UNDERRATED?: Boston Bruins Defy Expectations with a playoff appearance last season. What's next?

The Boston Bruins enter the 2026-27 NHL season as a bubble team, but can rising stars like Fraser Minton and the newly acquired JJ Peterka ignite another playoff run? Marco Sturm’s squad seeks stability after a flurry of offseason moves, including the departure of Viktor Arvidsson and backup Jonas Korpisalo, while questions swirl around Elias Lindholm’s health and the contract status of Matt Poitras. Hosts Eddie Garcia and Shukri Wrights are joined by Locked on Bruins host Ian McLaren to examine the impact of Peterka’s potential top-line role alongside David Pastrnak and debate whether the Bruins’ internal development — especially at center with Minton and James Hagens — can offset blue-line gaps and concerns at number one center. Defensive improvements, Nikita Zadorov’s growth, and the looming captaincy decision between Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy take center stage. Is Boston primed to defy expectations again, or will the Atlantic Division’s fierce competition leave them on the outside looking in? 00:00 Bruins 2025-26 Recap & SurprisesSeason review, overachievements, emergence of young players like Fraser Minton, and Marco Sturm's impact. 10:15 Offseason Moves & AdditionsBreakdown of new acquisitions (JJ Peterka, Will Borgen), evaluating trade strategy, and internal growth expectations. 21:09 2026-27 Lineup & Season OutlookProjected opening night roster, position battles, McAvoy's suspension, captaincy debate, and playoff predictions. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon. IndeedNow, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/podcastright now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COMto play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season. 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.