kuraly, as he is a solid penalty killer, has no problem throwing his body around, and should endear himself to Bruins fans with his play.
RFA Re-Signings
C John Beecher (one year, $900K)
C John Farinacci (one year, $775K)*
C Morgan Geekie (six years, $33MM)
C Marat Khusnutdinov (two years, $1.85MM)
D Mason Lohrei (two years, $6.4MM)
C Georgii Merkulov (one year, $775K)*
D Victor Soderstrom (one year, $775K)*
*-denotes two-way contract
Locking up Geekie was a significant move for the Bruins this summer, especially since the 27-year-old was coming off a 33-goal season. Geekie had never scored more than 17 goals before last year, and he probably won’t shoot 22% regularly. However, given his track record as a middle-six forward, he should still provide value at $5.5MM annually. The risk for Boston is that if he reverts to an 11-13% shooter, which wouldn’t be an ideal value for his contract.
Lohrei plays a high-motor game, jumping into transition and moving the puck around the ice easily. He isn’t as talented as Bowen Byram of the Buffalo Sabres, but, like Byram, Lohrei’s skills are very noticeable. However, his on-ice results don’t quite match the eye test. As mentioned earlier, Lohrei moves around the ice with ease, is very active in transition, and can pass well, but none of that has yet translated into positive results, which is puzzling. It could also mean that Lohrei is ready for a breakout, which would be great news for Bruins’ management.
Departures
G Brandon Bussi (signed in Florida, one year $775K)*
F Cole Koepke (signed in Winnipeg, one year $1MM)
F Jakub Lauko (signed in Czechia)
F Vinni Lettieri (signed in Toronto, one year $775K)
D Ian Mitchell (signed in Detroit, one year $775K)
F Tyler Pitlick (signed in Minnesota, two years, $1.55MM)*
D Parker Wotherspoon (signed in Pittsburgh, two years, $2MM)
*-denotes two-way contract
The Bruins’ significant roster losses occurred before the NHL Trade Deadline, as the team shipped out players like Brad Marchand, Charlie Coyle, Brandon Carlo, and a few others. It was a clear signal that they were punting on the season, leaving very few players to depart in the off-season.
Wotherspoon arguably represents the most significant loss off the roster for Boston and has been a great fit in Pittsburgh so far, playing quite a bit on the Penguins’ second pairing alongside Erik Karlsson. The 28-year-old has been excellent so far, surpassing expectations even as he’s been asked to take on more heavy lifting. Wotherspoon has never played more than 55 NHL games in a season, which should make his usage going forward worth watching in Pittsburgh. Wotherspoon could be a case of a player not getting opportunities in Boston and finding a fit elsewhere, but it’s hard to assess given this season’s small sample size.
Koepke might be another player who thrives elsewhere after signing a one-year deal in Winnipeg. He isn’t known for his analytics and won’t put up many points, but he plays a low-event game and is dependable defensively. He brought a physical presence that the Bruins will miss in their bottom six, but given the lack of scoring from their bottom two lines, they didn’t really need to keep another forward who struggles to produce points.
Salary Cap Outlook
The Bruins currently have just over $1.7MM in cap space this season. There is no denying they have some very bloated contracts on the books right now, most of which are untradable at the moment. The Bruins are heavily relying on some of these overpriced veterans to bounce back and meet their hefty contracts. If they don’t, things could get ugly for Boston as they lack the long-term cap space to cover potential gaps. Next summer, Boston has 18 players signed and just shy of $20MM available in cap space, which could give them a chance to make one or two key additions. However, considering their recent struggles in free agency, they might be cautious about overpaying again.
Key Questions
Can Jeremy Swayman get back to form?
Swayman’s play last year fell short of expectations for him and the Bruins after signing a significant contract extension. It was his first season in Boston without Linus Ullmark, who was traded to Ottawa in the summer of 2024. Swayman missed the start of the season due to a contract holdout and only signed his eight-year, $66MM deal in early October, missing just one game. However, he missed all of training camp, and it showed in his performance last season, as he posted the worst stats of his career. Now, as he approaches 27, he’s hoping to rebound, along with the Bruins, whose season could depend on Swayman’s play.
Do they have enough depth scoring?
Boston is very fortunate to have David Pastrňák on their roster, especially last year when he scored 106 points, accounting for roughly 47% of the Bruins’ offense. The Bruins lack depth offensively, and while Pastrňák can carry a large share of the scoring, he can’t do it all alone. Boston has capable forwards in their top six, but their bottom two lines aren’t exactly overflowing with offensive talent, which could become a problem if they don’t have enough scoring to compete.
Can they compete for a playoff spot?
If Boston played in a weaker division, this answer could potentially be yes, but competing in the Atlantic Division makes it a struggle just to qualify as a wild-card team. Boston isn’t a terrible team, but it’s hard to imagine them finishing ahead of Florida, Toronto, Montreal, Tampa Bay, or Ottawa. That would place them sixth at best, and it’s fair to wonder if the Bruins are even better than Detroit, with whom they also compete in their division. Given the intense competition this season, it’s unlikely Boston makes the playoffs, but that’s why they play the games.
Latest On John Beecher, Charlie McAvoy, Casey Mittelstadt
Several updates on the availability of their players have been reported today, namely Charlie McAvoy, Casey Mittelstadt, and John Beecher. Per The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa, the Bruins’ top defenseman McAvoy did not travel with the team due to a personal matter, while Mittelstadt did not travel due to an upper-body injury. In addition, team reporter Belle Fraser reported today that Beecher is out with his own upper-body injury.
