Four Post-olympics Bruins Storylines That Fans Should Watch

Four post-Olympics Bruins storylines that fans should watch originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The 2026 Winter Olympics were a rousing success for United States hockey.

Both the men and women’s teams won the gold medal in Milan-Cortina by beating their Canadian rivals in overtime.

The men won 2-1 in OT on Sunday with a golden goal by Jack Hughes. It was the first time Team USA won Olympic gold in men’s hockey since the Miracle on Ice team in 1980.

The Bruins were well-represented at the Olympics and had two players — defenseman Charlie McAvoy and goalie Jeremy Swayman — win gold for the American squad.

It extends the streak of at least one Bruins player winning Olympic gold (when NHL players participate) to four Winter Games in a row.

• 2006: P.J. Axelsson, Sweden
• 2010: Patrice Bergeron, Canada
• 2014: Patrice Bergeron, Canada
• 2026: Charlie McAvoy/Jeremy Swayman, USA

Now that the Olympics are over, the NHL regular season will resume, and it will be a sprint to the finish in mid-April. The Bruins’ first game after the break is Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets at TD Garden.

Let’s look at four key storylines that Bruins fans should watch over the next six weeks.

Olympic boost for Charlie McAvoy?

McAvoy consistently ranked among the leaders in ice time among American players and was trusted to be on the ice in many important situations.

McAvoy didn’t tally a point at the Olympics, but he played excellent defensively and brought a physical presence to the ice on every shift. This style was a perfect compliment to Quinn Hughes. McAvoy allowed Hughes to jump into the attack offensively and the results were great.

The Bruins defenseman also made one of the most crucial plays in the gold medal game when he kept an airborne puck out of the U.S. net during a scramble in the crease.

After a successful Olympics, it’s fair to wonder if the Bruins will get a supercharged McAvoy for the rest of the season. McAvoy tallied 39 points (four goals, 35 assists) in 45 games for the Bruins before the Olympic break, and his 2.15 points per 60 minutes this season are a career high and well above his 1.17 last season.

The Bruins need McAvoy to continue being a force at both ends of the ice to give themselves the best possible chance of reaching the playoffs. And judging by his impact at the Olympics, it wouldn’t be surprising at all if he delivers.

Trade deadline: Buy, sell, or both?

The Bruins are in an interesting spot as the March 6 trade deadline nears. They aren’t a real Stanley Cup contender but they’re also a playoff-caliber team.

It makes no sense to give up quality draft picks and prospects for short-term upgrades, especially veteran players who would be rentals. But if the Bruins could acquire a player — preferably a top-six forward or top-four defenseman — who can make an impact beyond this season and fit the age timeline of the cornerstone players (Pastrnak, McAvoy, Swayman, etc), then that would be a move worth considering.

They reportedly were interested in acquiring 29-year-old defenseman Rasmus Andersson but only if he signed an extension. Andersson was ultimately traded to the Vegas Golden Knights last month without an extension.

It also would make sense to gauge the market on players with expiring contracts, such as defenseman Andrew Peeke. If the Bruins can get a decent asset for that kind of player, it’s also worth considering.

The Bruins went into full seller mode at last season’s trade deadline, and it was a huge success as the franchise added valuable draft picks and prospects. We won’t see that kind of selling this season.

If the Bruins do decide to be buyers, what should they target? Another goal scorer, especially on the wing, would be ideal. The Bruins, per Natural Stat Trick, have been expected to score 175.45 goals this season. The B’s have actually scored 193, or about 18 more than expected. A 12.4 shooting percentage, which ranks fourth-best in the league, is greatly contributing to Boston’s better-than-anticipated offensive numbers.

What happens if the Bruins regress a bit scoring-wise? It wouldn’t be a surprising outcome when you consider several Bruins forwards, including Morgan Geekie, have a career-high shooting percentage this season.

Bolstering the team’s scoring depth would be a great upgrade for the B’s ahead of the trade deadline.

Back in the playoffs?

The Bruins saw their nine-year playoff appearance streak end last season when they finished with the league’s fifth-worst record. They have a very good chance of returning to the playoffs this season.

The B’s exit the Olympic break in the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They have a four-point cushion over the Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets. Boston also is just one point behind the Buffalo Sabres for the first wild card spot and three points behind the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens for third and second place, respectively, in the Atlantic Division.

The Bruins won’t have an easy path to the finish line, though. They have 25 games left and the second-toughest remaining schedule. Fourteen of those 25 games are on the road.

The good news for the Bruins is making the playoffs is a very attainable goal. They’ve put themselves in a good position coming out of the break. But there’s plenty more work to be done.

The next generation is thriving

The Bruins didn’t play over the last two weeks, but many of their top prospects did. And the results were fantastic.

The team’s last two first-round picks — forwards James Hagens (No. 7, 2025) and Dean Letourneau (No. 25, 2024) — are dominating for Boston College.

Hagens has tallied 38 points (20 goals, 18 assists) in 28 games to lead the Eagles. He also leads all Hockey East players with 24 points in 20 conference games. Hagens scored a hat trick against UConn on Friday, and he did it in two periods.

Letourneau ranks second on BC with 33 points (18 goals, 15 assists) in 30 games. He scored zero goals last season, so his improvement offensively has been tremendous. Letourneau scored one goal with three assists in two games versus UConn over the weekend.

Hagens and Letourneau are among the nominees for the Hobey Baker Award.

Will Zellers had a three-point game, including the game-tying goal late in the third period, against St. Cloud State on Friday. Zellers has scored 16 goals with 10 assists in 31 games for North Dakota as a freshman. He’s playing a key role for the No. 3 ranked team in the nation.

The Bruins’ prospect pool is better and deeper than it’s been in a long time, and these three players are the top of the group.

Their progress through the remainder of the regular season and the NCAA Tournament is worth following for Bruins fans.