These injuries have left the Bruins in a somewhat precarious position entering their game tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Bruins were already dealing with an injury to top center Elias Lindholm, who was later placed on injured reserve. According to Fraser, veteran Jeffrey Viel will replace Beecher on the Bruins’ fourth line, while Alex Steeves, who was recalled today from AHL Providence, will play on the team’s second line, the one centered by Pavel Zacha. Due to McAvoy’s absence, defenseman Mason Lohrei, a healthy scratch for the last five games, will draw back into the lineup. The Bruins are on a five-game winning streak, but these injuries are likely to test the sustainability of the club’s winning ways.
Bruins Place Elias Lindholm On IR, Recall Alex Steeves
According to a team announcement, the Boston Bruins have placed forward Elias Lindholm on the injured reserve and recalled forward Alex Steeves in a corresponding roster move. Lindholm’s IR placement is likely retroactive to October 30th, when he originally sustained the injury.
The move was largely expected. Lindholm sustained a lower-body injury against the Buffalo Sabres on October 30th, and it was initially believed that he would miss several weeks. The Bruins confirmed the following day that the timeline was accurate after Lindholm underwent an MRI.
Before the injury, Lindholm had gotten off to a relatively solid start to the season. Through 13 games, Boston’s first-line center scored four goals and nine points with a 57.5% success rate in the faceoff dot. It wasn’t on par with his point-per-game average from the 2021-22 campaign with the Calgary Flames, though he would have bested last year’s performance by 10 or so points had he continued the pace.
Fortunately, the Bruins haven’t missed a beat since Lindholm exited the lineup. The team has utilized 23-year-old Marat Khusnutdinov in his stead, centering Morgan Geekie and David Pastrňák on Boston’s first line. The team has won three straight and has an important matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs this evening.
Meanwhile, the Bruins have recalled a former Maple Leaf to fill Lindholm’s void on the active roster. Steeves is in his first year with Boston after signing a one-year, $850K contract with them over the offseason. He cleared waivers on October 6th after failing to make the team’s roster out of training camp.
Thus far, Steeves has gotten off to a quality start with the AHL’s Providence Bruins, scoring three goals and eight points in nine games. Throughout his time with Toronto, which was largely spent with the AHL Marlies, Steeves scored one goal and three points in 14 NHL games from 2021 to 2025.
Injury Notes: Chatfield, Beecher, Hamilton
Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield will not return to tonight’s game, per the team, after sustaining a brutal hit to the head from Wild forward Tyler Pitlick. Chatfield was helped off the ice and left the game immediately, while Pitlick received a match penalty from the game, which carries an automatic suspension pending review from the league. It stands as the first match penalty of the 2025-26 NHL season.
Already missing Jaccob Slavin and Shayne Gostisbehere, the Canes can seldom afford to lose another defenseman. They have already called upon Joel Nystrom, who is getting his first NHL action this season after coming over from Sweden, being drafted by the club in the seventh round back in 2021. Meanwhile, Chatfield was signed to a rather unassuming two-way deal in 2021, but since then has become a highly reliable and steady presence for the Hurricanes on the backend, not playing in less than 72 games in the past three seasons.
Pitlick, 34, has never been known as an overly aggressive player, but since making it back to the NHL this season with his hometown Minnesota Wild, the veteran has tried to bring physicality, and unfortunately, crossed the line in doing so. Pitlick has yet to record a point in nine games with the Wild, having last played in the NHL with the Rangers in 2023-24, splitting time between New York and the AHL in that season. Now, eyes will be on any further discipline on the journeyman forward.
Elsewhere across the league:
- The Boston Bruins confirmed mid-game that forward John Beecher will not return due to an upper-body injury. Beecher, 24, went down hard and appeared to be favoring his shoulder. The 24-year-old former first-round pick is still working to find his offense, with 26 points in 78 games last season, and one goal in five games so far in 2025-26. Yet even when not appearing on the scoresheet, Beecher brings imposing size in the bottom six at 6’3”.
- Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton left during the second period against Montreal, and has not returned, as confirmed by Amanda Stein, Devils team reporter. Hamilton, 32, has unfortunately only one injury-free season in five as a Devil, his major breakout 74-points in 82 games campaign in 2022-23. New Jersey already placed fellow standout defender Brett Pesce on IR earlier today. The team has not disclosed further details on Hamilton at this time.
Elias Lindholm Confirmed To Be Out Week-To-Week
- Last week, we covered news that Boston Bruins center Elias Lindholm would be out on a week-to-week basis with a lower-body injury suffered in the team’s Oct. 30 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Today, the team confirmed to the media (including WEEI’s Scott McLaughlin) that Lindholm’s MRI confirmed that the center would be out with a week-to-week recovery timeline. It’s a significant loss for the Bruins, who count on Lindholm as a key top-six center. Lindholm lined up as the team’s number-one center in that Oct. 30 contest against Buffalo, a spot that has since been filled by Marat Khusnutdinov. Lindholm had gotten off to a solid start to the 2025-26 season, scoring nine points in 13 games. That’s a 57-point 82-game scoring pace, a notable improvement from last season when he scored 47 points across 82 games.